Not long ago, Zhe Bang Ye's critique of the new Romance of the Three Kingdoms finally reached the Baidi Cheng entrustment scene. Under Zhuge Nailong's clever schemes that thrice angered Xuande, Liu Bei, who had tormented viewers for a year and a half, finally passed away as wished. Upon hearing the news, Sun Quan, who was kneeling and paying respects to Lady Sun, laughed maniacally, while Zhuge Liang, having won the MVP, couldn't help but shed tears while playing the zither. Thus, the three harms of the Peach Garden in the new Three Kingdoms were all dragged down by soul chains, and with the playing of Guan Yu's song, history underwent a major change.
Around the same time, Chen Wei, who played Xu Huang in the new Romance of the Three Kingdoms (and was humorously referred to as Cao Boss's Han Xin, Bai Qi, and Zhou Yafu), joined Douyin and Bilibili, revealing behind-the-scenes details of the Baidi Cheng entrustment scene. Originally, Liu Bei was supposed to have five hundred axe-wielding guards stationed behind the tent, ready to capture Zhuge Liang at any moment. It was only due to the persistence of Yu Hewei, the actor playing Liu Bei, that Director Gao changed his mind at the last minute.
Although Teacher Chen Wei later added caveats to this rumor, stating that he wasn't filming with Liu Bei's group at the time and couldn't confirm it 100%, combining Director Gao Xixi's previous interview comments with the plot summary released before the 2010 premiere mentioning "The Lord ordered Li Yan to deploy fifty strong men for protection"... netizens' attitude could only be described as "if it's unclear whether it's true or false, then it must be true."
At this moment, people's disdain for the new Romance of the Three Kingdoms reached new heights.
It's not just that the series was poorly made... although it indeed had many issues, such as major actors not showing up on set, widespread use of stand-ins, repetitive filming locations, and inexplicable costumes, props, and sets. What truly made it despised was its disrespect for history and the classic novel. The director and screenwriter, in an attempt to express their own conspiracy theories and Machiavellian politics, completely distorted the spiritual core of the key characters in Three Kingdoms history.
Let's not even mention the ridiculous points like "Who really rules Jiangdong?", "Zhou Yu divorces Xiao Qiao due to her affair with Zhuge Liang," or "Cao Pi releases a snake to kill Cao Chong." Let's just take one obvious example: crossing the river with the civilians.
Rather than saying Liu Bei in the new Romance of the Three Kingdoms was "crossing the river with the people," it would be more accurate to say he was "holding the people hostage while crossing the river." When fleeing Xinye, Liu Bei didn't initially consider what would happen to the citizens. It was only after Jian Yong asked that he remembered the 180,000 people in the city. When Zhuge Liang suggested abandoning the civilians, Liu Bei responded, "If I abandon the people to save myself, I, Liu Bei, will be disgraced and lose Everythinggj." Incidentally, the new series didn't even depict a "river"; there was only a national highway throughout.
It's hard to say whether Liu Bei's care for the people in the new Romance of the Three Kingdoms stemmed from genuine moral compassion or was merely a persona crafted for fame and profit.
Comparing the same plot point with the old Romance of the Three Kingdoms' "flowing water and long roads" feels too unfair, so let's compare it with the same scene in Dynasty Warriors: Origins instead.
In Dynasty Warriors: Origins, when Zhuge Liang reminds Liu Bei that marching with civilians will inevitably slow down their progress, Liu Bei decisively dismounts and slowly walks toward the elderly and children among the people—
"Kongming, you once said that to achieve the tripartite division of the realm, we must seize Jingzhou."
"Now that I have obtained Jingzhou, why do you ask me to abandon it?"
In just two short sentences, Liu Bei's benevolent and people-loving nature is vividly portrayed. While there are adaptations, the changes in Dynasty Warriors: Origins clearly respect the historical and original characterization of Liu Bei as a man of great virtue who loves his people like his own children.
Therefore, what we dislike is not the adaptation of classics or history itself, but the lack of basic respect during the adaptation process. Conversely, if an adaptation respects history and the classic source material, it is unlikely to fail in gaining players' affection.
Koei Tecmo's historical strategy game series, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," is a prime example. Since its inception in 1985, the series has maintained a high level of respect for Three Kingdoms history. Its extensive roster of generals, meticulous attention to detail, and rich historical scenarios remain unmatched. More importantly, in terms of narrative adaptation, the series consistently preserves the core essence and underlying traits of historical figures. Each faction has its own principles and romanticism—Shu Han stands on righteousness, Cao Wei rules through dominance, and Sun Wu's identity is deeply intertwined with the Sun family's generational legacy...
Among these "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" titles, I personally prefer the "general role-playing" entries such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms VIII and XIII. In these games, players can not only play as historical generals but also personally "travel back" to that tumultuous era. Thanks to the high level of historical accuracy, it's easy to immerse oneself in the custom protagonist, interact and spar with legendary figures, and ultimately unite the land under their banner.
Unfortunately, in the domestic SLG market, the stronghold of "Three Kingdoms" themed games, titles emphasizing historical immersion have long been absent. For a long time, "players" in SLG games were represented merely by a short string of IDs. Although they commanded many generals, these characters often had only one portrait and a few skills. Players could neither form emotional bonds with them nor see much of the stories behind these heroes.
