Romance of the Three Kingdoms 13 Reviews
RotTK XIII is a bit of a mountain to climb for new players, but if you stick with it, you will unearth the deepest strategy game on the PS4.
While strategically deep; pacing and control issues prevent this game from being fantastic.
In all the game works mechanically well but lacks innovation and plays it too safe. The oversimplified gameplay mixed with lacklustre combat make for a game that plays well but leaves you with the disappointing notion of what could have been.
Using full 3D models and a real-time system, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII’s combat boils down to a numbers game more than strategy
Once again Koei has created a fantastic strategy game that plays surprisingly well on a console, while not as immediately comfortable to play with a control as Nobunaga’s Ambition, which I own on both PC and PS4, but perfer the PS4 controls more.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII is a great and deeply strategic game, where the sword is not the only tool towards victory. Great importance is put on things such as economy and relationships in a way that might feel overwhelming at first, but that is slowly eased into thanks to the hero mode that basically serves as a tutorial. The lack of multiplayer is a downside, but the AI is enough to raise the replay value of the main mode.
There are also some nice touches to the game like the duels mini-game and the debates you can take part of. There is a lot on offer and a ton to learn from the main game, but if you're a fan of the series, then you're going to love Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII. I am greatly enjoying my time with the game, so I can easily recommend it. And if you like the main game, then check soon for my review for the available DLC: the Fame and Strategy Expansion Pack!
While it's complexities edge a tad too close to convolution at times, 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII' was a great time once I wrapped my head around it all. The steps towards accessibility, while far from perfect, definitely make this the most user-friendly entry in the series, and the amount of options available to players is hugely appreciated. I don't think it reaches the same highs that 'Nobunaga's Ambition' did, and that game was a tad more efficient at introducing its concepts, but it's still a unique, interesting strategy game that genre fans really shouldn't overlook.
There is nothing wrong with Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII. Just as before, for those new to the genre, it will be a daunting order made more so by the increased diplomatic focus, yet to those whom are already initiated, it will be a pleasing game to curl up to for those looking for a more action-focused, and less family-murdery, Crusader Kings II. Either way, it will be divisive, but its quality also undeniable.
It’s so good to see these kinds of serious strategy games on console, as it’s something that has been all-but exclusive to PC over the past couple of generations of hardware. With a comprehensive tutorial system, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the best fit game for people new to the genre to wrap their minds around it. Equally, for more experienced strategy fans, the superb balance that made the historical events the game is based on so fascinating also make for the near-perfect strategy game.
Those that play immensely-detailed and intricate grand strategy games like the Europa Universalis series may find this game a bit of a step down, but for strategy fans and gamers in general, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII definitely comes recommended.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII is a niche game to be certain, with the kind of learning curve that could easily scare away casual strategy fans. Despite its emphasis on characters, this is not a tactics game akin to Fire Emblem, but something with a much different layer of city management and simulation layered onto it. It is a shame that the graphics engine - which looks very nice the majority of the time - seems to struggle a bit with the PlayStation 4 hardware, and no matter how well you design a user interface, a game like this is probably always going to be a smoother experience with a mouse as opposed to a controller. Those two concerns aside, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII offers a uniquely deep experience that will no doubt have me coming back for more for a good long while. It also has me hopeful that we might see even more strategy titles coming out of Koei Tecmo in the future.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XII is a great way to get back into strategy games from a different perspective, if any players have been burned out after the disappointments of Civilization: Beyond Earth and Total War: Rome II. It may lack the grand production values, but it makes up for this with some exquisitely rich ideas and a tight gameplay structure that doesn’t overstay it’s welcome.