It seems like just yesterday I was lamenting the lack of River City games in English. Then River City Girls appeared, which set off a flood of these titles making their way to the West over the past few years. One of these was a spin-off which I loved, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms, and now we have the sequel, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next.
Back in the Kingdoms
Kunio and other characters from the Kunio-kun universe once again take on the roles of generals from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, with Kunio taking on the role of Guan Yu. River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next is a direct sequel to the previous game. This title covers the Yellow Turban Rebellion to the Battle of Red Cliffs, which fans of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, or the various games that were inspired by its story, are likely to be familiar with.
While the previous game did a great job in retelling the events of Yellow Turban Rebellion, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next follows the events of the original story much more loosely. It’s to the point that it’s almost just a backdrop for the wacky antics of the Kunio cast. While this does produce quite an interesting take on a very familiar story it does feel slightly at odds with the previous title.
The Art of Comedy
I enjoyed the comedy of the game. Something of a high point of the previous game was its humor and it’s part of what makes the River City franchise stand out so much. There is plenty of the same humor found here, but I feel the developers overly leaned into that particular aspect to the game’s detriment. For a title that fits into the beat ’em up genre, there’s far more dialogue than I would have expected. It was to the point of distracting me from the main event of punching and kicking countless foes until they barf all over the battlefield.
War, War Never Changes
River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next is a beat ’em up, but in traditional River City style it has open world and light RPG elements. These are tied together to create an immersive experience reminiscent of the ’90s era of scrolling action titles.
The game is set over six chapters with a handful of sub-chapters in them, each of them clocking in at just over an hour to beat. Throw in a collection of side quests and multiple difficulties and it’s clear that Arc System Works have once again given gamers quite a lot to play through, at least for the genre.
You are given mostly free rein over the villages and countryside of China to explore. While there isn’t a whole lot to see you can always check your map to see if there are any main or side quests available. Sadly, for the large amount of walking you’ll be doing from screen to screen, outside of bandits or other enemy armies, there isn’t a whole lot going on in this “open world”.
One of the few things you can do outside of beating down opponents is purchase food and items that will upgrade your stats or fill your health or other meters. Money isn’t quite as abundant as it is in other games, at least in the early hours, meaning you’ll need to think carefully about what you spend your hard-earned coin on.
Passed on Through Generations
If you missed the original game, the combat in River City Saga: Three Kingdoms and Next is fantastic. It feels responsive and fun, and the fact you can choose your own move list allows you to customize to your heart’s extent. You can dish out as many dropkicks or sword swipes as you like until you’ve had your fill and then some.
The combat in Next hasn’t really seen any upgrades from the original. There’s a little tightening up in the input delay here and there and a few new moves, but it’s all business as usual aside from the inclusion of the new Motorbike steed you can ride. It’s a fun little screen clearer, but hardly an innovation worthy of a new game.
Two Sides to Conflict
Sadly, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next doesn’t include the China Heroes mode which was present in the previous game. It was a beat ’em up mode which removed the dialogue and RPG mechanics. Considering the downpour of dialogue in this title, it would’ve been great for a purer gameplay-focused playthrough.
Online and couch multiplayer remains and it does feel great to have the option to play with like-minded Kunio fans from across the globe. Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to match with anyone, so it may only be useful if you’re lucky or have a friend with the game.
The Same Repaint
Another standout feature of the River City Saga games is the visual style. River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next once again splices the traditional 2D sprites with 3D backgrounds and then sprinkles in some high-quality “anime-esque” drawings for special moves. It looks absolutely gorgeous.
Perhaps I’m sounding like a broken record at this point, but the looks, sounds, and performance are on the same level as the previous title. Yes, there is new art for new characters and a few new locales, but you could put these two games side by side and you would struggle to tell the difference.
Verdict
Arc System Works has once again provided a new, old-school experience with a unique twist on a familiar tale. I enjoyed my time with Kunio and friends in the world of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms once again.
The original game had such a strong foundation which carries over to the sequel, but there isn’t much here that will seem new to those who played it. On top of that, some parts such as how dialogue is handled and the lack of the China Heroes mode are a step back for the Saga sub-series, as fun as it still is.
RIVER CITY SAGA: THREE KINGDOMS NEXT IS RECOMMENDED
Thanks to Arc System Works for providing a Nintendo Switch review code for River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Saga Next.
If you are looking for more arcade action games, take a look at our review of The Karate Kid: Street Rumble.
Pride of utopia & greatest thing ever, I found the One Piece, Collected the Dragon Balls & won the Mortal Kombat Tournament in one night, it was quiet for me that night! Follow me on Twitter @powahdunk
