it's great! Buy it!
(though it's very hard to play it) - Try russian campaign - it's great, magnificent. Ukraine campaign too easy and England campaign is too boring. France - didn't play it much
If we're talking about the same things, then read the following:
EDIT:Well, since you've already disconnected, I'll describe it a bit.
+The graphics is great (especially for the time it was released) - all the buildings are highly detailed.
+Realistic game concepts: some pikemen or Knights cannot destroy buildings - only artillery, grenaudiers, or fire-arrows of tartars and algeria archers.
+More realistic: If some unit of yours comes closely to your enemy's buildings while there are no enemy's units guarding it, you capture this building! it's yours. (except barracks, diplomacy centers, churches, walls and towers)
+Even more realistic: Peasants may be captured if there's no guarding units near them!
+MORE realistic: Coal, iron, gold - these important resources can be produced by mines, food - on the fields, other resources - as usually
+GREAT NUMBER OF UPGRADES!!! - General upgrades, upgrades for each unit separately, and plenty of others.
+Tactics elements: If you have a strong enemy, than you'll have to get through some battles - there are officers and drummers that will help you to turn a crowd into a disciplined army. You'll have to use artillery for both distanced (against buildings) and close (against units) attack. There are four types of artillery, different types of ships......
Well, take my advise - play tutorial mission first - it's in campaigns subfolder, well, you'll find it....
as for me I play cossacs when i'm bored plaing CivIII (it happens

) and when i'm bored playing cossacks, I play civIII.
Have FuN
And don't blame me that you wasted your mone for some crap whether you won't find it so good as I do. Our tastes may differ

I just posted here my attitude to that game.