Info about Total War: THREE KINGDOMS:

Official game description:
New DLC Available
=================
Total War Academy
=================
About the Game
==============
Total War: THREE KINGDOMS is the first in the multi award-winning strategy series to recreate epic conflict across ancient China. Combining a gripping turn-based campaign game of empire-building, statecraft and conquest with stunning real-time battles, Total War: THREE KINGDOMS redefines the series in an age of heroes and legends.  
**China in 190CE**  
Welcome to a new era of legendary conquest.  
This beautiful but fractured land calls out for a new emperor and a new way of life. Unite China under your rule, forge the next great dynasty, and build a legacy that will last through the ages.  
Choose from a cast of 12 legendary Warlords and conquer the realm. Recruit heroic characters to aide your cause and dominate your enemies on military, technological, political, and economic fronts.  
Will you build powerful friendships, form brotherly alliances, and earn the respect of your many foes? Or would you rather commit acts of treachery, inflict heart-wrenching betrayals, and become a master of grand political intrigue?  
Your legend is yet to be written, but one thing is certain: glorious conquest awaits.
**ANCIENT CHINA RECREATED**
---------------------------
Discover Three Kingdoms China, a land of breath-taking natural beauty. Battle across lush subtropics, arid deserts and snow-capped mountains. Marvel at legendary landmarks like the Great Wall of China and the Yangtze River. Explore the length and breadth of ancient China as you restore harmony to its embattled landscape.
**CHINA’S GREATEST LEGENDS**
----------------------------
Forge a new empire as one of 12 legendary Warlords drawn from China’s celebrated historical epic, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Peerless commanders, powerful warriors and eminent statesmen, these characters each have a unique playstyle and objectives. Recruit an epic supporting cast of heroes to command your armies, govern your provinces and strengthen your growing empire. Characters are the beating heart of the game, and China’s very future will be shaped by its champions.
**GUANXI SYSTEM**
-----------------
Modelled on Guanxi, the Chinese concept of dynamic inter-relationships, Total War: THREE KINGDOMS takes a paradigm-shifting approach to character agency, with iconic, larger-than-life heroes and their relationships defining the future of ancient China. Each of these characters is brought to life with their own unique personality, motivations, and likes/dislikes. They also form their own deep relationships with each other, both positive and negative, that shape how your story plays out.
**ARTISTIC PURITY**
-------------------
With stunning visuals and flamboyant Wushu combat, THREE KINGDOMS is the art of war. With beautiful UI, vibrant vistas and authentic Chinese-inspired artwork, this reimagining of ancient China is a visual feast.
**REAL-TIME & TURN-BASED HARMONY**
----------------------------------
The turn-based campaign and real-time battles of Total War: THREE KINGDOMS are more interconnected than ever before. Actions in battle now have much greater consequences, affecting your Heroes’ relationship towards you, as well as the friendships and rivalries they develop with other characters. In a world where powerful allies are one of the keys to success, this adds a brand-new element to how victory is achieved.

Release date: May 23, 2019

Categories: Turn-based Strategy, Real-time Tactics, 4X, Diplomacy, Espionage RPG hybrid mechanics, Faction Management, Historical Strategy, Grand Strategy, Character Relationships & Romance, Tactical Combat, Siege Warfare, Hero Management

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 90; verdict: Predatory / Abandonware; summary: The monetization strategy for *Total War: Three Kingdoms* is widely perceived as predatory, characterized by premature DLC releases (e.g., *Eight Princes*), aggressive pricing (10+ DLCs costing more than the base game), and persistent technical issues (DLC verification failures). The game’s abandonment mid-development—despite promises of expansions covering core Three Kingdoms content—further exacerbated frustrations. While some DLCs added value, the overall model prioritized monetization over delivering a complete or fair experience.
- Mods: score 45; verdict: Buggy but Playable (Mods Fill Critical Gaps); summary: The user feedback reveals a widespread consensus that *Total War: Three Kingdoms* suffers from significant gaps in gameplay depth, content, and developer support, with mods acting as a critical crutch to address these shortcomings. While the base game is playable, it is frequently described as 'unfinished,' 'abandoned,' or 'half-baked,' with mods filling in for missing mechanics, historical accuracy, and bug fixes. Performance issues are noted but not framed as game-breaking, and there are no reports of the game being 'unplayable without mods' in a technical sense (e.g., crashes on startup). Instead, the reliance on mods is thematic and structural, reflecting a failure to deliver a polished or complete experience out of the box.
