Romance of the Three Kingdoms VIII

2001

role-playing (rpg)
strategy
turn-based strategy (tbs)
tactical
historical
warfare
single player

The story

KOEI beckons PS2 strategy gamers to return to second-century China with this eighth full release in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series. Following the style of the series, this edition is set amongst the confusion and chaos at the end of the Han dynasty. As in earlier games, the ultimate goal is to reunite the sundered nation, and players can take the roles of diverse characters as they work to do so. Strategy gamers can take control of up to eight different characters in a single game. Over 700 characters are available, 100 of which are customizable originals. Other new features include the chance for more than four forces to meet on the same battlefield and the ability to set the game's starting point to any time during the 50-year period between the Yellow Turban Rebellion in 184 A.D. and the death of Zhuge Liang in 234 A.D. Work your way through 54 scenarios and one fictional story featuring every officer in the game Use commands such as "Marriage" and "Sworn Brother" to alter the relationships of your empire Create an army by selecting rulers, warlords, viceroys, free officers, and bands

What it’s like

Dense, parchment-toned menus and ink-brush portraits give this strategy game a formal, scholarly look, with the map table rendered as a sprawling sheet of muted greens, ochres and river blues. Battles play out in sharp, colourful unit sprites over tiled terrain, and the soundtrack leans on plucked strings, bamboo flute and drum patterns that repeat patiently through long campaigns. The pace is unhurried and turn-based: a season of diplomacy, recruitment and marriage proposals, then a clash of armies that resolves in a few quick, bloodless exchanges. Its vibe is contemplative and quietly ambitious, suited to a rainy weekend or a long evening with a cup of tea, when you want to plan, scheme and watch alliances shift across a map. Violence is abstract, with fighting shown as unit icons losing strength rather than gore, and there is no gratuitous content. Strategy fans who enjoy historical depth, sprawling cast management and slow, deliberate decisions will find it most rewarding, especially those drawn to the Three Kingdoms legend.

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