The Han dynasty’s decay triggered a turbulent civil war in ancient China known as theThree Kingdoms period.Dramatized by Luo Guanzhong’s 14th-century historical romance,Three Kingdoms,this era’s intrigues, betrayals, and bloody feuds are an excellent backdrop for gaming.
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In Koei Tecmo’sRomance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake,you take up the role of a single character during one of over 50 historical scenarios (or one of six unlockable fictional scenarios). Whether ruling a faction or serving as a common officer, you’ll experience—and have a chance to change—events from the historical drama.
Has this remake from 2001 stood the test of time? How does it compare to the modern giants of grand strategy gaming?
In the words of Luo Guanzhong—read on!
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Playing Through History
Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remakeis a historical simulation game with close attention to the details of Luo Guanzhong’s novel, as well as historical records of the era.
If you’ve played any main seriesDynasty Warriorsgames, many of these characters will be familiar—such as the unstoppable warrior Lu Bu, the cunning ruler Cao Cao, and the crafty tactician Zhuge Liang.
However, the cast of named characters extends far beyond the familiar. Hundreds of officers are available to play, each with their own historical biography and available scenarios based on when they lived—and who they served—during the Three Kingdoms period.
The fact thateveryoneyou interact with has a biography of deeds, battles, and relationships attributed to them (whether sourced historically or just from the novel) weaves an immersive fabric throughout the game. Character dialogue reminiscent of the earlywuxiastyle and tone ofThree Kingdomsfurther strengthens the game’s connection with its source of inspiration.
If you’re curious about the Three Kingdoms orenjoy historical characters,but don’t want to wade through 900 pages of classic Chinese literature, this game captures the “spirit” of that tale.
The game plays through history one month at a time. Each month, you canspend action points to improve a city or interact with NPCs.Every three months, aparliament is held during which you may propose strategic actions on the full map(such as marching on an enemy city).
Almost every action you take provides experience for your stats, and has a chance to strengthen relationships with other officers. These relationships, in turn, provide a random chance of “Linking” to boost an action’s efficacy.
This culminates in an addictive feedback loop which encourages playing “just one more turn.” As the years pass, old characters die off, while new characters reach adulthood. If you marry, this can include your own children (who you can then play as your successor).
The Tales System
Despite the focus on history,Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remakein no wayforcesyou tofollow historical events.Instead, it uses a “Tales” system by which you can intentionally trigger historical events, sidequests, and endgame goals.
For example, military campaigns inThree Kingdomsare presented as a Tale with multiple chapters. Each chapter tells a portion of the story, and triggers events such as the death of characters or the automatic conquest of a city. You’re only able to trigger these events, however, if you meet the Tale’s requirements (like possessing certain cities).
While some major events are presented in a “movie” cutscene of semi-animated illustrations, most Tales play out with text dialogue and character portraits. This is the case for both minor “story” events and for non-story sidequests.
Unlike modern grand strategy games—such asCrusader Kings IIIorStellaris—these sidequest Tales are generic.
Their lack of memorable color is shared by the random events which sometimes occur at the beginning of each month. I found the Options menu choice to turn off the “Are you sure you want to skip this event?” prompt very handy.
Tales are also how you trigger the end of the game. Any scenario can hypothetically play through the entire Three Kingdoms period, but the game’s intention is to end a scenario early via accomplishing the requirements for an endgame Tale.
Varying Ways To Play
Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remakeis structured so that you’re able to experience its historical narrative from practically any perspective. Whether playing as a brigand or a ruler, every position and faction is available for play.
This adds an intriguing roleplaying aspect to the game’s grand strategy formula. If you want to sit in the background as the story plays out, that’s an option. If you want to lead your faction to reunite China and end the Three Kingdoms period early, that’s also an option.
Every position and faction is available for play.
Such a diversity of options might seem overwhelming. However, six “recommended” scenarios do a good job presenting the game’s different concepts, goals, and experiences to new players.
Despite all these options, the game remains dominated by a linear trajectory encouraging you to move up the ladder of authority. Whether beginning as a viceroy or as a free officer, the gameplay experience is similar: work to improve a city while conquering your foes.
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Repetition, Repetition, Repetition
And that’s really this game’s fundamental flaw: it is extremely repetitive.
Whether a silver-tongued tactician or a brutal front-line officer, the experience feels similar. Improve your city, engage in generic conversations to build relationships, and strive to Make Number Go Bigger.
Similarities in the Duel and Debate mini-games compound this repetition further. A single skill creates minor strategic differences between the two mini-games; in general, they’re virtually identical.
Instead of a plethora of odd Tales about bandits, there are two. Five marriage sidequests are re-used in each playthrough—one focusing on each stat. Conversations with close allies are unchanged whether you’ve forged your own path, or followed relationships from the novel.
Even if the historical Tales capture the melodramatic intrigues of the Three Kingdoms period, these stories don’t really emerge on their own during gameplay. I don’t have myownwild stories to share.
An Honest Remake
Whether decades or centuries old,Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remakerespects its source material. The game is a substantial overhaul of the original, featuring new graphics and music.
The graphics focus on 2D illustrations of the various characters, which are semi-animated. Some of these animations fit well, while others feel creepy, stretching the illustration while trying to make it move. Throughout, though, the illustrations are beautiful and lively, presenting not just portraits but also character traits.
The 3D work is much less impressive, but also less frequent. Duels and Debates feature 3D models, and tactical battles take place on a 3D map.
The focus on using the 2D illustrations works well, because the 3D elements definitely feel dated. In contrast, the soundtrack is quite good (and there’s an option to play the 2001 soundtrack, too).
On the topic of sound, it’s also worth noting there’s no option for English voice lines. This isn’t to immerse the player in Chinese history—I’m fairly confident the voiceovers are in Japanese—so this lack is rather strange.
Closing Comments
Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake very much feels like a 2000s game, which has been respectfully updated with improved presentation. Unfortunately, its gameplay has not withstood the test of time. Built upon an engaging turn-based gameplay loop, this game quickly becomes repetitive—even tedious—because it plays the same scenes over and over. Compared to the variety of events in modern grand strategy games, it’s difficult to recommend this one. However, if you’re a history enthusiast or a Dynasty Warriors fan curious about the strategy genre, this game may be for you.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch
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