Total War: Three Kingdoms is arguably one of the most engaging and well-designed entries in the Total War series. It doesn’t just focus on battlefield tactics, it seamlessly blends warfare with politics, diplomacy, and the rich history of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms era.

One of the game’s most compelling aspects is the emphasis on political maneuvering. Understanding the historical context and lore of the Three Kingdoms period gives players an advantage in anticipating alliances, rivalries, and betrayals. Unlike other Total War titles that rely heavily on brute force, here you must also consider diplomacy, marriages, and strategic friendships to survive and expand.

The game offers two modes of play: the Romance mode, where commanders wield near-superhuman abilities, and the Records mode, which focuses on a more grounded, historically accurate style of warfare. Both are satisfying, though Romance mode truly captures the epic, larger-than-life feel of the source material. Legendary characters like Lü Bu stand out—his sheer power on the battlefield allows him to dismantle entire armies almost single-handedly.

The duel system is another excellent addition, providing cinematic one-on-one combat between generals that can swing the momentum of a battle. It adds both immersion and tactical depth, making general matchups more meaningful than in previous games.

Economically, trading plays a surprisingly different role compared to other Total War titles. Instead of being a core pillar of resource management, trade in TW3K is often more valuable as a diplomatic tool, helping to secure alliances or improve relations rather than serving as a reliable income source.

Factions in TW3K feel distinct and diverse, with unique units and playstyles that make each campaign refreshing. However, as the game progresses and you ascend to the emperor level, the focus shifts to powerful late-game units. While undeniably strong, these can feel repetitive and take away some of the strategic diversity found in the earlier stages of the game.

Overall, Total War: Three Kingdoms excels in blending politics and warfare, delivering an experience that is as much about managing relationships as commanding armies. Its combination of rich historical narrative, strategic depth, and innovative features makes it one of the best entries in the franchise to date.

Final Score: 9/10 – A masterful fusion of politics and warfare that captures the spirit of the Three Kingdoms era, with only minor shortcomings in late-game unit variety and economic depth.

Rating: 9/10

Pros:

+Brilliant mix of warfare and politics
+Distinct factions with unique units and playstyles
+Romance vs Records mode lets you choose between epic hero abilities or grounded realism
+Duel system adds cinematic depth and tactical choices
+Strong historical and narrative immersion

Cons:

-Trading feels shallow, more useful for diplomacy than economy
-Late-game “emperor-level” units are powerful but repetitive, reducing variety

Verdict:
One of the best Total War titles to date. TW3K combines political intrigue with epic battles, making diplomacy just as important as military strength. Lü Bu demolishing armies single-handedly never gets old.

Very fitting for a game with a classical Chinese setting to be summed up in one word: harmony.

Three Kingdoms has a great balance between the tone and feel of the older/"classic" Total Wars (Rome 1, Medieval 2, Shogun 2), but also incorporating the detail and complexity of the later entries, especially when it comes to the late-campaign political management, factionalism, etc. Creative Assembly have clearly taken a lot of their learnings from developing Rome II and refined them here for a wonderfully balanced game in a really iconic and unique setting for the franchise. Visually and aurally the game is also incredibly beautiful - stunning scenery (as you would hope), and great voice acting for both the English and Chinese language modes. I personally prefer having the characters speaking Traditional Chinese - it makes sense to me and is more immersive.

The added flexibility of having the 'Romance' or 'Records' game mode options is a great detail too, that clearly shows they understand the different playstyles and tonal preferences of different fans.

An overall excellent installment that's ageing gracefully!

can be janky at times but still insanely fun. it's a shame they stopped updating it so early.