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Instructional Data Deficit (Tier 3 Dominant); summary: Users overwhelmingly criticize *Total War: Three Kingdoms* for its lack of in-game instructional data, forcing reliance on external guides to understand mechanics, lore, and systems. Secondary issues include poor UI/UX design, economic imbalances, and technical bugs. The most severe complaints revolve around the game's failure to educate players internally, creating a steep learning curve and frustration for newcomers.
- Steam Deck: score 90; verdict: Broken; summary: The game suffers from severe technical and design flaws that create a highly frustrating user experience. The most critical issues include frequent crashes, launcher instability, and poor hardware compatibility, particularly on Linux and high-end systems. UI/UX problems, such as unreadable font sizes and cluttered menus, further degrade accessibility. While mods are a lifeline for many players, they introduce additional instability and are often broken by official updates. The lack of post-launch support and optimization exacerbates these problems, making the game unreliable even for users with strong hardware.

- 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:
- Unique Hero and Character System (weight 0.96): Legendary heroes with distinct playstyles, missions, and relationships (e.g., Guanxi mechanics) add depth to storytelling. Romance Mode makes generals feel impactful, while Records Mode offers grounded realism.
- Unique Faction Mechanics (weight 0.9): Each faction has distinct playstyles, units, and mechanics (e.g., Cao Cao’s '权谋扩张', Liu Bei’s '仁德感召'). This encourages diverse strategies and replayability.
- Satisfying Combat and Battles (weight 0.9): Battles are strategic and visually impressive, with formations, flanking, morale, and terrain playing key roles. Hero duels and environmental interactions (e.g., burning forests) add cinematic depth.
- Stunning Visuals and Art Style (weight 0.7): The game features breathtaking visuals, a stylish UI, and authentic Chinese-inspired artwork that enhances immersion. Players consistently praise the graphics, animations, and art direction as top-tier in the Total War series.
- Engaging Campaign Gameplay (weight 0.68): The campaign map is praised for its depth, structure, and immersive mechanics (e.g., court evolution, faction-specific agendas). Players enjoy the progression from small factions to unification.
- Strategic and Tactical Depth (weight 0.65): The game excels in strategic depth, combining 4X empire-building, diplomacy, and real-time battles. Unit trees, reforms, and terrain-based tactics (e.g., ambushes, formations) provide rich gameplay variety.
- High-Quality Presentation (weight 0.6): The game excels in presentation with top-tier UI, voice acting, music (using ancient Chinese instruments), and sound design. The watercolor art style and character portraits are particularly praised.
- Optimized Performance and AI (weight 0.58): The game is well-optimized, running smoothly even with large battles (130+ FPS). The AI is improved, forming alliances, using spies intelligently, and adapting to player strategies.
- Strong DLC and Expansion Content (weight 0.58): DLCs like 'A World Betrayed' and 'Yellow Turban Rebellion' add significant content, new factions, and gameplay loops. They are considered high-quality additions to the base game.
- Accessible Yet Deep Learning Curve (weight 0.57): The game is beginner-friendly but offers deep mechanics (e.g., reform trees, character progression) that reward mastery. The sandbox nature encourages experimentation after the learning curve.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive late-game battles (weight 0.43): Battles become tedious and lack variety in the late game, with generic units and repetitive mechanics. Players feel a lack of accomplishment due to fast-paced, unengaging combat.
- Incomplete base game and DLC (weight 0.42): The base game and DLCs are criticized for being unfinished, with missing content (e.g., historical events, factions) and bugs that block progression. Players feel the game was abandoned prematurely.
- Overly restrictive army mechanics (weight 0.38): Armies are limited to 3 generals and 6 soldier classes, with no unit progression. This restricts tactical flexibility and makes battles feel unbalanced or repetitive.
- Poor siege battle mechanics (weight 0.31): Siege battles are criticized for being one-dimensional, with units struggling to navigate terrain and relying too heavily on trebuchets. Players compare them unfavorably to older Total War titles.
- Lack of naval combat depth (weight 0.29): Multiple clusters highlight the absence of naval battles, reducing tactical variety and historical accuracy. Players expected this feature given its importance in the Three Kingdoms era.
