Should I buy this game?

[Lothemar]

Hi there. So I'm a big fan of Total War games, ever since the first Rome Total War and Medieval II, and have played all of them, but Three Kingdoms, and I've been eyeing this one for a while now.

Some say this is the best Total War game ever, some say otherwise, now I'm asking you guys to help me decide here and see if this is actually for me. I like a good diplomacy in game, in a way that you can swing the whole tide of the game with it, I like a good combat with innovative additions to it and I've seen that this one has a duel system. Further more I have no clue what the romance mode is either. And are the DLCs worth it at all for the complete experience? Never been a big fan of Chinese history, BUT I'm not too nitpick about it because this game genuinely looks gorgeous.

Give me your thoughts and suggestions, and thank you in advance!

[scrocchi87]

Solid game, romance mode basically allows your hero to be a single, devastating unit. And I mean, sort of superhero very difficult to kill and capable of routing a full unit (1 hero vs e.g. 90 tier 1 units).
This is in line with the source of the game, a "Romance of three kingdoms", where single outstanding individuals were actually able to forge history.
I like the diplomacy system in-game (but nothing outstanding), but I like even more the "relationship" System which allows for extra bonuses if you collect all the generals belonging to certain "alignments";

Bottom-line: worthy game 🎯

[Lothemar]

Originally posted by scrocchi87:

Solid game, romance mode basically allows your hero to be a single, devastating unit. And I mean, sort of superhero very difficult to kill and capable of routing a full unit (1 hero vs e.g. 90 tier 1 units).
This is in line with the source of the game, a "Romance of three kingdoms", where single outstanding individuals were actually able to forge history.
I like the diplomacy system in-game (but nothing outstanding), but I like even more the "relationship" System which allows for extra bonuses if you collect all the generals belonging to certain "alignments";

Bottom-line: worthy game 🎯

Glad to hear that, explains most of things that I've been on the fence about, and romance mode sound like a new addition to Total War games which gives it a bit of flavor.

[Oni_fox]

its a great game that makes you focus on relationships of characters and diplomacy and spies the combat is fun like Rome or Attila but you can have duels between generals and romance mode makes it a bit more like warhammer with mad powerful lords

[Lothemar]

Originally posted by Oni_fox:

its a great game that makes you focus on relationships of characters and diplomacy and spies the combat is fun like Rome or Attila but you can have duels between generals and romance mode makes it a bit more like warhammer with mad powerful lords

It's good that it's a bit of a romanticised historical take on a game, and I'm kinda digging it.

[Plummy]

Very good and on discount at the mo.

[Elfie]

Originally posted by Lothemar:

Hi there. So I'm a big fan of Total War games, ever since the first Rome Total War and Medieval II, and have played all of them, but Three Kingdoms, and I've been eyeing this one for a while now.
Some say this is the best Total War game ever, some say otherwise, now I'm asking you guys to help me decide here and see if this is actually for me. I like a good diplomacy in game, in a way that you can swing the whole tide of the game with it, I like a good combat with innovative additions to it and I've seen that this one has a duel system. Further more I have no clue what the romance mode is either. And are the DLCs worth it at all for the complete experience? !

1) If you love diplomacy and making your dynasty, marriages, friendships, rivalries, spies (ACTUAL spies among your generals who will betray you, not some lousy agents), paired with the smartest diplomacy AI in all of TW games, you will definitely love this game.

2) Combat here is basically Atilla: Total War, but in China, And with slightly improved stability. Unit variety is not much but thats actually historical.

3) Romance mode is the default mode of the game where you have powerful heroes who can single-handedly dispatch hundreds of troops is used correctly. There is an alternative "Records" mode too, where you generals are just normal cav units.

4) DLC's only unlock certain factions or start dates. You don't need them if you are content with the faction choice base game gives you (and tbh this is quite an amount if factions). Mose essential DLCs are free.
For complete experience I do recommend Fury of the Nanman, if you have it installed southern tribes will be much more aggressive and also you can play one of them.

[Lothemar]

Originally posted by Elfie:

Originally posted by Lothemar:

Hi there. So I'm a big fan of Total War games, ever since the first Rome Total War and Medieval II, and have played all of them, but Three Kingdoms, and I've been eyeing this one for a while now.
Some say this is the best Total War game ever, some say otherwise, now I'm asking you guys to help me decide here and see if this is actually for me. I like a good diplomacy in game, in a way that you can swing the whole tide of the game with it, I like a good combat with innovative additions to it and I've seen that this one has a duel system. Further more I have no clue what the romance mode is either. And are the DLCs worth it at all for the complete experience? !

