Close Combat III: The Russian Front

Close Combat III: The Russian Front is a 1999 computer wargame developed by Atomic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It is the third game in the Close Combat series. It was highly acclaimed by many organizations, such as GameSpot, IGN, and Computer Games Magazine. It revolves around the Eastern Front during World War II, and takes players from the invasion of the Soviet Union to the final battle for Berlin in 1945.

Close Combat III: The Russian Front
Cover art
Developer(s)Atomic Games
Publisher(s)Microsoft Game Studios
SeriesClose Combat
Platform(s)Windows
ReleaseJanuary 15, 1999[1]
Genre(s)Computer wargame
Mode(s)Single-player Multi-player

Gameplay

Battles follow the general pattern of the Close Combat series. Apart from a difficulty slider, there are realism settings which disable the fog of war, unit initiative, difficulty of access to enemy info, etc.

The Grand Campaign follows the Eastern Front from the German invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa), to Stalingrad and ultimately Berlin. Players can pick either side.

Reception

In the United States, Close Combat III sold 45,438 copies during 1999.[9] Author James Dunnigan reported that it was the year's best-selling wargame.[10] According to Marc Dultz of CNET Gamecenter, the title was profitable and achieved total sales of "well over 100,000 units" by April 1999.[11]

The editors of PC Gamer US presented Close Combat III with their 1999 "Best Wargame" prize. They hailed it as the "strongest Close Combat title yet", and wrote that it "vividly recreate[s] the fluidity and chaos of real combat without compromising playability."[8] The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and IGN both nominated Close Combat III as their pick for 1998's best strategy game, but these prizes went to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri and StarCraft, respectively.[12][13]

Legacy

Following the release of Close Combat III, Microsoft opted to discontinue the Close Combat franchise in early 1999.[11][14][15] The game and its predecessors had been profitable, but CNET Gamecenter's Dultz reported "indications that the company is now only interested in publishing games that have the potential of selling 250,000 units or more."[11] Atomic reacted that April by splitting from Microsoft and migrating to Mindscape's Strategic Simulations (SSI) label,[14] with the goal of creating a fourth Close Combat based on the Battle of the Bulge.[11] Later that year, Zabalaoui said that Microsoft had been "a terrific publisher", and that Atomic had "parted company [with it] as friends who may some day work together again."[16]

Close Combat IV: Battle of the Bulge was released in November 1999,[17] followed by Close Combat: Invasion Normandy in October 2000.[18] After Atomic's sale to Destineer in 2005,[19][20] its new parent partnered with Matrix Games to create expanded remakes of the Close Combat games,[21] starting with Close Combat III. The result was Close Combat: Cross of Iron, released by Matrix and developer CSO Simtek in 2007.[22][23] Remakes of Battle of the Bulge, Invasion Normandy and A Bridge Too Far followed,[24][25][26] along with the new titles Panthers in the Fog (2012) and Gateway to Caen (2014). Matrix and Slitherine Software are currently developing Close Combat: The Bloody First.[27][28][29][30][31]

Sales of Atomic's original five Close Combat games, including Close Combat III, totaled 1.2 million units by the mid-2000s.[32][33][21] By 2018, the series contained 17 entries and had sold above 5 million units.[31]

References
  1. "News Briefs". IGN. January 15, 1999. Archived from the original on September 1, 2000. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
    Close Combat Shipping: "Microsoft has begun shipping Close Combat III, the third installment in its groundbreaking real-time wargaming series..."
  2. Miller, Patrick (May 1, 1999). "Close Combat III: The Russian Front". Computer Gaming World. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  3. Weston, Jason. "Blitzing". PC Gamer UK (67). Archived from the original on March 22, 2002. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  4. Trotter, William R. (April 1999). "Close Combat III". PC Gamer US. Archived from the original on March 7, 2000. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  5. Wand, Phil. "Close Combat III: The Russian Front". PC Zone. Archived from the original on September 12, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  6. Udell, Scott (January 24, 1999). "Close Combat III: The Russian Front". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on April 28, 2005. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  7. Marsh, Ian (February 17, 1999). "Close Combat III: The Russian Front Review". PC Gaming World. Archived from the original on October 1, 2000.
  8. Staff (March 2000). "The Sixth Annual PC Gamer Awards". PC Gamer US. 7 (3): 46, 47, 49, 50, 54–56, 60, 62.
  9. Staff (April 2000). "PC Gamer Editors' Choice Winners: Does Quality Matter?". PC Gamer US. 7 (4): 33.
  10. Dunnigan, James F. (January 3, 2000). Wargames Handbook, Third Edition: How to Play and Design Commercial and Professional Wargames. Writers Club Press. pp. 14–17.
  11. Dultz, Marc (April 29, 1999). "Mindscape Picks Up Close Combat". CNET Gamecenter. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  12. "Second Interactive Achievement Awards; Personal Computer". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 4, 1999. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  13. IGN Staff (January 29, 1999). "IGNPC's Best of 1998 Awards". IGN. Archived from the original on April 4, 2002. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  14. Dunkin, Alan (April 28, 1999). "Mindscape Nabs Close Combat". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 20, 2000. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  15. McDonald, T. Liam (May 1999). "Game Theory; Where Have All the Wargames Gone?". Maximum PC. 4 (5): 41.
  16. Zabalaoui, Keith (September 1999). "A Note From the President; Computer Games for the New Millennia!". Atomic Games. Archived from the original on June 11, 2000. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  17. "GameSpace; Close Combat: Battle of the Bulge". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 7, 2001. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  18. "GameSpace; Close Combat: Invasion Normandy". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 10, 2001. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  19. Perry, Douglass C. (June 25, 2004). "Close Combat: First to Fight -- First Look". IGN. Archived from the original on July 11, 2004. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  20. Staff (May 5, 2005). "Destineer acquires Atomic Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 13, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  21. "PR: Matrix Games Licenses Award-winning Close Combat Series from Destineer" (Press release). Staten Island, NY: Armchair General. October 23, 2006. Archived from the original on July 21, 2013.
  22. Park, Andrew (October 20, 2006). "Q&A;: Close Combat to get new lease on life". GameSpot. Archived from the original on May 27, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  23. Matrix Support (February 13, 2007). "Close Combat: Cross of Iron Now Available!". Matrix Games. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018.
  24. Drummy, Sean (October 28, 2008). "Close Combat - Wacht am Rhein Now Available!". Matrix Games. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016.
  25. Drummy, Sean (April 29, 2009). "Close Combat – The Longest Day Now Available!". Matrix Games. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  26. Drummy, Sean (July 7, 2010). "Close Combat – Last Stand Arnhem Now Available!". Matrix Games. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  27. Parrino, Scott (November 19, 2012). "Close Combat: Panthers in the Fog Emerges onto the Battlefield!". Matrix Games. Archived from the original on March 27, 2017.
  28. Baker, Patrick (June 30, 2014). "Close Combat: Gateway to Caen – PC Game Review". Armchair General. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014.
  29. Schouten, Bart (June 5, 2014). "Close Combat: Gateway to Caen is now available!". Matrix Games. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018.
  30. Hall, Charlie (February 20, 2018). "Close Combat was nearly done when the developer changed game engines". Polygon. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018.
  31. Robinson, Joe (February 6, 2018). "Matrix & GOG Are Bringing Back Close Combat". Wargamer. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018.
  32. Rogers, Rick (June 3, 2005). "Video game brings the fight to the Marines". The San Diego Tribune. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  33. Tamte, Peter (July 19, 2004). "Close Combat: First To Fight - Vol. #1 (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on July 22, 2004.
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