Info about ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS 8 REMAKE:

Official game description:
Steam Bonus
===========
\- "ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV" Officer Graphics Set  
Note: Purchasing "ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS 8 REMAKE" from the Steam® store will activate the store bonus "ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV" Officer Graphics Set.  
Note: May become available for purchase or for free separately at a later date.
“ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS 8 REMAKE Digital Deluxe Edition” Contents
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\- The main game  
\- Special Digital Artbook  
\- Digital Soundtrack  
\- Bonus scenario "Liu Bei's Three Tacticians"  
Note: The Special Digital Artbook and Digital Soundtrack will be made available via the game’s Gallery menu.  
Note: These contents cannot be downloaded as separate files (PDF, MP3, etc.).  
Note: The Special Digital Artbook will be the Japanese version.  
Note: None of these contents can be viewed or played outside of the game.  
Note: “ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS 8 REMAKE” is also available for purchase on its own. Please avoid making redundant purchases.
About the Game
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Theater of war, infinite drama.
A masterpiece of historical simulation "ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS 8" is revived after 20 years.
This version includes an improved "All Officers Play" feature, which allows players to play as any officer in the world of the Three Kingdoms.
The game is also packed with additional elements that bring the officers to life, such as "Destiny" which can dramatically change the course of events and "Tales" which offer a variety of stories to choose from.
Combining 2D and 3D technologies, the game features both new and nostalgic visual effects, as well as many new officer graphics created specifically for this title.
Enjoy the greatest military drama in the Three Kingdoms series, with the largest number of officers and scenarios!
■Every officer can be the hero! The "All Officers Play" of ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS VIII returns.
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More than 55 scenarios spanning over 80 years and featuring the largest number of officers in the series, from rulers to free officers. Play through a vast, deep, and turbulent Three Kingdoms period as you choose.
■Vivid depiction of the drama between officers. A variety of fascinating new features!
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Many new features have been added to portray a variety of human dramas, such as "Tales" in which players can choose which events unfold. In addition, you can be linked by "Destiny" with other officers, and gain special relationships.
The relationship or "Links Forged" between each officer greatly affects how the gameplay unfolds. Changes in that relationship can be ascertained from the "Relationship Chart".
■Graphical enhancements.
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In addition to newly drawn officer graphics, the scenic beauty of the game is depicted using ink paintings, combining 2D visuals and 3D depth to create a beautiful visual experience of the world of the Three Kingdoms.

Release date: 23 Oct, 2024

Categories: Historical Strategy, Turn-based Strategy, RPG, Character Management, Empire Building, NPC Relationships & Romance, Strategic Combat


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Generally enjoyable and engaging experience (weight 0.9): The game is generally enjoyable, engaging, and addictive, especially for fans of the series. Many reviewers highlight that it's easy to pick up and play, with a simple and user-friendly interface. Some reviewers note that the game is enjoyable despite its flaws.
- Evokes nostalgia, faithful to original (weight 0.66): The game successfully evokes nostalgia for previous Romance of the Three Kingdoms titles, particularly Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8. It retains the core gameplay and feel of the original while incorporating modern updates and improvements, making it a worthwhile experience for long-time fans.
- Many scenarios and flexible endings (weight 0.57): The game offers a wide variety of scenarios based on historical events, providing players with numerous options for experiencing the Three Kingdoms era. The game also offers multiple endings, allowing for quicker conclusions based on fame, infamy, or regional control.
- Focus on character role-playing (weight 0.35): The game allows players to experience the game from the perspective of a chosen officer, with a focus on character development, relationship building, and role-playing. The game offers a high degree of freedom in character development and allows for unique and engaging activities.
- Improved and enjoyable combat system (weight 0.33): The game features an improved and enjoyable combat system with faster-paced battles, strategic elements, and satisfying abilities. The battles are more balanced and require strategic thinking, with the importance of unit coordination being a positive aspect.
- Significantly improved graphics and UI (weight 0.31): The game features significantly improved graphics, updated character art, and a polished UI, enhancing the overall visual presentation. The updated graphics provide a fresh coat of paint to the classic strategy game.
- Good for casual, relaxed play (weight 0.15): The game is suitable for casual players and is good for killing time, offering moments of strategical relaxation. The game is designed to cater to older players' lifestyles, acknowledging that they may not have as much time to dedicate to gaming as they did in the past.
- Good strategy and character options (weight 0.15): The game offers a variety of elements for strategy lovers, including politics, battle mechanics, dueling, bonding, character creation, and scenarios. The game also features improved duels and debates, which are well-designed and allow for strategic thinking.
- Incorporates elements from previous games (weight 0.11): The game incorporates elements from previous installments, with some features and gameplay being better than the 13th installment. The game also retains much of the original RotK8 gameplay, including city development and combat, with minor changes.

