romance of the three kingdoms 13 battle portraits

For example, if used at the correct time, an attack buff coupled with a pincer strike could break an intimidating enemy unit, potentially ending the fight there and then. Having the larger force can certainly help in determining the outcome, but XIII encourages players to activate abilities while also triggering certain formations. Whether on land or sea, players will command friendly officers and their troops as they maneuver across the battlefield. Over on the military side, things become a bit more involved. If unsatisfied with your liege lord, it’s possible to spark a revolt, conspiring with officers to cement your shady schemes. While some opportunities are thrown into players’ laps, others need to be sought out. For example, upon helping to suppress a rebellion my officer was awarded a province to rule over.

Thankfully, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII offsets the creeping monotony with special events, some of which are character-specific. To that end, much of the game can be spent poring over menus, watching the days and months go by as guages slowly fill and factions interact with one another. The strategic element comes from assigning the right people for the job while triggering any bonuses that will help boost their productivity. All actions stem from a series of menus, each one requiring a certain amount of time to pass and a free officer to carry them out. Although it’s possible to play XIII as a vagrant or mercenary, climbing the ladder is an inevitable step on the path to victory.Īs an underling you’ll mostly take orders from those above you, training soldiers, tilling the fields, and patrolling settlements. No matter where those first few hours take you, unification is always the end goal. Their initial standing will dictate the actions and strategies available, whether you begin as a ruler, minister, vassal, or one of the many other in-game roles. Upon starting a new game, players will select one of XIII’s various scenarios before choosing their character from a gigantic roster of available officers. What you actually do in Romance of the Three Kingdoms and how you do it is determined by the rank of your protagonist. There are no prizes for guessing which is which. Where one is mind-numbingly cathartic the other requires attentive monitoring of stats and figures as a campaign unspools around you. Although both series share the same universe and characters, they couldn’t be further apart in terms of depth, pace, and complexity. The game flow, mechanics, and systems are a far cry from what Koei fans may be expecting, having made the leap from Dynasty Warriors.

Romance of the three kingdoms 13 battle portraits