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LF1 together with @Opphran for PLQ Year5
Ive IGLd to PLQ, CC and LCQ finals.
Looking for:
-PLQ/CC Finalist
-Have time for scrims
-Be able to play multiple Legends
-Be able to take or give criticism
Vouches/RT appreciated
[Review]
Been a while since I've done one of these so forgive any rust!
Game: Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8: Remake
Publisher/Developer: @koeitecmoeurope
Platforms: PS5/PS4/Nintendo Switch/Steam (reviewed on Steam)
Released on: 24th Oct 2024
Steam link:
https://t.co/RFPksqWCU9
Full review:
Considering my first entry into the Romance of the Three Kingdoms (RTTK) series was indeed with the original (RTTK8) back on PS2, which was so popular that it was what prompted the game's first ever Western release. I was naturally very hyped about reliving the experience with a modern twist; the nostalgia was oozing from me with this release.
For those unaware, RTTK is the turn-based tactical strategy series by Koei Tecmo, and the @koeitecmoeurope team was kind enough to provide a code for me to try. Set within the Three Kingdoms era of China, and adapted from the novel series itself - also an excellent read - you have the means to play one of the historical officers, or write and create your own to join the fray.
Now, it's fair to note that this series has survived the test of time and has had releases on multiple consoles and platforms, having started at its youth on the NES back in 1985. For a video game series to have spanned nearly forty years (and the original being over twenty years old now), to still be a wide seller across Asia and a moderate seller across NA and EU, is truly something. To go back and remake one of the most popular titles in the series, which overall has a very faithful following, was a brave call from the developer. Either the release would glorify the original and put a slick spin on it, or there was of course, the risk to falter and ruin the nostalgia. There's a certain charm to RTTK8 original, when I have even found myself loading up the PS2 over the years for the fun of playing the 'best' in the series (in my humble opinion). Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8: Remake had a lot to live up to.
Something Koei Tecmo has always done really well within their games, spanning the RTTK or in some cases within the Warriors series themselves, is the create an officer option. It creates an additional layer of immersion where you can roam free, or side with your favourite armies and kingdoms to battle it out for unification. Sometimes, there's fun in not being Cao Cao, Lu Bu, or Liu Bei - but an unknown entity who serves under them. Perhaps you want to pile your stats into intelligence to be their new tactician, breaking away from history and relegating the famed Zhuge Liang to an officer? Or perhaps a charismatic warrior who can entice others to join your cause, or cut them down if they say no? There's a definite charm in playing someone you curate, or even just a name that infrequently appears in the series away from the series greats. I was smiling throughout the initial load up and character creation for that very same reason - the immersive gameplay was waiting.
Now, for clarity, I have since put about forty hours into the remake, and an additional ten hours into the original to do some form of comparative study, just to truly feel whether this was a remake, or simply coated in the success of its original by name.
I also played one short scenario on easy and one on hard.
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Gameplay:
After starting the game with your chosen officer, scenario, role and starting location - I was good to go.
I couldn't help but smile when faced with a much loved city screen which is renewed and refreshed over the original (which had a list on the right of your screen in the past) so the new HUD definitely is appealing.
You have the option to select where you want to go to begin mechanic orientated options for your city. You can go to the farm to start cultivating land, the market to buy collectibles or boost commerce, patrol to increase public ease and prevent a riot, or live the quiet life and visit your home to build character relationships, train or study new tactics for battle (and more). You can even sit AFK for a while and officers around you may talk to you, giving hints and information they have gathered themselves!
Each month you refresh Action Points (AP) to spend doing various tasks and contribute to your home city, regardless of your chosen status (ruler/officer/free), or you can visit other cities to talk to officers/rulers there.
The city screen also has your 'Tales' option, which is a renewed system to help progress storytelling within the remake. Various categories or tales are available from advice, people, requests, and endings.
The remake is certainly more forgiving in nature with endings, as you aren't forced to unify the land or stay true to history in any fashion. Where you go from the start is entirely up to you. You can still reach an ending by meeting set criteria, unifying individual regions, becoming a famed cultural/martial/notorious officer.
I'd honestly say that even when comparing the two games side by side, the gameplay is solid, and definitely improved upon with the tales system. Although, the one mild frustration as you progress more into your scenario is the number of interactions that can pop. The nature of the game is to be quite repetitive in nature given the confines of the turn based system, but whilst I knew what I was getting into, and was prepared to overlook the repetitive nature, to a newcomer - this might be tedious, or even confusing.
Upon repeating the city cycle three times - you have a seasonal parliament, where you can start to plan wider operations.
When getting to parliament, you'll be faced with an area map with who owns what city, whether a vagrant army is located there, diplomatic statuses and whether your city has drafted new troops.
