Total War: Three Kingdoms Introduces A New Character And Reworks The Map With Next Update

Total War: Three Kingdoms is getting a massive free update soon, and it'll bring many additions and changes to the game. Update 1.6.0 will introduce new playable character Shi Xie, along with unique faction mechanics, as well as a map rework, a new unit type, and much more.

The update will arrive alongside the game's next DLC, The Furious Wild, on September 3. Shi Xie will be playable in 190 CE and 194 CE start dates, and comes with two unique mechanics: Splendor and Tribute Chests. Splendor "can be gained by smuggling family members into important court positions," and provides the player with bonuses relative to the court positions their family members hold. Tribute chests can be unlocked with splendor, and will provide bonuses for 20 turns.

Shi Xie will bring multiple members of his family with him, including three brothers and five sons.

The game's front-end menus are also getting a rework to make the game faster to get into, making it easier to find your favorite characters and understand how they group together. The campaign map is also getting a significant upgrade, expanding in the south and north-east to account for the game's new characters. Regions all now carry unique names, and there have been further tweaks to the map's geography, too. This map will not appear in older saves so as to not mess with on-going campaigns.

Gate Pass Battles are being added to the game, too. After you download the update, you'll find this new battle type on the map. Here's how it works, direct from the patch notes:

• In gate pass battles, the attacker will deploy on one of two sides of a settlement and that side will be dictated by the direction that they have approached the settlement from on the campaign map
• Each side of the settlement is heavily fortified with walls, gatehouses, bastions, and towers
• The attacker’s objective is eliminating the defender’s forces or capturing the victory point
• To reach the victory point, the attacker will need to breach or climb the walls or pass through the gatehouse
• The defender’s objective is to eliminate the attacker’s forces and prevent them from capturing the victory point

The juggernaut unit is another major new addition. This is a short-range artillery unit, with a high risk and reward. You can do massive damage, but the unit has bad morale and is vulnerable to melee units. Thankfully, though, they're well-protected from missiles.

These are the highlights, but there's a lot more in the update, including new legendary characters and a raft of bug fixes--check the full notes for more.

Total War: Three Kingdoms received an 8/10 in GameSpot's review.