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.
