Geek Oasis - Issue 01 Unit 28 Afes D.-Task 2-Interactive PDF | Page 11

Before it came out, I thought I might admire
“ Three
Kingdoms, but drooling adoration is not the
reaction I had anticipated. ”
Kingdoms legendary vibe, and those
who want a more accurate historical
experience.
PEOPLE POWER
The real thrill, for me, is the game’s
diplomacy section, in which I try to
outwit my rivals by bluffing, bullying,
coercion, and flattery. Depending
on the state of my relationship with
a rival, I can make various kinds of
offers and deals to them. I can offer
trade, marriages, and territory swaps.
I can menace them for food and cash.
Or I can charm or strong-arm them
into joining me as an ally, vassal, or
subject.
As you might expect, these transac-
tions add toward a simple statistical
calculation of how they view me. But
it’s much more nuanced than that. They
have their own agendas, which are con-
stantly shifting according to the fates
of war. One turn, my neighbor scoffs
at me when I offer him my protection
in exchange for his loyalty. Then, as he
faces an onslaught from a rival super-
power, he’s virtually begging to be my
friend. This is a world of shifting alli-
ances and treachery.
In the middle and late game, I find my-
self spending as much time tinkering
with my diplomatic options as I do man-
aging my armies. Part of the fun is that
there are a ton of rivals to deal with,
and they are constantly changing their
allegiances. They think they can play
me and, occasionally, they succeed.
Leaders die and are replaced by their
offspring or their partners. Just keep-
ing track of it all is a puzzle in its own
right. I like people and I like pitching
myself against them, I like the way we
behave with one another and against
one another. This game makes me be-
lieve I’m doing it for real.
I know it’s a sleight of hand, but it’s a
good one. And, in the absence of AI
stupidity, I’m happy to suspend my be-
lief in the service of AI cleverness.
Managing my empire’s nobles is simi-
larly invigorating, tasking me with tak-
ing care to keep my extended family in
a state of reciprocal contentment. (It
strikes me that this skill, rather than
martial prowess, is the true mark of
great leaders of the past.) Three King-
doms makes people management feel
like it’s a game in itself, rather than the
clumsy chore it’s so often been in past
games.
It’s worth noting that Three Kingdoms is
a difficult, complicated, and often con-
fusing game. There are far too many
systems, options, and happenings go-
ing on for even the most sophisticated
user interface. My first 10 hours were
an exercise in bafflement. Even after
my good, long playing session, there
are still moments when I feel lost, when
I am not at all sure what’s going on. But
leaving the occasional UI flub aside,
I find myself emerging into a state of
comprehension, eventually.
I love the idea of placing myself into
the distant past, of believing that I’m
immersed in the problems and opportu-
nities of ancient warlords. Three King-
doms delivers, in the sense that it gives
me the gift of a genuinely absorbing
historical fantasy. It’s out now on Win-
dows PC, Mac, and Linux.
COLIN CAMPBELL
MAY 31ST, 2019
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