The developers of the long-running Total War series, Creative Assembly, have given us our first in-depth look at The Tyrant himself in a new gameplay video for Total War: Three Kingdoms. Focusing on Dong Zhuo in the grand campaign, we get to see what playing as the big bad of the age looks like.
Dong Zhuo was the catalyst for a lot of the drama and machinations that took place in the era Three Kingdoms is set in. A military dictator of the most brutal kind, he held the child empire hostage in Luoyang, and managed to hold onto power even after a powerful coalition, led by Yuan Shao, failed to dislodge him. It’s after this coalition is disbanded that the grand campaign begins, with each powerful lord harboring their own secret ambitions.
His play style is indicative of his aggressive, power-hungry nature. Dong Zhuo has a unique currency called Intimidation which is earned by committing acts of brutality: executing your own officers and any post-battle captives, along with razing settlements, are all good way to earn this resource. Intimidation can then be used to force through diplomatic treaties, allowing you to bully your neighbors and impose your will.
Dong Zhuo starts the grand campaign in a position of fragile strength. He begins with a firm foothold in central-Western China, and controls the remnants of the Han dynasty through fear and force of will. He also begins the game with the greatest warrior of the age in his service: the ferocious Lu Bu. However, Dong Zhuo is almost universally hated, and he will have enemies on all sides… and remember that even the mighty Lu Bu’s loyalty is a fickle thing.
Be sure to check out the below video for yourself. Total War: Three Kingdoms will release on PC May 23, 2019. Can’t wait until then? Watch some of the earlier videos CA has released, like this one detailing how spies work, or how to build your own empire.
