Heroes of the Three Kingdoms

About

Heroes of the Three Kingdoms is a strategic war game based on the classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 74 reviews

optimization1 positive mentions

graphics2 negative mentions

The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of classic strategy games, with engaging gameplay that allows players to build armies and conquer cities.
Despite the language barrier, many players find the game enjoyable and recommend it for its unique music and classic charm.
It's a free game, making it accessible for anyone interested in trying out a piece of gaming history.

The game lacks modern updates, including support for current display resolutions and a user-friendly interface, making it difficult to play on modern PCs.
There is no English translation available, which can be a significant barrier for non-Chinese speakers, leading to confusion during gameplay.
Many reviews suggest that the game feels outdated and is often seen as a cash grab, with little value beyond nostalgia.

music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The music in the game is widely praised, with users describing it as "fire" and "badass," drawing comparisons to the energetic style of DragonForce. Many players appreciate the soundtrack as the standout feature, even if they struggle with other aspects of the game. Overall, the music significantly enhances the gaming experience.
- “The music felt like DragonForce's tracks.”
- “Had absolutely no clue what I was doing, but the music was lit.”
- “But hey, it has good music.”
- “The music felt like DragonForce ones.”
- “I mean it was free to I picked this game up for 0,-€, sadly I don't understand Chinese but I really like the music.”
- “Had absolutely no clue what I was doing but the music was lit.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The graphics of the game are considered outdated, lacking options for resolution changes and meaningful tweaks. Despite its visual limitations, players who appreciate the genre and the historical context may still find the experience enjoyable.
- “A game that is about the romance of the three kingdoms, mythical war in China. The game is old, and with it, it has its graphics and others, but it is worth playing if you like the genre and the history of that country.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The game is old, and with it, it has its graphics and others, but it is worth playing if you like the genre and the history of that country.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's story is criticized for being minimal and lacking depth, with many players feeling that it assumes prior knowledge of the narrative. Additionally, technical issues and a lack of engaging content further detract from the overall storytelling experience.
- “Lots of bugs, plain game content, and there's hardly any storytelling.”
- “It seems like the game expects players to already know the story.”
- “The game story is very lacking.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The gameplay is straightforward with a simple interface, establishing foundational concepts for the series, but it lacks scenario selection, limiting player choices. While it serves as a useful introduction to the mechanics, players may prefer to skip to the sequels for a more varied experience.
- “A legacy object to leave alone, with a simple interface and engaging gameplay.”
- “Being the first game of the series, the gameplay concept is established here, but it lacks a scenario selection as you only start after the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition is formed.”
- “I recommend playing the first game only to understand the basic gameplay; otherwise, skip to the 2nd or 3rd game for more options.”
- “A legacy object to leave alone; simple interface and gameplay.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, lacking support for modern display resolutions and widescreen monitors, which results in subpar performance on contemporary gaming PCs.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling it exploits nostalgia rather than offering genuine value, suggesting it capitalizes on the appeal of abandonware.
- “This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it prioritizes profit over player experience.”
- “I can't believe how many microtransactions are crammed into this game; it feels like they are more focused on making money than delivering a quality experience.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players note that the game features a grindy RPG style, where constant leveling up after victories is essential, and success largely depends on having a greater number of generals than AI opponents.
- “Like a grindy RPG, you constantly level up after each victory, and the path to victory is to have more generals than your AI opponents.”
- “The grinding feels endless, making the game more of a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- “I spent hours grinding for resources, only to realize it didn't significantly impact my progress.”