Therefore, despite having heroes at my command, I often felt empty. While paving paths and attacking cities, I frequently couldn't distinguish whether the lord in the game was myself behind the screen or the five-star general leading the charge, along with his rare skills...
This makes me wonder: in this chaotic Three Kingdoms era, are you the lord, or am I?
Honestly, I previously suspected that the "general role-playing" gameplay might not fit well within the framework of large-scale multiplayer online SLGs, making the cost of allowing players to personally immerse themselves in the Three Kingdoms chaos too high. This may explain why strongly immersive SLGs have been slow to appear on the market. I had somewhat accepted the experience of playing as a string of IDs, commanding unrelated generals to siege cities...
That was until the recently unveiled Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Way of Kings dispelled my doubts.
This new SLG, officially licensed by Koei Tecmo and jointly published and operated by Qixia Interactive Entertainment and Bilibili, fully inherits the精华 features of the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" series. The first thing that catches the eye is the familiar "Koei-style" Three Kingdoms characters. Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Way of Kings utilizes the excellent character portraits from previous entries in the series. Lu Bu, standing like an angry Vajra warrior with his Fangtian Huaji halberd on his shoulder, and Zhang Liao, with a gaze so stern it could stop children from crying at night, shouting "Liao is here" while pointing, are both classic examples of "Koei-style" art.
Building on this, Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Way of Kings reinterprets the classic images of generals in 3D and high definition. Enhanced by advanced physical rendering technology, the 3D high-poly models of the generals are lifelike. Young Zhao Zilong appears heroic and dashing, with the white plume on his helmet fluttering in the wind, and the cold gleam of his spear tip vibrating and deforming realistically with his broad movements. The modeling quality is no lower than that of the main Romance of the Three Kingdoms titles, arguably filling the last gap in "Koei-style aesthetics."
Notably, not only the generals but also the world map in Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Way of Kings has received comprehensive HD and 3D updates. The land of China is no longer just a flat plain; distinctive terrains such as the Xiliang Desert, Youzhou Snowfields, and Shu Mountain Paths give the game map high recognizability and differentiation. Scattered ancient steles, scenic spots, and wonder landmarks like the Bronze Sparrow Tower have also been faithfully recreated.
Looking at the fortresses, cities, and geographical features in Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Way of Kings, and then comparing them to the absurd joke next door that "Xuzhou City is truly the greatest pass in the Central Plains," the difference in quality is self-evident.
On another note, the classic custom general cultivation from previous "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" titles has finally been incorporated into the game in the form of a single-player-like "protagonist growth system." Players can customize their background and personality, and similar to creating custom characters in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, choose their innate talents and attribute tendencies. The familiar "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" attribute system has also returned, with five attributes—Leadership, Martial, Intelligence, Politics, and Charm—plus "Speed" added for multiplayer SLG gameplay, forming the foundational design that triggers nostalgia in veteran players. Players can freely allocate points to become the capable minister of a peaceful era or the ambitious hero of a chaotic one.
Players "transported" to the chaotic late Han Dynasty can not only lead troops into battle themselves but also build bonds with capable ministers and famous generals from that era. As the lord, you can visit any general in the pool and learn their signature tactics and specialties from them. Players who wish to establish their name through martial prowess can spar with Zhao Yun, Dian Wei, or even the invincible Lu Fengxian. Those who prefer strategizing from afar can visit the thatched cottage in the mountains before Liu Xuande does, discussing governance strategies with the Sleeping Dragon, Kongming.
Even if players haven't drawn any generals yet, they can still normally apprentice and learn, which greatly expands the Build possibilities during the early game exploration phase.
While expanding the Build space, the game also introduces new strategic dimensions such as movement speed and attack range, along with various powerful and unique tactics, creating rich possibilities forFlow派 construction.
For example, Zhang Jiao, the Great Teacher of the Way of Peace, can use his tactic "Gathering and Dispersing Troops" to continuously summon Yellow Turban warriors, turning beans into soldiers and overwhelming the enemy with sheer numbers. Meanwhile, generals known for their speed, such as Zhao Yun and Zhang Liao, can leverage their agility to bypass the enemy's front-line shield bearers from the flanks and strike directly at the archers in the rear... Compared to the bizarre tactics in the new Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, such as space-time portals, meteor showers of fire, and orders like "All troops, go straight for Zhuge Liang's four-wheeled carriage," the strategic gameplay of Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Way of Kings undoubtedly achieves a high level of unity in strategy, playability, and historical authenticity.
Of course, as a modern SLG, convenient features like automatic pathfinding and dynamic battle reports are naturally included. It is reported that this game also incorporates burden-reducing designs tailored to player needs, allowing players to enjoy strategic fun without pressure during short fragments of free time. Notably, the game is operated by Bilibili Games, whose successful management of "Three Strategies" is widely recognized. They have excelled particularly in reducing grind and pay-to-win elements, aligning well with current market trends.
I believe that, having already explored a viable path, they can make Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Way of Kings another conscientious classic in the hearts of SLG players.
Currently, the officially licensed SLG Romance of the Three Kingdoms: The Way of Kings has opened registration for its first beta test, with the "Peach Garden Test" scheduled for March 28. If you wish to return to the chaotic late Han Dynasty and carve out your own legacy, feel free to reserve the game now and await the ignition of the flames as warlords vie for supremacy.