Common complaints:
- Inferior to previous titles (weight 0.82): The game fails to capture the essence of the series, with many reviewers finding it worse than previous installments. It is criticized for simplifying mechanics, lacking depth, and not incorporating elements from older titles. The game also struggles to follow historical events, undermining a core appeal of the series.
- Unfinished, lacking content and features (weight 0.72): The game feels unfinished and lacks content, with many missing features and elements from previous installments. Reviewers describe it as a half-finished product, released prematurely with noticeable flaws, and not worth the asking price. Many point to the lack of editing functions, multiplayer, and siege warfare as key omissions.
- Poor, unintelligent, passive AI (weight 0.72): The AI is frequently criticized for being passive, unintelligent, and making illogical decisions both in and out of battle. This leads to stagnant gameplay, easy victories, and a lack of strategic depth, with the AI often failing to capitalize on advantageous positions or coordinate attacks effectively. Some reviewers note that increasing the difficulty only handicaps the player instead of improving the AI.
- Repetitive, monotonous gameplay loop (weight 0.55): The gameplay loop becomes repetitive and monotonous, with reviewers citing repetitive quests, events, and dialogues. This leads to boredom and a lack of long-term engagement, with many feeling that the game lacks replayability and becomes a grind after a short period.
- Shallow, unengaging social systems (weight 0.33): The game's character relationships and social systems are shallow and unengaging, with reviewers finding them repetitive and lacking depth. NPCs do not develop relationships with each other, and the friendship system feels forced and arbitrary, leading to a sense of emptiness and a lack of meaningful interaction.
- Poorly designed, luck-based duels (weight 0.26): The duel and debate systems are poorly designed and rely too heavily on luck, resembling a simple card game rather than strategic combat. This makes outcomes feel arbitrary and diminishes the impact of character stats and player skill.
- Battles lack strategic depth (weight 0.12): Battles lack strategic depth, with troop numbers being the most important factor. The performance differences between generals are insufficient, and there is a lack of unique traits for generals.
- Poor balance, outdated design (weight 0.1): The game suffers from balance issues and an outdated design, with some reviewers finding it too difficult for new players while others find it too easy. The game also requires excessive clicking and is considered overpriced for what it offers.
- Lacks variety across playthroughs (weight 0.09): The game lacks variety across playthroughs, with similar gameplay experiences regardless of the chosen role. The internal affairs aspect of the game suffers from a poor tempo, and there is not much to do in the later stages of the game.
- Limited free officer gameplay (weight 0.09): Playing as a free officer is severely limited, with a lack of activities and options for earning income. The officer system feels empty and uninteresting, and there is limited freedom in playing as a military commander.
- Flawed officer system, balance issues (weight 0.08): The officer system is flawed, with balance issues and a lack of depth. Duels can be frustrating due to the high penalty for failure and the reliance on RNG.
- Simplifies town interactions, limits control (weight 0.07): The game simplifies town interactions and removes the ability to control multiple officers simultaneously, limiting player agency and customization. The battle system feels inferior to the old 8th installment, lacking the controllable battlefield changes and unexpected elements of the original.

Gameplay feedback:
- Focus on character relationships (weight 0.3): The game emphasizes character relationships through interactions, gift-giving, and alliances, leading to bonds like sworn siblings, spouses, or rivals. These relationships influence gameplay, character development, and even combat through synergy bonuses. The focus on relationships differentiates this title from grand strategy games, leaning more towards an RPG experience.
- Experience and alter historical events (weight 0.22): The game features numerous historical scenarios and events from the Three Kingdoms period, allowing players to experience and alter key moments. Players can role-play as various officers, influencing the game's progression and outcome, and even create alternate history scenarios by intervening in historical events.
- Varied roles, strategic gameplay loop (weight 0.2): Players can choose from multiple roles, such as Ruler, Governor, or unaffiliated officer, each offering different gameplay perspectives and responsibilities. The core gameplay loop involves managing internal affairs, building relationships, and engaging in strategic battles to expand territory and achieve unification.
- Modernized remake of original (weight 0.17): The game mechanics are reminiscent of older Romance of the Three Kingdoms titles, with simplified and easy-to-understand tutorials. Core gameplay is largely the same as the original, with modern conveniences added to smooth the experience.
- Turn-based system, limited diplomacy (weight 0.11): The game uses a turn-based system with battles occurring every three months, and includes a diplomacy system for forming alliances. However, on higher difficulty, diplomacy is less effective, and the AI may prioritize occupying empty cities over engaging in conflict.
- Simplified, limited combat tactics (weight 0.07): The game's combat is simplified, with tactics being limited to one-time use per battle. This reduces the strategic depth compared to the original, and the war system is heavily reliant on morale.
- Lacks large map, limited exploration (weight 0.06): The game lacks a large map and focuses on city-based interactions, involving repetitive dialogue, gift-giving, and task completion. Exploration is limited, and there are no city sieges, with cities acting as large arrow towers.
- Officer relationships affect battles (weight 0.06): Battles allow adjusting the strength of attacks by officers with positive relationships, and officer abilities can create enjoyable gameplay experiences. However, friendships between officers can trigger unwanted affinity bonuses, and battles can become repetitive over time.
- Generic internal affairs system (weight 0.05): The game's internal affairs system is standard and generic, focusing on increasing public sentiment. Cities lack unique characteristics, and the maximum internal affairs value does not change even in large cities.
- Officer loyalty impacts gameplay (weight 0.03): As a Ruler or Administrator, you have to pay more attention to your underlings; if officers don't like you, they'll loaf around despite targets being set. Playing as a free officer has very limited gameplay and replayability.
- Unbalanced character growth system (weight 0.03): The 'genius' system feels like a cheat ability exclusive to famous warlords, failing to add unique flavor to the majority of the characters. The growth system lacks an upper limit, allowing even mediocre officers to become as strong as legendary figures.
- Limited strategic, diplomatic options (weight 0.03): Strategic options are limited even when playing as a ruler, with simple diplomacy options like goodwill and alliances. The reviewer feels the game is basic in some areas, impacting battle and diplomacy gameplay value.
- Terrain influences battle strategies (weight 0.03): Each city has terrain that matches its real-world geography, influencing battle strategies. The game introduces a new element where ambushes during the assessment phase are linked to battles, allowing for strategic planning before combat.

