Hands on with Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake

Since its 1985 debut, Romance of the Three Kingdoms (often abbreviated as RotTK) has spawned thirteen direct sequels, each attempting to evolve the franchise. For Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake (PC, Switch, and PlayStation 4/5 on October 24^th) developer Kou Shibusawa is revisiting the series’ past for the first time. The result is a return to the 2003 title that modernizes its appearance, adds several new assistive elements, but largely preserves the well-made foundations of the original title.

Given that many devoted fans rank the eighth game as one of their favorites as well as lofty cost of development for new titles, the approach might prove prudent. Rebuilding a new interactive adaptation of Luo Guanzhong’s fourteenth-century novel from the ground up might no longer be financially feasible. And if future revivals are as strong as this remake, maybe the franchise’s future is found in Koei Tecmo’s back catalog, especially since Steam offers no English-language entries released before Kingdoms XIII. And perhaps it’s just me, but I feel like the franchise peaked when you could command and cultivate vagrant armies. Luckily, that’s part of VIII.

No Romancing with Friends Anymore

Although Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake is available as sixty- and ninety-dollar offering, Koei Tecmo isn’t carving off content to resell it back as DLC. The lower-priced package bundles all of the scenarios of the original game that span from the Yellow Turban uprising in 184 AD through the Fall of Shu in 263 AD. The premium edition includes a digital soundtrack and artwork as well as the single “Liu Bei’s Three Tacticians” scenario.

In addition to a recreation of eighty years of historical conflict, six fantasy scenarios unite generals from different periods and provide a compelling ‘what-if’ context where Dong Zhao doesn’t kill Lu Bu. Sadly, the game’s cooperative component is gone, so you won’t be able to invite seven officer friends over to rewrite history. Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 is exclusively a single-player experience.

Start at the Top or Work Your Way Up

Rather than jumping right into the political intrigue as a dominant ruler, you can enter as a viceroy, governor, tactician, common officer – or even a free officer. Effectively, the selections vary how much control you have in your blossoming empire. Rulers get complete control over domestic and foreign policy.

Alternatively, tacticians can suggest strategies and, if they are successful, can move up the hierarchical chain of command. Instead, you can just stay put, burdening others with the accountability associated with authority. Or you can furtively plan a coup, seizing control of the clan.

One of the things that makes the Romance of the Three Kingdoms games so beloved is the flexibility you’re given. You can play as noble hero, fear-mongering villain, or just a scoundrel waiting for the perfect opportunity. Previously, the number of officers was around 600, but Remake expands this to over 1,000 playables. Even more interesting is the inclusion of Traits, which ensure officers are more than one-dimensional stat pools. One example: Cao Cao’s ambitiousness results in earning an extra action each turn.

Need A Little Help?

If this is your first time with the Wei, Shu, and Wu powers, a representative named Xiaoling (Literally “little clever one”) offers a tutorial. She won’t explain all the intricacies of your duties, but her clarification of your duties is undoubtedly helpful. Unlike many strategy games, RotTK scales time slower in months rather than hours or even days.

Across each simulated three-month turn, you’ll be able to perform several actions based on your ranking of your selected characters. Ideally, each action strengthens your standing, destabilizes rival kingdoms, or generates some kind of diplomatic change. Essentially, you’re slowly rotating the wheels of geopolitical change, in hopes that you are able to unify ancient China by influence or force. One of the enduring lures of RotTK is the sheer number of decisions that are at your disposal. Everything from inviting notables from other kingdoms to your home, espionage, to full-blown warfare are possible, ensuring complexity across each campaign.

May All Your Wives be Devoted

Given the sheer number of affiliations you can have in RotTK, additional tools to keep track of them are always welcome. Remake’s Destiny component classifies officer rapport, labeling positive associations as “symbiotic” and negatives ones as “antagonistic”.  Now there’s a convenient chart detailing allegiances with spouses, siblings as well as your prominent rivals.

One of the other big changes is the inclusion of Remake’s Tales component, which retrofits the Events system found in RotTK XIV. Here, you’ll be given a list of objectives. Once all of them are met, players can initiate an expositional incident that fundamentally changes the storyline of a campaign. Much of the enjoyment I’ve had with Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake involves saving the game, before watching a second-century demonstration of the butterfly effect.

Visual Renewal

Expectedly, Remake delivers all of the graphical advancements expected for a contemporary historical simulation. Although you’ll spend the bulk of your time pouring over statistical information, an effort has been made to make the menuing as good looking as possible. Pleasingly, this means that font sizes are just large enough to not cause eyestrain on portable PCs like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally.

While city views have forfeited some of their ink wash stylings, they are now brimming with detail. From the training dummies visible in the soldier barracks to the pedestrians milling about the marketplace, there’s a richness to this overhead panorama. Likewise, the hexagonal-based battlefields are adorned with weaponry and regiments that capture the menace of a mounting siege. Meanwhile, at parliament, noble leaders survey a wooden tactical map as they plot their next stratagem. Topping it all off are stunning CGs and portrait art that help convey the personalities of RotTK’s numerous notables. Whether you’re a long-time franchise fan or curious strategist, Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake is one to watch when it arrives later this month.