Published , by Charles Singletary Jr
Published , by Charles Singletary Jr
Creative Assembly is introducing fans to the cast of Total War: Three Kingdoms one video at a time and the latest features a bandit that wants to see the Han dynasty burn. Zheng Jiang, the Bandit Queen, is the highlight of the latest cinematic trailer and the team has also revealed how the character plays in a campaign.
If you're curious about who Zheng Jiang is, here's the profile taken from the official Total War website:
Dynasties and nobility mean nothing to Zheng Jiang: she prefers to seize glory in her own way. As the Han burns, she sees at last the crumbling of an institution she deeply despises – what have they ever known of hunger? What fear have they ever felt for corrupt and avaricious officials? Zheng Jiang has never known the ease of a noble upbringing, nor the expectation of “civilised” society. Instead, she is resolved to earn fame and prestige for herself through merciless fury and unrelenting strength.
Her coming had allegedly been predicted by the scholar Liu Zhen in a dream, with renowned interpreter of dreams Zhou Xuan – said to be right nine times out of ten – warning him that female rebels would soon be at hand.
Unlike some of her fellow bandits, Zheng Jiang is driven by a true political agenda: she wants to see the Han dynasty burn and fall at her hands. She thrives on this vision, relishing her rise to power and the chance to put the old oppressors under her boot to give them a taste of their own medicine.
In the interview above, one of the devs for Total War: Three Kingdoms discusses the return to historical warfare after finishing up Total War: Warhammer. Three Kingdoms is the first attempt at Chinese history for Creative Assembly and they're building up a pretty impressive product. Duels are a new addition to the series, having hero characters face off in stylish battles that can turn the tide of combat. The individual skirmishes are only a part of the big picture, though, and Zheng Jiang has an interesting campaign flow.
In Total War: Three Kingdoms, Zheng Jiang has a playstyle that is heavily dictated by the infamy she gains from winning battles and striking settlements. The counter, though, is that her popularity will fall as her power grows. On the official site, this happens because she's perceived "more and more like the regime she is trying to bring down." There's a lot more to learn about her playstyle, but it is pretty clear she'll be tough for amateurs be successful with.
This grand strategy experience launches March 7, 2019, on PC. Check out our Total War: Three Kingdoms hands-on preview and stay tuned to Shacknews for additional updates.