The latest iteration of the classic tactical series is once again set during the fall of the Han Dynasty in ancient China; where battles take place in a boundary-free scramble for land. The game’s map showcases the territory captured and the thrill of expansion using a simplified color system – paying homage to the original Romance of The Three Kingdoms XIV, released on PC back in 1985. Everything from war to diplomatic affairs will be geared toward managing and gathering land as players attempt to spread their strategies at will across the vast China map.
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Introduction
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV is a grand-scale strategy game where players will play as a ruler, said ruler being one of the famous warlords of the era or an original one. The game allows you to use plots to carry out strategies across the land and the use of officers with troops to destroy foes and seize control of provinces. There is a bigger focus on the management of politics, loyalties, and alliances rather than combat, but the battles are still exhilarating and enjoyable to watch unfold.
What Does it Do Well?
The game narrative is focused on a personal level, as officers will have biographies and narratives that will develop along those of rulers. For Dynasty Warriors fans, the game can be an attractive choice despite the different genres, as Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV takes a more realistic portrayal of characters and goes into detail about the events that transpired during the age of chaos.
The base version of the game is decent, but the expansion truly adds much-needed fixes, quality-of-life improvements, better ally and enemy AI along other bonuses. Allies will exploit the player to get provinces with alliance at times, while enemies will launch powerful invasions. Some officers cannot be beaten in head on battles such as Lu Bu or Zhang Liao, requiring mastery of the tactics of the game and the hexagon system to come out victorious.
What Does It Do Poorly?
For starters, the entry level for this game is a tough one, leaving a lot of players with bad taste and uninterested in it. There is a great gem here if you can truly delve into it. The game mechanics are not explained properly when it comes to certain scenarios such as invading cities, and an inexperienced player can attack a base of 5000 with 14000 and be swiftly defeated. Think of Zhang Liao beating 800 men beating the 100,000 at He Fei.
That shows that the game favors a "learn by yourself as you play" approach, which can result in a more authentic experience for a select few, but will no doubt frustrate a lot of players. The title requires an "Art of Warfare" take where one has to plan out their invasions and overall large strategy to manage to survive well fed into the late stages of the war.
What Makes It Special?
The game crafts an individual story for you as you play it, who you fight, recruit, ally with, and subsequent developments all will depend on your approach to situations and where you start. Even minor details shine thoroughly, for example, ending an alliance before time leads to most of your officers betraying you and seizing your provinces from you. When Wu was being played by Shu, there was a reason why it didn't devolve into a war between the two allies. Your reputation affects how officers, and more importantly, other powers in the region see you.
To elaborate on that, you get a status in the game. That can be a rank such as Governor or a Noble heritage. As your deeds are told across the land, officers might come to serve you, others might leave, and factions could support you to defeat a major threat or unite against you. It makes the entire gameplay very dynamic and enjoyable.
For Who Is This Game?
For those that want to take a gamble on a hidden gem, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms fan. Please, if you get it, go for the expansion pass too. The base game is not worth it by itself, and if you can get it on sale with the expansion, you will have a better time with it. It takes time to grow on you past the initial 10 hours, but after that, it becomes a wonderful title to enjoy.
Conclusion
A fantastic piece of content to enjoy the Romance of The Three Kingdoms, XIV delivers great mechanics and quality on the expansion version of the game. The base version leaves a lot to be desired and thus makes the acquisition rather pricey. A must-play for fans of the period and an intriguing invitation to those who dare take a leap of faith, XIV does a fantastic job at delivering an experience that encompasses the whole package of being a warlord trying to unite the land.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV is a grand-scale strategy game where players will play as a ruler, said ruler being one of the famous warlords of the era or an original one. The game allows you to use plots to carry out strategies across the land and the use of officers with troops to destroy foes and seize control of provinces. There is a bigger focus on the management of politics, loyalties, and alliances rather than combat, but the battles are still exhilarating and enjoyable to watch unfold.
What Does it Do Well?
The game narrative is focused on a personal level, as officers will have biographies and narratives that will develop along those of rulers. For Dynasty Warriors fans, the game can be an attractive choice despite the different genres, as Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV takes a more realistic portrayal of characters and goes into detail about the events that transpired during the age of chaos.
The base version of the game is decent, but the expansion truly adds much-needed fixes, quality-of-life improvements, better ally and enemy AI along other bonuses. Allies will exploit the player to get provinces with alliance at times, while enemies will launch powerful invasions. Some officers cannot be beaten in head on battles such as Lu Bu or Zhang Liao, requiring mastery of the tactics of the game and the hexagon system to come out victorious.
What Does It Do Poorly?
For starters, the entry level for this game is a tough one, leaving a lot of players with bad taste and uninterested in it. There is a great gem here if you can truly delve into it. The game mechanics are not explained properly when it comes to certain scenarios such as invading cities, and an inexperienced player can attack a base of 5000 with 14000 and be swiftly defeated. Think of Zhang Liao beating 800 men beating the 100,000 at He Fei.
That shows that the game favors a "learn by yourself as you play" approach, which can result in a more authentic experience for a select few, but will no doubt frustrate a lot of players. The title requires an "Art of Warfare" take where one has to plan out their invasions and overall large strategy to manage to survive well fed into the late stages of the war.
What Makes It Special?
The game crafts an individual story for you as you play it, who you fight, recruit, ally with, and subsequent developments all will depend on your approach to situations and where you start. Even minor details shine thoroughly, for example, ending an alliance before time leads to most of your officers betraying you and seizing your provinces from you. When Wu was being played by Shu, there was a reason why it didn't devolve into a war between the two allies. Your reputation affects how officers, and more importantly, other powers in the region see you.
To elaborate on that, you get a status in the game. That can be a rank such as Governor or a Noble heritage. As your deeds are told across the land, officers might come to serve you, others might leave, and factions could support you to defeat a major threat or unite against you. It makes the entire gameplay very dynamic and enjoyable.
For Who Is This Game?
For those that want to take a gamble on a hidden gem, and Romance of the Three Kingdoms fan. Please, if you get it, go for the expansion pass too. The base game is not worth it by itself, and if you can get it on sale with the expansion, you will have a better time with it. It takes time to grow on you past the initial 10 hours, but after that, it becomes a wonderful title to enjoy.
Conclusion
A fantastic piece of content to enjoy the Romance of The Three Kingdoms, XIV delivers great mechanics and quality on the expansion version of the game. The base version leaves a lot to be desired and thus makes the acquisition rather pricey. A must-play for fans of the period and an intriguing invitation to those who dare take a leap of faith, XIV does a fantastic job at delivering an experience that encompasses the whole package of being a warlord trying to unite the land.