*rant*
Possible Spoilers if you don't know basic three kingdoms stuff
After some time away from romance of the three kingdoms (I needed it after that live action drama that was wayyyy too long) I forgot just how much only certain parts of Shu can even remotely be seen as decent folk while everyone else is just looking to gather more power for themselves or is a mindless honor bound servant. While highly historically inaccurate it's how pretty much every piece of media and to a lesser extent the original novels portrayed things.
This portail of Shu (mostly Liu Bei, some top advisors and a few family members) has really been taken to the extreme lately. Especially by the recent Chinese Drama, Chinese movies and Dynasty warriors. I get what that they are trying the emphasize how even good people have flaws and those can lead to their demise (classic chinese tragedies) but man. I can't sympathize with pretty much any major character but a few from Shu. Sure it's fun playing the ambitious conqueror out only for his own interests but that's pretty much everyone, with only the successful ones who are able to maintain a decent image being "well regarded". You'd think with all the liberties media and games take from the novel which itself was a work of fiction, that they would make a few likable major characters that weren't anti-heroes.
Playing through any campaign other than the Shu ones, you're the bad guy. Always. Even if you don't admit it to yourself and try to deny it. All your actions basically amount to getting more power for myself at the expense of others (usually being the common folk).
Why is Liu Bei the only one that talks the nice talk and actually follows through with actions? If you're going to make everyone villains then make him one too. Liu Bei was no saint (especially towards the end of his life which was really revealing of his true nature/ where his priorities really were) but compared to the rest of these guys he might as well be jesus.
With all the liberties taken for Jin (there are barely any real historical records and it's hardy extensively covered in the original novel) they had the perfect chance to make Sima Zhou a "good guy". Instead the game just makes him a big hypocrite at best. They had the perfect opportunity to make the "good guy in a bad place doing his best". In fact they even do that for a bit, then he just gives up, goes with the flow and decides to become the conqueror everyone wanted him to be.
Finally yes, I'm chinese and know there is a cultural barrier with imperial era chinese morals and what they saw as heroes compared to what most of the modern western world thinks today. But the thing is, the game takes so many liberties already they might as well take some smaller ones and make a few "modern" good guys that didn't all just happen to be under Shu. Sure they would still all lose in the end but it would make the game's story much more viable for western audiences and people who aren't infatuated with anti-heroes.
And finally all the female characters that could be considered good don't count. This was from a sexist era dominated by men and women had little real power. Despite what the game does to make things look more acceptable/ hide it, it's still there... just with them in skimpy clothes and fighting. And no, minor characters who only make a few appearances in the game don't count. I want actually major characters important to the plot and there for a large chunk of it.
*ends rant*
Yeah too much "modern" romance of the three kingdoms in the last couple of years has made me take the story in dynasty warriors games way too seriously instead of the campy B movie stuff it really is.
And yeah, I don't dare post this anywhere with people who actually care. They come in a few categories, the ones who know only the games/ media, the ones that read the novel and the chinese ones who grew up on it. All three will fiercely argue how wrong I am about everything and how only the way they see it is the right way. Even though this is clearly an opinion piece (I would actually call it venting/ ranting). Chinese forums with "dedicated" three kingdom "purist" fans *shudders*. If you think you've seen "troll" forums, you haven't seen anything yet.
Log in to comment