The ninth installment in KOEI’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms series casts players as rising rulers in ancient China, tasked with uniting the land under their rule. Following the basic design of previous titles, players develop and manage large armies as they maneuver across the vast landscape, using military force and diplomatic skills to win territory and followers. The core strategy framework includes mission types, branching storylines, and enhanced adherence to the setting’s history and culture. This edition consists of the ability to manage the empire’s political and military aspects simultaneously, allowing players to continue negotiating while their troops are engaged in battle. While this game version retains the requirement that all player characters be of the Ruler class, officer development has been revised to give players more control over developing followers. Fans of KOEI’s Dynasty Warriors 4 and Dynasty Tactics 2 can use their save files to unlock a powerful, exclusive officer character. There are over a dozen Challenge scenarios, including 15 historical battles. Use diplomacy and military force simultaneously, or switch strategies over 30 distinct tactics involving 12 military formations as needed.