Total War: Three Kingdoms Review
Name: Total War: Three Kingdoms
Website: https://www.totalwar.com/games/three-kingdoms/
Price: US$ 55 ~ US$ 70
Where to Buy: order from Steam or Ebay
Developers: Creative Assembly
Overall Rank: 85 out of 100
The Newest Addition to the Total War Series: The Three Kingdoms
Choose a faction, rally your generals, and through benelovence or tyranny, unite the wartorn regions of a divided China. One of the latest editions in the Total War Series this is game is shaping to be a perfect art of gaming and creativity. It is just one of those games that is proving to be a keeper. Anyone who is interested historical warring states of China that is Romance of the Three Kingdoms or even looking to rewrite that history into a What If? or even taking control of the famous generals of lore such as Lu Bu, Guang Yu or Zhao Yun, this is for you.
There is a lot to look into. Just scroll through what you looking for in a game but be sure to try the Youtube videos included to get a better picture.
The Story 85/100
The story is set in 190 AD during the twilight days of the Han Empire. The Emporer Xian has risen to the throne at 8 years old and is now being kept captive by the tyrant Dong Zhuo. During this time warlords have appeared each with their way in order to unite ancient China, Liu Bei wants to rescue his nephew the emporer, Cao Cao schemes to subjugate the states under his rule and each warlord looking to become legends in what is during the warring states of China.
Will you be the one who unites the great empire and bend destiny to your control?
The Gameplay 70/100
The game is basically along similar lines of Total War Series which are real time turn based strategy games. Even if you are new to the Total War games, you can get into the game and its mechanics without the previous experience. Though there is a lot of game mechanics to look into it actually makes it exciting as you go through what each menu and choices do. It is divided along moving along the diplomatic map and battle enactment for you to control.
During the game you can choose 1 of the warlord factions, and move along the diplomatic map itself. In the beginning you can take certain missions that a line witht the story of the warlord in order to gain prestige. Unique Prestige could be called various things located under the warlord’s portrait such as nobility, infamy, intimidation and etc. On the map, you can move your main warlord and generals around, raise troops, raze/ occupy/ destroy villages or cities, encounter dilemmas and establish diplomatic relations with other warlords. Here some more specific details on these mechanics:
– The diplomacy (Guanxi) is really important, securing your borders choosing your enemies and allies might help you secure borders in order to establish your towns/cities as your base of operations. You can trade resources, give gifts, set trade or give a character for marriage to gain benefits.
– With the unique prestige factor a warlord gets can help in helping diplomacy or raise in the hierachy or other special traits to unluck with each warlord, this is effected how you react to certain situations or outcomes after you conquer a city.
– Dilemmas are encountered during the game which goes along enactments in history such as assassination of Dong Zhuo, or general being kidnapped, and how you react can effect your overall prestige or diplomacy. These dig into the what if’s to give you chance to diverge from main historical situations to establish your own empire. Even your main female warlord could marry the general from legend Zhang Fei.
– You also get to enact reforms which improves certain parts of your warlord’s faction. That is a literal peach blossom tree. I will get into later.
– You can build buildings in cities or resource areas to gain gold resources or improve public order.
– Each character in your warlord’s factions have special traits too which you can place in noble positions, kill off, or make happy. set as generals or govenors and place special items. Generals can also gain special weapons or steed that are in the lore such as Red Hare ridden by Guan Yu. Only by placing or hring generals can you build units and gain retinues.
The battle enactments are also super exhilirating. You can choose to resolve it via AI or take it head on manually. These battles could be divided into 1on1 confrontations, ambushes or sieges which take advatage of the environment around you.
– The battle can be divided into Romance Mode in which you control the main warlords/generals individually or historical mode which the generals are in a reinue of guards.
– Generals can interact with each other and roast each other. In Romance mode they can even engage in 1on1 battles and the fights are really cool.
– The Warlords and generals have their own unique units and general units in which you give orders to outmaneuver your foes with their own strengths & weaknesses.
