Total War: Three Kingdoms, out May 23rd, is a big game. Diplomatic relations, spying, backstabbing, and all-out conflict all play major roles in the game. But a recent feature posted to Total War's YouTube channel shows off what the game's campaign can look like at its halfway point.
Featuring narrative designer Pete and Content Producer Wheels, it's a look at Gongsung Zan's campaign, 103 turns in.
At that many turns, Wheels is in possession of a large chunk of northern territory. With this, he is able to proclaim himself King, thus having enough power to rival Cao Cao, his southern nemesis.
What I find fascinating is the amount of cogs at work onscreen. Map layers, going from overall territory possessed by various characters, to categories like Attitude, Wealth, Population, or Diplomatic Status.
To win the game, players must attain three emperor positions. In this case, two other factions also rose up, the heads of each one declaring themselves king. Rather than just fighting, however, Wheels shows off how players, assuming they have enough diplomatic power, can actually force rival kings to abdicate, thus consolidating more of their own power.
Watch it in action below.
