As I wrote, this Three Kingdoms action game franchise has maintained enough “it” factor to keep its fans coming back for more. And it is coming back as well, with a 7th installment recently announced. Some fans remain skeptical. I’m hoping for a reboot of a series that has only touched a fraction of its potential. The subpar story and clunky battle engine could be overhauled without fixing what was never broken to begin with. Ask me how!

KOEI’s long-running franchise of ancient Chinese beat ‘em up mayhem is a series that people either get or they don’t. Detractors seem loath to find anything redeemable among the downsides. The gameplay is repetitive! The dialog is corny! The storyline never changes!

That’s true, but only to a certain extent. And there are times when a game’s appeal is more than just the sum of its parts, especially when said parts have a charm all their own. An “it” factor, if you will.