Bandit Kings of Ancient China

Bandit Kings of Ancient China is a 1989 turn-based strategy game from Koei, released for DOS, the Amiga, Mac, MSX and NES. It’s based on the classic Chinese novel Water Margin and was known in Japan as Suikoden: Tenmei no Chikai.

Gameplay

In Song-dynasty China, the corrupt Minister of War Gao Qiu rules through fear. You play one of the heroic bandits fighting to overthrow him before the Jurchen invasion of 1127.

• Heroes: Recruit legendary heroes from Water Margin.
• Prefectures: Expand across 49 prefectures.
• Battles: Fight on hex-based battlefields.
• Prisoners: Recruit, imprison, exile or execute captured enemies.
• Imperial Edict: Earn an edict before attacking Gao Qiu’s capital.
• Time limit: Defeat Gao Qiu before 1127.

It was considered a big step forward in strategy game complexity, and Gao Qiu became one of gaming’s most memorable villains.

Verdict

Bandit Kings of Ancient China is a deep, ambitious strategy game with a rich historical setting. Its interface is dated and its pace slow, but fans of Koei’s strategy games will find a lot to enjoy.