- Exploitative monetization (weight 0.23): The game and DLCs are perceived as overpriced for their quality, with content locked behind paywalls. Players feel the developer prioritized monetization over delivering a complete experience.
- Unbalanced and overpowered units (weight 0.19): Certain units (e.g., Lü Bu, archers) or factions (e.g., Kingdom of Wei) are overpowered, disrupting gameplay balance. Romance mode exacerbates this issue with unrealistic hero abilities.
- Frequent crashes and instability (weight 0.18): The game suffers from frequent crashes, freezes, and black screens, especially during large battles or AI turns. Mods are often required for stability.
- Unintuitive and cluttered UI (weight 0.18): The user interface is criticized for being overwhelming, poorly scaled, and lacking tutorials. New players struggle with navigation and understanding mechanics without external guides.
- Confusing character and faction names (weight 0.17): Players struggle with Chinese names, reused portraits, and faction changes, making it difficult to identify units or remember leaders. This reduces immersion for non-native speakers.
- Lack of developer support (weight 0.1): The game was abandoned by the developer, with no updates or fixes for persistent bugs. Players feel the game was released unfinished and left to stagnate.

Gameplay feedback:
- Dual gameplay modes: Romance vs. Records (weight 0.88): Players can choose between Romance mode (heroic generals with superhuman abilities) and Records mode (historically accurate warfare). This duality caters to both mythological and historical preferences, significantly altering battle dynamics.
- Deep faction management system (weight 0.87): The game features intricate faction mechanics, including unique unit rosters, distinct playstyles, and internal politics like Guanxi relationships and loyalty systems. Players must manage generals, retinues, and faction-specific traits (e.g., Cao Cao's scheming).
- Turn-based campaign with real-time battles (weight 0.85): The game blends turn-based strategy (e.g., city-building, diplomacy) with real-time tactical battles. Players manage armies, supply lines, and economic growth while engaging in large-scale battles with formations and terrain tactics.
- Character and faction diversity (weight 0.83): Factions like the Yellow Turbans or Kingdom of Wei have unique mechanics (e.g., bandit raiding, banking). Generals possess distinct traits, skills, and progression paths, encouraging varied playstyles.
- Complex diplomacy and espionage (weight 0.83): Diplomacy includes alliances, vassalage, marriages, and espionage (e.g., spies becoming faction leaders). The Guanxi system adds depth to character relationships, while coalitions and trade agreements create strategic layers.
- Siege and tactical battle mechanics (weight 0.81): Battles emphasize formations, flanking, and terrain (e.g., burning forests). Siege warfare includes trebuchets, city defenses, and morale systems, while ambushes and night battles add tactical depth.
- Modding support enhances replayability (weight 0.8): A robust modding community adds new factions, units, and mechanics (e.g., TROM mod). Mods address AI behavior, balance issues, and even introduce fantasy elements, significantly extending the game’s lifespan.
- Campaign depth and narrative (weight 0.8): Campaigns feature scripted events (e.g., Dong Zhou’s assassination), emergent storytelling, and faction-specific quests. Historical scenarios and open-ended modes (e.g., Immortality) offer diverse experiences.
- Economic and supply management (weight 0.78): Players must balance food production, building maintenance, and supply lines. Seasonal effects and corruption systems add realism, while trade and resource management (e.g., food surplus) impact diplomacy and growth.
- AI behavior and diplomacy realism (weight 0.77): The AI mimics historical faction tendencies (e.g., nomadic aggression) and adapts to player actions. Diplomacy is dynamic, with factions forming coalitions or declaring wars based on trust and guanxi levels.
- UI and accessibility challenges (weight 0.71): The interface presents information across multiple windows, which can overwhelm beginners. Tutorials and external guides are often needed due to the game’s complexity and depth.
- Multiplayer and competitive focus (weight 0.67): Multiplayer emphasizes human vs. human battles, with diplomacy and faction management taking a backseat. The game supports competitive play but lacks cooperative campaign modes.
- Historical and cultural authenticity (weight 0.19): The game meticulously recreates the Three Kingdoms era, including historical figures, events (e.g., Battle of Red Cliffs), and cultural details like faction-specific units (e.g., Yi Province Archers). DLCs expand this with scenarios like the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
- Hero-driven combat and progression (weight 0.19): Generals and legendary heroes (e.g., Lü Bu) have unique abilities, equipment, and duel mechanics. Romance mode amplifies their impact, allowing single heroes to solo armies, while Records mode focuses on historical retinues.
- Tech and reform trees (weight 0.13): Reform trees (e.g., WuXing branches) unlock technologies, alliances, and faction-specific upgrades. Character skill trees allow specialization in combat or economy, adding strategic customization.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.12): The game crashes frequently during various actions, including AI turns, settlement screens, and specific interactions like right-clicking characters. This issue is widespread and affects gameplay stability significantly.
- Server and connectivity problems (weight 0.11): Players experience frequent disconnections and server connectivity issues, which persist even after reinstalling the game. Sync bugs with Steam Cloud have also been reported.
- Hardware and GPU incompatibility (weight 0.07): Performance issues and UI flickering occur on newer GPUs, particularly when settings are not set to the lowest. High-end hardware may also experience instability, while some configurations report high CPU usage.
- Display and visibility issues (weight 0.06): Players report screen brightness problems, black screens (especially when alt-tabbing), and visibility issues during combat in forests. Graphical glitches and disappearing character models are also noted.
- UI and input responsiveness (weight 0.05): The game exhibits UI scaling issues, unresponsive controls, and input lag, particularly with diplomacy keys. Scrolling bugs and mouse cursor issues further hinder usability.
- Launch and loading issues (weight 0.05): The game often fails to launch or gets stuck on loading screens. Slow startup times and launcher lag are common, with some users requiring an SSD to mitigate loading delays.
- Performance optimization variability (weight 0.04): While the game runs smoothly on some hardware, particularly newer or high-end systems, it struggles on older or mid-range configurations. Performance is inconsistent across different setups.
- Save file and DLC corruption (weight 0.04): DLCs and mods can cause save file corruption, leading to loading failures and gameplay disruptions. These issues persist despite reinstallation attempts.
- Frame rate instability in battles (weight 0.03): Large-scale battles cause frame rate drops and instability, particularly when using extreme unit sizes. This affects immersion and gameplay fluidity.
- Slow late-game performance (weight 0.03): Late-game campaigns suffer from slow turn processing and extended loading times, which worsen as the game progresses. This impacts the overall experience in longer playthroughs.
- Hardware-specific fixes available (weight 0.01): Mods exist to address modern CPU utilization, improving core usage and reducing temperatures. However, these are workarounds rather than official fixes.

Recommendations:
- Mods significantly enhance experience (weight 0.34): The modding community is highly active, with mods like TROM, MTU, and Wukingdaissance improving depth, replayability, and balance. Mods are strongly recommended for an optimized experience.
- Highly recommended for strategy fans (weight 0.33): The game is widely praised as one of the best in the Total War series, particularly for players who value deep strategy, diplomacy, and historical immersion. It is especially appealing to fans of the Three Kingdoms era and those transitioning from other Total War titles.
- Best value on sale, not full price (weight 0.32): Many reviewers suggest purchasing the game during promotions (8-10€) rather than at full price, as it offers good value for money but may not justify the full cost for all players.
- Ideal for campaign-focused players (weight 0.3): The game excels in political intrigue and campaign depth, making it best suited for players who prefer strategic management over fast-paced combat or endgame variety.
- Beginner-friendly with caveats (weight 0.29): While recommended for Total War newcomers, the game’s complexity may overwhelm genre beginners. It serves as a good entry point for those willing to learn its systems.
- Performance issues tolerated (weight 0.26): While the game suffers from performance issues (e.g., crashes), many players find the experience enjoyable enough to overlook these flaws, especially with mods or hardware upgrades (e.g., SSD).
- Multiplayer needs improvement (weight 0.03): The multiplayer experience is criticized for being slow or underdeveloped. Players suggest enhancements to make it more engaging and faster-paced.
- Replayability through factions/mechanics (weight 0.02): The game offers high replayability due to diverse factions, leaders, and unique mechanics. Each playthrough feels distinct, appealing to players who enjoy variety and long-term engagement.
- DLCs add cultural depth (weight 0.02): DLCs are recommended for expanding gameplay with new starting characters and cultural mechanics, though some players feel more content could be added.
- Avoid bundles due to issues (weight 0.01): Some players advise against purchasing bundles, citing unresolved issues or poor value compared to standalone purchases.
- AI delegation for city management (weight 0.01): Players suggest adding AI delegation features to streamline city management, reducing micromanagement and improving quality of life.
- Romance mode with max unit size (weight 0.01): Playing in Romance mode with maximum unit sizes is recommended for a more epic and immersive battle experience, aligning with the game’s thematic strengths.

Other player notes:
- Developer abandonment frustrates players (weight 0.06): The game was discontinued despite strong sales and unique features, leaving players feeling neglected. Fans recommend bug fix mods to address unresolved issues.
- Achievements require workarounds (weight 0.04): Players report that some achievements are difficult or impossible to unlock without rolling back game versions, brute-forcing, or relying on external guides. This is exacerbated by hardware limitations and the game's discontinuation.
- Nostalgia and personal history drive engagement (weight 0.02): Players cite nostalgia and long-term personal history with the franchise as key reasons for their continued interest and emotional investment in the game.
- Perceived as PR stunt for Chinese market (weight 0.01): Some players view the game as a PR stunt targeting the Chinese market, rather than a genuine effort to expand the franchise's historical depth.
- Lack of alternatives for fans (weight 0.01): Fans of the Three Kingdoms setting express frustration over the lack of viable alternatives, as no other games offer a comparable experience in this historical niche.
- Hope for a sequel persists (weight 0.01): Despite the game's discontinuation, players remain hopeful for a sequel, reflecting their attachment to the franchise and its potential for future development.
- Desire for new historical settings (weight 0.01): Players express a strong desire for a Total War game set in the American Civil War era, highlighting demand for fresh historical contexts beyond existing franchises.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.28): Players experience frequent crashes, bugs, and performance issues, including unplayable campaigns and lost progress. The game's clunky mechanics, such as army limits, expensive progression, and poorly designed UI, exacerbate frustration. Additionally, AI inconsistencies, balance issues, and lack of late-game content contribute to a tedious and unsatisfying experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.18): The game fails to meet expectations due to its perceived lack of innovation, unfinished state, and abandonment by developers. Key features like naval battles, historical depth, and meaningful DLC are missing, while mechanics like diplomacy and spying feel overly complicated or ineffective. Players also express dissatisfaction with historical inaccuracies, poor visuals, and the game's deviation from earlier Total War titles.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players appreciate the game's depth, strategic gameplay, and immersive worldbuilding, particularly in diplomacy, economy, and battles. The polished presentation, mod support, and long-term replayability contribute to a fulfilling experience. Overcoming the learning curve and discovering unique strategies, such as breaking point tactics, enhance player satisfaction.
- Excitement (weight 0.08): The game's historical setting, large-scale battles, and rich strategic depth generate excitement. Players enjoy the unique mechanics, such as hero generals and complex diplomacy, as well as the immersive faction interactions and campaign progression. The Three Kingdoms era, with its legendary characters and epic conflicts, adds to the game's appeal.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players admire the game's depth, historical immersion, and attention to detail, particularly in diplomacy, art style, and strategic mechanics. The modding community's contributions and the game's ability to blend politics and warfare are also highly valued. Despite its age, the game is praised for its balance, tone, and rich narrative.
- Anger (weight 0.04): Persistent technical issues, such as crashes, DLC failures, and lost progress, provoke anger. Players also express frustration with developer neglect, exploitative monetization practices, and AI cheating. The inability to access purchased content or resolve critical bugs further fuels dissatisfaction.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.04): The game evokes nostalgia for older Total War titles, such as *Rome* or *Medieval 2*, which felt more rewarding or immersive. Players reflect on their long history with the franchise, childhood memories of the Three Kingdoms era, and comparisons to beloved past entries like *Shogun 2*.
- Admiration (weight 0.04): Players admire the game's artistic presentation, immersive storytelling, and ambitious mechanics. The diplomacy system, visuals, and attention to historical detail are particularly praised. Many consider it the best in the Total War series due to its depth, atmosphere, and fusion of strategy and narrative.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.03): The game's fun and engaging mechanics, such as hero designs, faction variety, and tactical combat, provide enjoyment. Players appreciate the campaign depth, diplomacy, and the ability to experiment with different strategies. The visuals and unit design also contribute to the overall positive experience.}