Performance notes:
- Inconsistent technical performance, bugs (weight 0.06): The game's technical performance is inconsistent. While some players report smooth performance and only minor bugs, others experience frequent freezes, crashes, and black screen issues, even on modern hardware. Autosaving mitigates some progress loss.
- Good Steam Deck compatibility (weight 0.03): The game is generally well-suited for the Steam Deck. However, the game locks at 30 FPS by default, but this can be bypassed by adding 'SteamDeck=0 %command%' to the Steam launch options, allowing for 60 FPS and other graphics settings.
- Unnatural character animations (weight 0.02): Some character animations, particularly facial animations, are considered unnatural or of questionable quality, with some reviewers suspecting AI generation. These animations can often be disabled.
- Inconsistent frame rates (weight 0.02): The game's frame rate is inconsistent, with some areas running at 60 FPS and others locked at 30 FPS, which some players find uncomfortable. Frame drops occur during transitions.
- Save data corruption issues (weight 0.01): Save data issues exist, including disappearing save files and city troop numbers reverting to incorrect values after loading, which can lead to significant loss of progress and frustration.
- White screen bug (weight 0.01): A technical bug in some historical scenarios causes a white screen with only the UI visible after certain choices, requiring a complete game restart to resolve.
- Fast loading times (weight 0.01): The game features very fast loading times, which contributes to a smoother and more enjoyable player experience.
- Character reincarnation bug (weight 0.01): A bizarre bug causes characters to be reincarnated and reassigned to different roles or cities after specific events, disrupting gameplay and immersion.
- Poor, slow UI (weight 0.01): The UI is reported to be poor and slow to respond to clicks, potentially due to the user's environment, but still impacting the overall experience.
- Difficult camera usage (weight 0.01): The camera system is difficult to use due to limited rotation and the inability to achieve a true top-down view, hindering strategic overview.
- Low notebook power usage (weight 0.01): The game exhibits surprisingly low power usage on laptops, which is beneficial for battery life and thermal performance.
- Update delayed (weight 0.01): The announced November update has been delayed, which may frustrate players who were anticipating new content or features.
- Headache-inducing presentation (weight 0.01): The game's PPT-style presentation during gameplay caused headaches, indicating a potential issue with visual design or pacing.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for series' fans (weight 0.91): The game is primarily recommended for existing fans of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, particularly those with nostalgia for older titles like ROTK VIII. Newcomers or those unfamiliar with the series may not find it as appealing, and are often directed to other games in the series. Some reviewers suggest that the game is a good entry point for new players, but only if they are already interested in the series.
- Wait for sale; overpriced currently (weight 0.79): Many reviewers suggest waiting for a sale before purchasing due to the perceived lack of content, high price, and the expectation of future updates or a 'Power-Up Kit' that may improve the overall experience. Some reviewers even express regret for purchasing at full price. Some reviewers mention that the game is only worth it at a 50% or greater discount.
- Feels incomplete; lacks polish (weight 0.71): Several reviewers feel the game is incomplete, unpolished, or rushed, with missing features and a lack of depth. Some reviewers describe the game as feeling like an early access title or a debugging process rather than a finished product. Some reviewers mention that the game feels outdated or not up to modern standards.
- Disappointing remake; not faithful (weight 0.5): Some reviewers express disappointment with the remake, stating that it is a shadow of the original game or that it removes features from the original. Some reviewers feel that the remake is not a faithful adaptation of the original Romance of the Three Kingdoms VIII. Some reviewers suggest that the original game should have been optimized instead of remade.
- Inferior to other ROTK titles (weight 0.44): Many reviewers compare this game unfavorably to other titles in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, particularly ROTK XIII and XIV. Some reviewers suggest that players who enjoy those games should avoid this one, while others recommend sticking with the older titles instead. Some reviewers feel that this game is a step backward for the series.
- Extremely negative; "garbage" (weight 0.39): Some reviewers express strong negative opinions about the game, labeling it as 'garbage' or 'absolutely awful'. Some reviewers strongly advise against purchasing the game, considering it the worst in the series. Some reviewers feel disgusted and suggest that the game shouldn't be promoted if it's not well-made. These points may show signs of review bombing.
- Hoping for future updates/DLC/"PK" (weight 0.21): Many reviewers express hope that future updates, DLC, or a 'Power-Up Kit' will address the game's shortcomings and add more content. Some reviewers are specifically waiting for a 'Power-Up Kit' before considering a purchase, while others are skeptical that it will significantly improve the game. Some reviewers express concern that key features are being held back for a paid 'Power-Up Kit' release.
- Obligation to buy Koei games (weight 0.11): Some reviewers express a sense of obligation to buy Koei Tecmo games due to their past enjoyment of the series, even if they are disappointed with the current title. Some reviewers feel that Koei Tecmo has disappointed its players with this release. Some reviewers will reconsider buying KOEI games on release day in the future.
- Good for officer-focused gameplay (weight 0.07): Some reviewers recommend the game for those who enjoy playing as a single officer and creating their own narratives. Some reviewers suggest that the game is a good choice for players who are new to the officer-based system. Some reviewers recommend the game specifically for those who enjoy the officer play mode in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series.