The main parliament screen will show all resources from gold, supplies and troops and it'll be you, or your ruler's job to manage them diligently to be in a readiness state.
Regardless of your rank within a force, you can propose options with your strategy points (with higher ranks receiving more). You can spy on nearby locations for information, perform plots/sabotage and more. The options available, finely replicate the original to keep the parliament stages slick, smooth, and not too complicated and accessible for new or old players.
If you choose to go to battle, you can elect to march with the armies and control the battle, or sit back and let the AI handle it. I'd always suggest controlling the battle for a better chance at success, and especially with harder assaults on cities with gates that require sieges but it's never forced upon the player if they want a more relaxed and casual experience to play more like an overseer.
One thing I noticed between original and remake was definitely a tuning up on the AI intelligence. In the original, as a lower ranked officer, you'd only be able to move your unit (unless you were the strategist/ruler) in battle, and AI very rarely seized control of opportunities. Within the remake, it's a lot less forgiving against the player and helpful for the player when AI does it's thing, but that could be that I play on higher difficulties for the challenge! The AI in some battles was ruthless, and definitely gave some of the historical officers an air of prestige and difficulty when facing them - but not impossible with careful use of strategems and focus.
Following a successful battle (or a failed one where you may be approached one way or the other...), you can offer to hire captured officers, or 'judge' them, removing them from the game and potentially causing a ripple effect of creating sworn enemies or fuelling antagonistic relationships.
Touching on the relationships element, you can marry, become sworn siblings and of course, have rivals and enemies pending your actions within your scenario. This is enforced with the use of the new synergy system and devotion mechanics. This was a nice refresh over the original which only needed you to keep talking to other officers, where you have more control over this one with offerings of friendship, gifts which you can earn from the citizens in your cities when you have full trust at each location.
The one thing I felt was missing against the original - the ability to have control of multiple officers or some form of multiplayer where you could try and control multiple elements of the same scenario.
Visuals & Mechanics:
RTTK8: Remake does have a few nice touches for some of the historical officers where there's a blend of 2D and 3D animations to give them some more life. Comparative to the original, you can tell that the developers very neatly tried to encompass the original, but just paint over it with some finer graphics and tidiness.
The overall HUD and management of the game was easy to use on both mouse and keyboard, with little to no challenge. Keeps it simple and accessible on all formats.
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Pros & Cons:
Pros:
- A genuine remake, that improves on elements of the original without being its own instalment.
- Mechanics, sound and visuals nicely replicate the original, whilst keeping a fresh outlook.
- Multiple scenarios, historical and fictional for continued replayability.
- Hundreds of character options, as well as original created officer slots.
- Both remake and original soundtracks give a huge flash of nostalgia and calm.
- Easily accessible to both inputs, MNK and controller.
- Opportunity to reach endgame completion in multiple ways.
Cons:
- A lot of the tales and interactions are very samey, with limited variety. Repetitive.
- Difficulty scales don't seem too different to experienced players (easy vs hard scenario)
- Later mechanics for synergy and friendship shouldn't necessarily be gated behind getting to know citizens with friendship tokens.
- Unable to control multiple officers or a sense of multiplayer, missing from the original.
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Summary:
Overall, as a remake, I'm more than impressed because it doesn't try to do too much to move away from the original. It doesn't try to be something it isn't. It's a very real and true remake, modernised with some of the later additions to the Warriors series (Lu Lingqui as an officer is a great example). It's easy to play, the mechanics aren't complex, there's a very helpful tutorial to get you ready and into the swing of things. It's all very slick. But that's from the perspective of an old player. Someone brand new to the series may get overwhelmed with the new layers and variety on offer.
On a personal note, I was in love with the game and the nostalgia was flowing the whole time. I love the history, the series and all the alternative forms of media around the Three Kingdoms era. However, being more objective, I can understand where newer players may get frustrated or feel let down with certain repetitive elements.
Nevertheless, as is the case with later instalments, more features get added and Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8: Remake encapsulates the beauty of the original, which later instalments seemed to deviate from by becoming their own beasts in themselves - that being that sometimes, 'less is more'!
Bravo, Koei Tecmo, you released a true, genuine and flattering remake that honours the original and doesn't desecrate it.
==========================
Graphics: 7/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Accessibility: 7/10
My overall rating: 8/10
Thank you again to @koeitecmoeurope for the opportunity to play this and Steam code!
#RTTK8R #Koeitecmo #Review #Steam
The Nozambique - Mirage Special!
Cash prizes available.
A tournament where akimbo is banned and the only duplication is a load of Mirages.
I'll also be having a little tipple or two as it's nearly my birthday.
Who wants to join in?
EMEA - 6pm UK start.
Oct 4th.
Sign ups: https://t.co/K91NjlOIHW
@PlayApex@ConvergentLive