Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII
Overview -
The latest entry in the storied historical strategy franchise 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' seeks to be the most approachable entry in the franchise, with all new modes designed to introduce new players to the series. There is the character-focused Hero Mode, which doubles as a tutorial mode, and the traditional campaign in which players will work to unite all of China. There's a wealth of strategic options promised, which should help this game to be the deepest entry in the series yet.
Video Review
This is, not to mince words, an ugly game. The character artwork is lovely, but for the most part, the game is made up of low quality character models during combat or flat, dull environments. That said, with the game revolving as heavily around menus as it does, visuals were never going to be something that needed a great deal of attention. Still, it's a shame that, in places, the game looks worse than last year's 'Nobunaga's Ambition'.
Audio Review
'Romance' has a surprisingly lovely soundtrack, with the more mellow music that makes up the game's diplomacy and town management segments going a great deal towards stopping anything from ever feeling tedious. During combat, the music becomes a tad less distinct and interesting, but there's not a single track I'd say is bad. The nicest touch, and a series first, is the option for entirely Chinese voicework, which might be the first time I've ever seen it as a language option in any game. It's a small thing, but it does lend the game an air of authenticity that I greatly appreciate.
Final Thoughts
While it's complexities edge a tad too close to convolution at times, 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII' was a great time once I wrapped my head around it all. The steps towards accessibility, while far from perfect, definitely make this the most user-friendly entry in the series, and the amount of options available to players is hugely appreciated. I don't think it reaches the same highs that 'Nobunaga's Ambition' did, and that game was a tad more efficient at introducing its concepts, but it's still a unique, interesting strategy game that genre fans really shouldn't overlook.