Other player notes:
- Hopes for future updates/DLC (weight 0.04): Reviewers express hope for future updates, DLC, and continued support from Koei Tecmo to improve the game. Koei Tecmo has been releasing minor free content and patches since release. Some reviewers speculate that Koei will release more content and fixes over the next two years.
- AI issues and stagnant gameplay (weight 0.04): Reviewers report that the game's AI can negatively impact the experience, leading to uninteresting gameplay scenarios. Some speculate that content was intentionally omitted for future DLC, and that the development team was aware of the game's shortcomings. Alliances with the CPU can lead to stagnant situations.
- Many officers and scenarios (weight 0.03): The game includes a large number of officers (over 1000) and 50+ historical scenarios. A DLC was released that includes 8 original portraits and the classic scenarios 'Loyal Retainers of the Han' and 'War of the Women'. The game has unlockable bonuses, including unreleased scripts, avatars, and special features.
- Lacks Chinese voice acting (weight 0.03): The game features Japanese voice acting, but lacks a Chinese voice-over option, which some reviewers find disappointing. The initial sales in China were high, but the game received mixed reviews. The game is played in Chinese, so some text may not match the English version.
- Officer relationships and roles (weight 0.02): The game features officer relationships represented by intimacy levels, leading to effects like sworn brotherhoods or rivalries. Players can choose from various roles such as ruler, governor, general, strategist, or freelancer, each with different responsibilities and progression paths. Unlike the original, female officers who are not already married in historical records can now be married by the player.
- Playthrough length varies (weight 0.02): The first playthrough took 30 hours to reach the initial ending, with most content experienced by then. A subsequent playthrough is estimated to take only 10 hours. The 'Special' difficulty playthrough took nearly 100 hours to complete.
- Generic character models (weight 0.02): Character models for created officers are generic and sometimes don't match the CG art. Officer stats can be raised through training, practice, and debate, and there are no individual limits, allowing for versatile character development. The reviewer mentions that officer illustrations are not great, but it's not a major concern.
- Gallery and Chronicle Mode (weight 0.02): The game includes a gallery where players can view CG movies of special historical events triggered in the game. The 'Chronicle Mode' is divided into 'History,' 'Interaction,' 'Commission,' and 'Ending' sections. The game offers three victory conditions: conquering all territories, fulfilling specific historical event requirements, or achieving a high fame level.
- Difficulty customization added (weight 0.01): After the 1.04 patch, difficulty customization and convenience features were added, making the game more comfortable to play. The reviewer cleared the newly added 'Special' difficulty level introduced in the December 2024 patch.
- Variety of scripts/scenarios (weight 0.01): The game offers a variety of scripts to play through. The game includes a character creation feature and selectable scenarios to enhance immersion and historical participation.

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