Romance of the Three Kingdoms VIII

"Koei does it......again!"

The familiar Three Kingdoms series is now into its 8th incarnation. Basically, the series is well known for its vast database of historical characters and strategical gameplay. Romance of the Three Kingdoms VIII is by far, the best of all the series. Here's why:

Story
You start off as any character and in any year. Your goal? To conquer the whole of China and bring about unification of the various provinces. Along the way, you'll befriend sages, make sworn enemies, participate in huge battles and even find time to get married.

Gameplay
You can play as any character, in any year, and choose any position in the kingdom as well. As a Ruler, you have to make decisions and you hold the ultimate power. However, council meetings take place only once every three months. Other positions include Viceroys, Prefects, Warlords, Vassals and Free Officers. You earn Fame and Experience points while training, battling or even doing development stuff. You can collect items, talk to townsfolk, get married, make sworn brothers (or enemies) and get visits from sages. In short, everything that was impossible in the earlier series has been made possible, while the rest have been improved greatly.

Sound
The sound has also been improved from the previous version. Faithfully reproducing some of the tunes found in earlier series, Romance VIII has a distinct Chinese flavor infused into every harmony. And just about every song is pleasant, soothing, and just as impressive as today's top RPGs. The clang of swords, trampling of horses, and crackling of fire is clear enough for players to understand what they are, but the decidedly short sampled representations don't do much for the ears. It doesn't do justice to the Playstation 2 as well, but its good enough.

Graphics
Using a two-dimensional, sprite-based layout mapped over nearly invisible basic polygons, the graphics doesn't do justice to the power of the Playstation 2. However, Duels and cinema events fair a little bit better with a 2D quality reminiscent of the early 32-bit versions and a few extra details. The most impressive example of eye candy in the entire game, however, is the introductory cinematic, it's the only segment in the whole experience that can match modern day competition.

Replay Value
Tons. There are just about an infinite number of ways you can play through the game. Collecting all events and/or items can net you special rewards too. This game can keep one occupied for a very long time, until part IX is released.

Scores
Story 8/10
Gameplay 8/10
Sound 8/10
Graphics 8/10
Replay 8/10

Conclusion
Romance of the Three Kingdoms VIII is a truly special experience for any strategy or simulation fan playing it, and if first timers are willing to sit down and give the game a try, it will be for them too. Just don’t let the formidable learning curve or lack of things that explode dissuade you; and whatever you do, don’t let it pass you by.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/18/03