Developer: Tantalus Media, Forgotten Empires
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Systems:Windows/Mac OS
Year of release: 2020
Genre: Real Time Strategy
TCU Archive Access: Yes- available for play in Fab Lab
Outside Access: Available for retail purchase
Time period: Past
Location: Various (The story mode is set throughout America)
Tribe: Oneida, Seneca, Mohawk, and Lakȟóta tribes (there are multiple spellings for Lakȟóta, throughout this article we use the game’s spelling)
Character Types: Unit/Commander- Nathaniel Black (male), Unit- friendly Uncle Ká:nien (male), NPC- friendly Nonahkee (female), Unit/Commander- Chayton Black (male), NPC- friendly Amelia (female)
“And remember, no matter where you come from, or where you are, you will always have value, but it’s up to you what you do with it. Tókša akhé.”
– Uncle Frank to Clayton, cutscene
TBA
Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition is a real-time strategy game where players take control of their faction’s town center, build and develop its economy, and fight an enemy faction (either AI or player-controlled) attempting to do the same. The game contains both a single player campaign mode and a multiplayer mode where players can work cooperatively against an AI enemy or play competitively against each other. This description will focus on the single player campaign of the Warchiefs expansion, which is where the Fire and Shadow story takes place.
Campaign stories are entirely linear and give players no options for interaction during cutscenes. When players are given choices, these occur as part of the different gameplay scenarios that follow each cutscene. In these scenarios players are given objectives to complete missions. Throughout the Fire and Shadow story campaign, players always have one of the main story characters as part of their army and have the option to recruit units exclusive to indigenous civilizations. In some scenarios players command an indigenous civilization, while in others they command American revolutionary forces.
Fire and Shadow chronicles the fictitious Black Family through the American Revolution time period during Act 1 and across the post Civil War American Expansion period in Act 2. In Act 1, players follow Nathaniel Black, who joins the Revolutionary War effort following his mother’s kidnapping by the Hessians, the Mohawk Tribe, and the Seneca Tribe and the dissolution of the six nation Confederacy. After joining the Americans, Nathaniel participated in many of the famous battles of the revolution such as crossing the Delaware with Washington, Saratoga, and Yorktown among others.
After Act 2’s time jump from the Revolutionary period to the post-Civil War period, players now follow the grandson of Nathaniel, Chayton Black. Chayton travels west to meet his uncle in the Lakȟóta tribe and see an old war buddy from the Civil War. Amelia, Chayton’s Mother, is the owner of the Falcon Company which deals in trading and the expansion of the railroad and has sent him west to represent the company as well. Upon his arrival he must deal with outlaws and bandits who attack both the Falcon Company expedition and the Lakȟóta Tribe.
In this version of Age of Empires 3, the “Definitive Edition”, an Indigenous Consultant was hired to help developers address some of the concerns raised about the treatment of Indigenous civilizations in the original game. For more notes about the original game, please check our entry on the game here or read Beth Dillon’s scholarly article below. For more information about Anthony Brave’s work on the title, check out the —- article under Media Coverage.
As a strategy game, Age of Empires 3 has many core mechanics that are not explained to the player upon starting the campaign. This game assumes that the player already knows the basic mechanics, as it is a re-release. Age of Empires 3, like many other RTS games, has incredibly complex mechanics which function as a barrier to entry. To build an economy players must use villagers to collect 3 different resources (food, wood, gold), build new buildings, advance to new ages, and unlock upgrades of units and town buildings. This task must be done simultaneously with commanding recruited troops to destroy the enemy and complete the objective(s) of the scenario. The Age of Empires 3 Campaign: Fire and Shadow takes roughly 8 hours to complete but may take longer depending on how many scenarios need to be restarted.
TBA
- Dillon, Beth A. “Signifying the west: colonialist design in Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs.” Eludamos. Journal for Computer Game Culture 2.1 (2008): 129-144. (Note: In this article Dillon speaks exclusively about the original edition, as the definitive edition was not yet released. Nonetheless, many of her criticisms remain relevant).
Gameplay Video: