Romance of the Three Kingdoms X (2004)

Developer: Koei
Platforms: PlayStation 2
Genres: Simulator, Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical
Rating: 4.1 of 5, 5 player ratings

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A slow, deliberate chess match across ancient China where managing armies and cities feels like steering the tides of history one careful decision at a time.

methodicalstrategic depthhistoricalslow-pacedcomplexcontemplativeempire-buildingturn-based

About

Romance of the Three Kingdoms X is the tenth installment of the long-running series and takes place right after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It nearly covers 147 years of Chinese history. Gameplay is the same as previous incarnations, an overhead view, letting the player and the CPU move armies, build cities, gather supplies and attack one another, watching the battles from afar. There are two different ways to play the game. The player can choose the Historical mode where the characters of the game will follow history to the letter, acting the way the did in real life, but players can also choose a Fictional mode where everything is random and the player can change history as they see fit. There are 650 playable characters to choose from, as well as the ability to create over 100 different officers. Players can also trade generals and view stats using online capability.

What players say

An extremely deep, stat- and menu-driven Three Kingdoms strategy sim that can swallow hours and at times plays almost like a text adventure. Beloved by series faithful for its esoteric depth, but its dated, unfriendly interface and bland visuals make it a niche acquired taste.

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More by Koei

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.