Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake on PS5
20 years is a long time in any measurable scenario, but for a video game, that could mean an entire generation of players have passed since something has seen the light of day. That is the situation with Keoi Tecmo‘s Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake, shifting the flags from the PlayStation 2 era to modern platforms, and for the large part, it is a triumphant return.
A turn-based strategy game that covers both kingdom management and battles for control over territories in ancient China, it takes obvious inspiration from the novel it is named after, but with more leeway that blends history and fiction admirably with the player usually at the heart of things.
Depending on your preference, you can enjoy Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake as a lord of an existing faction, assume the role of an officer trying to make his or her way up the ranks, insert a created officer into the mix, or even create your own force. Add in the eight main scenarios that contain over 50 different flashpoints, and there is plenty of history for you to shape and bend to your will.
No matter which point you choose to embark on your quest to unify the country, the foundational gameplay remains the same. Each quarter of the year begins with a parliamentary session, as lords start canvassing for opinions about the next course of action for the faction. You can engage in espionage, seek out opposing officers to recruit, undermine your enemies, and everything in between. Once an overall decision is made, the game transitions to the city view, where you can work with fellow officers to help a city grow in multiple ways.
This is also where the main roleplaying elements of Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake come to the fore. Players will have limited action points to work with, so it’s up to you what you want to get done. Do you want to fulfil specific requests from the people to build up your reputation, train your skills and up your stats, better your relationships with other officers or do your best to catch the lord’s attention by following his mandate?
In any case, you will always be making progress one way or another, and you could very well be content being a cog in the machine instead of leading the charge. But where’s the fun in that? Eventually, you will rise, and with that comes the burden of leadership, especially when warfare is concerned. A welcome change in this remake is the ability to initiate invasions on multiple fronts, giving larger factions a distinct advantage when trying to expand their domain. Of course, if you find yourself on the receiving end instead, it can be a harsh lesson on the need to consolidate your forces strategically and pursue growth effectively.
Ideally, battles should always be between comparable forces, but in the scenario that favours one side over the other, the skills of the generals and the technological advancements made by a faction will be the difference makers. Being proficient at using certain troop types allow for more powerful tactics to be unleashed, and having advanced troop types do not hurt either. Terrain effects need to be taken into account for both movement and combat, giving a brilliant commander every chance to outsmart a larger force. And if you happen to be close allies or sworn siblings with your other officers, the relationship links that are forged also provide bonuses to your effectiveness in combat.
With so many territories to conquer, celebrating a victory early is never a good way to go about your ultimate quest in the game. Yet, that sense of satisfaction is something to hold dear whenever you can, moreso when the game inevitably comes down to two or three massive kingdoms. This is usually when the game slows down considerably in terms of making meaningful progress, as skirmishes between factions become more attritional and it can be hard to make a dent. It is not a surprise to spend dozens of hours just to complete a single scenario.
It can be a lot to take in, especially for new players, but even for the veterans, it is highly recommended that you go through the tutorials of Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake at least once. Many things have changed, largely for the better, and the sooner you are up to speed, the more you can enjoy the work Koei Tecmo has put in for this title.
This is also obvious from the visuals front, as the game looks gorgeous with its art direction. Adding the slight movement to character visuals is a nice touch, and the cutscenes that happen during monumental events are always a delight to take in. The Japanese dub conveys that sense of drama sufficiently, but it would have also been a good opportunity to include Chinese dubs for that true sense of authenticity.
As awesome as it was back in the early 2000s, the many improvements made in Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake breathe new life into the franchise and helps to make it a more enticing affair for fans of the genre and beyond. It still remains a deep and comprehensive experience, but the options to learn and tweak stuff boost the accessibility to a new level, making this trip back to ancient China one well worth taking.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
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Summary
Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake is a classic reborn, inviting a new generation of leaders to stake their claim and conquer ancient China.