1) If you love diplomacy and making your dynasty, marriages, friendships, rivalries, spies (ACTUAL spies among your generals who will betray you, not some lousy agents), paired with the smartest diplomacy AI in all of TW games, you will definitely love this game.

2) Combat here is basically Atilla: Total War, but in China, And with slightly improved stability. Unit variety is not much but thats actually historical.

3) Romance mode is the default mode of the game where you have powerful heroes who can single-handedly dispatch hundreds of troops is used correctly. There is an alternative "Records" mode too, where you generals are just normal cav units.

4) DLC's only unlock certain factions or start dates. You don't need them if you are content with the faction choice base game gives you (and tbh this is quite an amount if factions). Mose essential DLCs are free.
For complete experience I do recommend Fury of the Nanman, if you have it installed southern tribes will be much more aggressive and also you can play one of them.

That sounds pretty badass, thank you so much for your extensive response, I'm definitely going to get this game in a bundle now!

[TheOrangeBox]

Of the DLCs these are the ones that add the timeline to the campaign:
-
- Mandate of Heaven: takes place 8 years before Three Kingdoms starts.
- A World Betrayed: adds a new start date once more it goes just a little bit ahead to 194 CE.
- Fates Divided: introduces a new start date – 200 CE
They all introduce new characters, units, and mechanics. and re-worked setups for favourite characters.

Worth mentioning the 'The Furious Wild' DLC as an expansion that provides content mainly targeting the vanilla game. The Furious Wild introduces the Nanman culture and the mountainous jungle regions of southern China.

[Lothemar]

Originally posted by TheOrangeBox:

Of the DLCs these are the ones that add the timeline to the campaign:
-
- Mandate of Heaven: takes place 8 years before Three Kingdoms starts.
- A World Betrayed: adds a new start date once more it goes just a little bit ahead to 194 CE.
- Fates Divided: introduces a new start date – 200 CE
They all introduce new characters, units, and mechanics. and re-worked setups for favourite characters.

Worth mentioning the 'The Furious Wild' DLC as an expansion that provides content mainly targeting the vanilla game. The Furious Wild introduces the Nanman culture and the mountainous jungle regions of southern China.

So essentially both are worth picking up at some point?

[TheOrangeBox]

Originally posted by Lothemar:

So essentially both are worth picking up at some point?

Eventually yes depending on how much you enjoy the game, the only note is that if you play 'The Furious Wild' isn't much related to the Three Kingdoms storyline so it can be played on its own accord as it adds new provinces on the map to unite the southern China tribes - which is what's all about the DLC.

[Lothemar]

Originally posted by TheOrangeBox:

Originally posted by Lothemar:

So essentially both are worth picking up at some point?

Eventually yes depending on how much you enjoy the game, the only note is that if you play 'The Furious Wild' isn't much related to the Three Kingdoms storyline so it can be played on its own accord as it adds new provinces on the map to unite the southern China tribes - which is what's all about the DLC.

Sounds good not going to lie. Game seems like a breath of fresh air from all the fantasy warhammer ones. Though I'm not big on Chinese history, this draws me in nonetheless.

[Gopher]

Honestly I got all the expansions and never play anything but the base game. Zhao Yun is my boy I can't abandon him

[Lothemar]

Originally posted by Sweaty Gopher:

Honestly I got all the expansions and never play anything but the base game. Zhao Yun is my boy I can't abandon him

So the base game has a lot to offer as is?

[Sqrt(-1)]

Originally posted by Lothemar:

Originally posted by Sweaty Gopher:

Honestly I got all the expansions and never play anything but the base game. Zhao Yun is my boy I can't abandon him

So the base game has a lot to offer as is?

Definitely. The base game factions are some of the most fleshed out factions in the game. The DLC factions are a nice change of playstyle, but the Nanman and Yellow Turbans always feel like they have fewer game mechanics and fewer unique characters than the main factions. You may even consider not getting any DLC right now, and instead pick up some in the Autumn or Winter sale in a few months.

[Lothemar]

Originally posted by Sqrt(-1):

Originally posted by Lothemar:

So the base game has a lot to offer as is?

Definitely. The base game factions are some of the most fleshed out factions in the game. The DLC factions are a nice change of playstyle, but the Nanman and Yellow Turbans always feel like they have fewer game mechanics and fewer unique characters than the main factions. You may even consider not getting any DLC right now, and instead pick up some in the Autumn or Winter sale in a few months.

Sounds good, thank you for your elaborate response!