Custom PC – October 2019

T

otalWarhasalwaysdealtin thebroadtidesof

conflict,seeingyoucontrolgreatempiressuch

asRomeornationstatessuchasMedieval

France.Yetin itssweepingstrategycampaignsand

massive,spectacularbattles,peopleare

oftenreducedtostatisticsin oneofyourvast

armies.Evenyourmostsignificantfaction

members,yourgeneralsandspies,are

chesspieces,theirindividualismbecoming

significantif they’reknockedofftheboard.

TotalWar:ThreeKingdomschangesthis

situation.TakinginspirationfromParadox’s

CrusaderKingsseries,it turnsyourfaceless

generals,factionleaders,government

administratorsandespionageagentsinto

recognisablecharacterswiththeirown

distinctpersonalities.Thesecharacters

existwithina complexsocialhierarchy

thatrelatesbothtoyourfactionandthose

surroundingyou.It’soneofseveralmajor

changesthatmakesThreeKingdomsthe

mostinnovativeTotalWargamein years,and

comfortablythebestinstalmentsinceShogun2.

Setin ancientChina,a gameofThreeKingdoms

commenceswithplayersselectingoneof 12 warlords.

Yourgoalis toprogressthroughtheranksofthe

aristocracy,startingasa nobleandclimbingtobecome

a marquis,duke,kingandeventuallyEmperorofChina.

Youdothisbyearning‘prestige’,gainedbybuilding

dingcities,and/orwinningbattles.

Eachofthe 12 warlordshasa uniqueabilitythat

shapesthecourseoftheircampaign.CaoCao, for

example,is a masterstrategist,abletoinciteproxy

warsbetweenrivalfactionsandtakeadvantage

ofthechaos.LiuBei,meanwhile,canusethe

strengthofhispersonalitytohelpunifyChina’s

crumblingHanEmpire,annexingitsterritories into

hisownfactionwithoutspillinga dropofblood.

Allwarlordsandtheirretainersaresubject

o Guanxi– thenewsystemthatdrivesthe

elationshipbetweencharacters.Unlike

previousTotalWargames,charactershave

nofixedrole.Youcanassignthemtobe

generals,courtadministrators,government

officialsandspiesasyouseefit.However,a

characterwillforma relationshipwithevery

hercharactertheyencounter,whichcanhave

a drasticimpactoneveryfacetofthegame.

Forexample,generalswillestablisha bondwithone

another,whichmightbefriendlyorunfriendly.

GAMES / REVIEW

TOTAL WAR

+^ Excellent
diplomacy

+^ Guanxi brings
character to
the fore

+^ Battles nearly
always a
significant event

TOTAL BORE

-^ Some superfluous
systems
-^ UI not always easy
to read

Total War:Three Kingdoms / £39.99 inc VAT

DEVELOPER Creative Assembly/ PUBLISHER Sega

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