Nice option you can choose the language the characters speak in Chinese or English. Great fo if you want to hear these generals roast each other in Chinese or just want to undertand they they are saying.
These are the main mechanics to explore and it is so exciting as you go through them and find out more. Even though it takes time, going through it emmerses you into the history of the story and being so engrossed finding new things you won’t even notice as time flies.
The Graphics 100/100
The graphics are beautifully crafted for real time strategy game. It is a picturesuqe view of China and I personally feel this is amazing.
The main diplomacy map as you zoom in the natural terrain of mountains, rivers and overall land is out of a painting in which you see in Chinese art. That really sticks you into the story.
The reforms tree, or tech tree is a literal peach blossom tree (say it again) whch grows flowers as you progress on it. That is a work of art as well.
The character portraits are beautiful too with attention to details even the generic generals have their own details too. The special characters Guan Yu, Lu Bu or etc. even better. I do hope they get a unique portrait for the beauty Diaochan which is said to be super beautiful in the stories.
The unit confrontations up to scratch with other Total War games, you can literally see the guys flaying into each other or getting knocked down by horses. Though what is different is the arrows graphics are more prominant than on the other TW games.
What can I say I love the surrealism that it builds to get you into the story of Three Kingdoms and the realism it builds as you go about in the game.
Who Says War is Only For Guys? Gals also Rule in China
What I also felt was interesting that 1 of the warlords (Zheng Jiang) is a bandit gal. Her faction is a matriarchy (she might get marry a legendary general and make him her bi*%$). In truth there is very little (probably just one iota) about her in the actual history about this warlord but I am glad the devs put it in. It adds a cool dimension into the game.
Even though during the warring period all the guys were warring, but in Chinese history there there has been a few powerful woman rulers as well. Though they do not get much mention, I am sure girls are as good as war as well.
Who says war games are just for guys too? Girl gamers have proven they can be just as good. I personally would love to duke it out in multiplayer with a girl gamer.
The Three Kingdom’s Tweaks
There might still need a few tweaks in the subsequent patches ahead.
– They could work on better portraits on the main characters mentioned in the Three Kingdom lore some (ahem Diaochan) look generic.
– They got to add new characters e.g Zhugeliang was teased but not seen yet in the try-outs of the game. He is even in the preview and some characters in the story Guan Su (fictional 3rd son of Guan Yu) could continue the story too.
– Trying the sieges those towers are too powerful might need a little nerfing to balance the game.
– The factions are limited to China’s warlords, could there be more foreign influence from outside factions e.g India or Mongols which could is prevalent in TW games.
I will probably add more as the games goes one.
Difference Between other Total War Games
Even if you haven’t played a Total War game you can really be emersed into the game itself. The overall art of the maps and characters sets it apart from other Total War games which makes it feel fresh. The interactions with the warlords and generals is more interactive compared to other TW games and it always fun to hear them roast each other on the battlefield. The diplomatic side also has a stronger influence than in the other TW games as uniting the states also needs skills just going conquering and characters need appeasement as well.
My Final Opinion 85/100
I am really hyped for the game the overall game mechanics makes the whole idea exciting and ingenuitive. I liked the reading about The Romance of the Three Kingdoms but the Dynasty Warriors games never felt strategic enough and hack’n slash, leveling games just do not do the warring eras justice. This Total War game could be that catalyst what most people like about the Romance of the Three Kingdoms be about: the story, the intrigue, the excitement, the interactions with other characters.
I really really recommend it if you love the lore and just want cool story that is in the Total War series.
In Summary…
Total War: Three Kingdoms
Website: https://www.totalwar.com/games/three-kingdoms/
Developers: Creative Assembly
Price: US$ 55 ~ US$ 70
Overall Rank: 85 out of 100
VERDICT: Got get It! Highly recommended
https://epnt.ebay.com/static/epn-smart-tools.js
https://epnt.ebay.com/static/epn-smart-tools.js
The Daily Pumpernickel 