I'll comment on a couple of the criticisms by other reviewers here, which seem to me to stem from problems learning the new interface, rather than things that are actually missing from the game. For instance, one comment was that you couldn't see the effects of changes in tax rates. Not so- they're in the upper left of the domestic advisor screen while you tweak the taxes on the upper right. Similarly, while the trade screen takes some getting used to (and needs a tutorial like that provided in Alpha Centauri which offers to guide you through new screens when you first use them) I found it pretty simple to gain through diplomacy after demonstrating military superiority.

My initial impression is that this is another winner, based primarily on the fact that I was playing until 1:30 the first night I had it. It definitely has that "one more discovery/building/whatever" quality about it. With that said, some comments on the minor problems that I encountered: It's not initially clear, but new cities often aren't able to take advantage of resources two squares away, because their control zones aren't big enough until they build a temple and start to accumulate culture. This was the single most annoying lesson I had to learn from my first few hours of play. New cities being built outside your zone of control MUST have adequate production (shields) within 1 square, not 2, if they are to grow at an adequate pace. Corruption will also hinder the growth and development of cities, even at a seemingly short distance from the capital. I wish that the tutorial offered more help with early diplomacy, particularly setting up trade routes and embassies. Basically, there is a definite learning curve with this new game, just as there was with moving from Civ I to II. (I remember having a dreadful time at first getting used to the isometric view of the world.) But that's OK. What's the point in paying a lot of money for a game you can beat right out of the box? In my opinion, Civ III is worth the investment to learn its nuances.

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