To be honest, when I saw the news that this game 'Heroes of the Three Kingdoms - Conquest' was going to have a mobile version, I really felt a sort of indescribable feeling in my heart. If I calculate roughly, it must have been nearly twenty years since I first played Heroes of the Three Kingdoms on a PC, right? Back then, it was the era of Symbian phones, and going to an internet café meant having to carry my ID to avoid getting caught by teachers.
No exaggeration, no hate, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms heroes series back then was truly the 'first love' in the hearts of our generation. At that time, computers were terribly underpowered, but the games were just too fun. At the height of obsession, we could spend an entire night reloading just to get a single Zhao Yun. Back then, there were no guides to check, everything had to be figured out on our own, even how to match generals' skills was concluded only after heated debates with classmates during break time.
Now seeing this "Heroes of the Three Kingdoms - Domination," which supposedly features a PvP arena mode, I actually feel a bit excited. After all, when an old IP is turned into a mobile game, the biggest worry is that it might not live up to its name. This one looks okay; at least it retains the essence of Heroes of the Three Kingdoms and can be played on the phone anytime. For older players like us who don't have much time to sit in front of a computer, being able to relive the feelings of those years in short bursts is quite rare and valuable.
And according to the introduction, in the first seven days you get an orange general, and you can choose one from Liu Bei, Xiao Qiao, Xun Yu, or Hua Tuo. After two weeks, you even get the red general Guan Yu. This batch of benefits is really generous for beginners. Those who have played 'Sango Heroes' know that the core of this game is collecting generals to form a lineup; if you develop them the right way, you can unleash unmatched power. Now in the gaming world, everyone knows that if the operation strategy isn't fair, even a popular IP can't keep players. I hope this competition can maintain its reputation and not ruin our youthful memories.
But thinking about it, the current mobile game market is completely different from the era of PC games. Many of the people who made games like Heroes of Might and Magic back then have probably switched careers. Still, I hope to find a little bit of that feeling in this game, that sense of accomplishment from gradually building up your own power in chaotic times.
Alright, no more rambling. I've already pre-registered for the mobile game, and I'll definitely give it a try when it goes live. If there are veteran players like me, you might as well come and check it out too. See you at the arena. For those sleepless nights back then, and for the Three Kingdoms dreams we chased in those years. 😌