Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI: Awakening of the Dragon

Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI: Awakening of the Dragon moves Koei's turn-based strategy series a step forward in the sophistication of its battle system. Instead of the more abstract duels of earlier instalments, it offers more detailed command of units directly on the battlefield, where terrain, weather and troop type all matter, whether infantry, cavalry, archers or siege engines. The player again takes the role of the ruler of one of many Chinese territories and tries to unite the fractured land through diplomacy, trade and war, balancing internal development against defending the borders from neighbouring states.

The sixth instalment puts more emphasis on managing individual provinces in greater detail than before, including the development of trade, agriculture and technology. This meant more micromanagement for the player, but also a deeper sense of building a real state with its own economy. Generals have their own personalities, ambitions and relationships, which affect how they behave on their own and how easily they can be persuaded to join your service. The game also allows smaller scenarios focused on specific historical battles, for players who do not want to play the whole campaign from the beginning but would like to try just a chosen historical situation. The diplomatic layer also includes espionage and spreading false rumours among enemy states, giving the player further tools besides direct military confrontation.

Awakening of the Dragon is among the instalments that series fans cite as a significant step towards the later form of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, because its combination of deeper strategy and tactical battles set the direction the series took in the following years and games. For players who prefer gradual empire building to quick battles, it is still one of the more interesting entry points into the series, though today mainly for fans willing to put up with period graphics.