But have the manual handy unless you’ve been messing with this franchise for years. Once you half-figure out what you’re doing, you can get into a groove with this game. It’s especially glaring because other strategy games like XCOM and The Banner Saga have made the leap to using a controller quite handily. The interface isn’t nearly as clunky when you can physically poke the buttons.
I found myself wondering, quite often, why this wasn’t an iPad game. You’re still fiddling with numbers and doing math to conquer China and arguably get the best ending. Aside from a few minor flourishes, there’s just not much to this game in a modern sense.Īs you might have guessed, aside from tweaking equations and adding attributes here and there, this franchise has barely changed what it’s like. Even the CGI is uneven, some of it clearly poached from the Dynasty Warriors spin-off. The visual novel bits aren’t fully voiced, and the high resolution, at this point, only serves to emphasize just how dated everything is, aside from the delightfully retro paintings. Honestly, the game needed some work, aesthetically. The story unfolds in a visual novel style, and you squint at tiny little units as they reduce tiny little numbers on topographically precise battlefields.
Aside from the token CGI movie here and there, and the arguably necessary graphical upgrades to justify even putting this out, literally nothing has been altered. Not even the box art has changed on this franchise in thirty years, let alone the music or the general tone, all of which is straight from the ’80s. And as a video game, it sticks to tradition. If you’re unfamiliar, this franchise is based off the novel of the same name, which is a fictionalized take on the Three Kingdoms Period of Chinese history, China’s version of Arthurian legend.
Romance Of The Three Kingdoms XIII (PS3, PS4, Xbox One, PC) Although, at this point, you really do have to wonder why, precisely, it’s coming to consoles in the first place.
Other genres have risen and fallen, entire game system dynasties have faded, and as reliably as the tides, another game in this series keeps coming out, this time for PS4. With famous officers and fascinatingly elegant women, over 1,000 heroes appear - the most ever in the series.Īs you take advantage of each officer's unique individuality, devise your own strategies and conquer foreign lands.Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been around since Ronald Reagan’s second term. with rulers' 'Doctrines' and officers' 'Policies', the variety of gameplay is endless! Whether you choose to walk the noble path, or the path of conquest. 'ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV' - the culmination of 35-years of historical simulation games!ĭevise your military and political strategies in the world of the Three Kingdoms, all depicted on a single exquisite map. Be careful to avoid making a redundant purchase. Note: The "ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV: Diplomacy and Strategy Expansion Pack Bundle", which is a set that includes the combined content of "ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV" and the "ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV: Diplomacy and Strategy Expansion Pack" is also available for purchase.