River City Saga: Three Kingdoms is a side-scrolling side-scrolling action set in ancient China. It’s a throwback to the classic fighting games of yesteryear, with characters from previous River City games in new roles. This historic mashup aims to offer the best of times in a nostalgic setting. Despite some obvious flaws, we do our best to deliver on this promise.
The plot features loose historical lessons based on China’s Three Kingdoms period, which took place 1,800 years ago. One neat aspect (at least for fans of previous River City outings) is the series’ main use of his character. For example, our hero Kunio takes on the role of Guan Yu, a real-life Chinese military general. I haven’t played the other games in the series personally (dating back to 1989), but I think fans will love them.
The gameplay fits the genre. That means roaming left to right (or right to left) while roaming up and down different settings to beat everyone in your path. The controls are simple and you are free to use punches, kicks and grabs. These, like almost everything else, can be upgraded along the way, giving River City Saga an acute RPG feel. As you level up, you can choose how you upgrade your attributes, from strength and endurance to luck and intelligence. You can also purchase scrolls to unlock more moves, and clothing for extra protection. Upgrading and equipping these was the most fun aspect for me.
Unlike most side-scrolling side-scrolling action, enemies tend to attack en masse. This is an odd choice that doesn’t always work. For one, they’re much harder to beat because you don’t have time to do cool moves.When surrounded by enemies, you can only do simple jumps and punch/kick combos. For example, using a special fast punch makes you vulnerable because you can’t move for a few seconds while standing and punching. Another drawback is that once you clear an area, you have to walk through the rest of the scene without bumping into anyone. It’s a little distracting and out of proportion.
Thankfully, there are plenty of side quests to keep things interesting as you liberate China. It will also improve your reputation and help you become a famous hero who can defeat China’s enemies.
The game is divided into 6 chapters. Unfortunately, despite the usual “save in progress” feature, after a few hours of playing I returned to the chapter menu only to find my progress cleared. Another problem with River City Saga is its performance. I’ve noticed noticeable flickering and slowdowns when there are too many enemies on screen at once (this is common).
However, my biggest gripes with this game are the obscure pathways and useless maps. On the one hand, you can hop back and forth between previously visited sites, making it easier to earn rewards for side quests. On the other hand, it is extremely unclear in which direction to proceed in order to advance the story. I was stuck for so long trying to get to the next place and backtracked so many things in frustration. This can be made more clear.
On the plus side, River City Saga boasts a colorful, retro aesthetic that fits the mood and genre. The historical aspect allows for well-designed towns, with a population that fits the period. The audio matches this feeling with a contemporary theme that expresses something of the time and region. A bit repetitive, but well done.
Overall, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms is a fun but flawed side-scrolling action. The historical aspect is decent, allowing fans of the series to see familiar characters in new settings. .
