World War III: Black Gold imagines a near future thrown into turmoil by dwindling oil reserves. After protests disrupt the global economy, the great powers declare war. That political crisis frames a strategy game built around actual armies and weapons, with campaigns set across the United States, Russia and Iraq.
Its battles are shaped by terrain and systems as well as force. Players can alter the 3D landscape by flattening ground, raising bulwarks or digging ditches, while tunnels and interconnected underground passages add another layer to the battlefield. Day and night, changing weather, camouflage, jamming and electronic reconnaissance tools all figure into the design, alongside a technology tree for weapons research. The result is a mix of battlefield preparation and military systems rather than a premise alone.
The game offers modes for beginners and experts, with its campaign structure distinct from multiplayer: the latter supports up to eight players over LAN and EarthNet.
