Bandit Kings of Ancient China

Bandit Kings of Ancient China

KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. · 2017 · Strategy

PC
Mostly Positive78% · 40
Best price
$12.99
lowest tracked $6.49
Steam Buy at Steam

Compare prices in Official Stores

Steam
Steam
Standard Edition · Steam
$12.99
Buy

Screenshots

About Bandit Kings of Ancient China

To commemorate Kou Shibusawa's 35th anniversary, the "Kou Shibusawa Archives" will be opened in the Steam Store. Here we will revive popular previously released titles.

In this third round of releases we offer "Suikoden: Tenmei no Chikai," which was released outside of Japan under the name "Bandit Kings of Ancient China".
It is a simulation game based on the novel "Suikoden" or "Water Margin," a Chinese classic. Players play as a bandit being pursued by imperial officers. You gather together a band of heroes, warriors, and magic using beauties, and campaign against Gaoqiu, the evil minister causing the downfall of the Song Empire.

What Steam players say

Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.

Not recommended May 15, 2017
What a shame its not in English. Loved this game as a kid!! Please can you add the english version?
193 found this helpful
Not recommended Jun 14, 2019
This is quite an old game. I did not realize it came out in 1989. When you play the game, it gives you a bloody tiny windower or you can ALT+Enter to have a full screen one. The graphics is ♥♥♥♥ compares to the current gen games, just bear in mind that this game is made in 1989. The battle in the game is very primitive. You can only play this with your keyboard or just the number keys on the right hand side. A good practice for your right hands... jk To save the game you have to figure that out by yourself, since the game is not in English, I guess this is part of the "game". Hint: It requires 2 steps. And after I bought the game, I found an English copy on DOSBOX games... FML..... In conclusion, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME, go download it, but make sure you have downloaded dosbox first.
10 found this helpful
Not recommended Jun 22, 2026
This game made by KOEI is one of the best games ever made. Wish it was in English and wish all the KOEI games on steam had their English versions.
2 found this helpful
Not recommended May 13, 2024
It's not in English so pointless to buy
2 found this helpful
Recommended Jan 19, 2026
Bandit Kings of Ancient China (Bandit) won the prize for the best game in the world in 1989. It was and still is. If you are looking for a fellow player, my email address is [email protected]. At present, I am trying to get an official, legal copy of the digital version. The free DOS Simulator version available for free over the internet I do not like because it is inundated with ads that are of questionable accuracy, are misleading and can easily lead to inadvertent purchases that are very difficult to get out of! Actually, it is quite difficult to avoid making such purchases which I find intolerable! There are two versions, with the most recent having improved graphics but with changes I do not like as much as the original.
1 found this helpful
Recommended Apr 26, 2026
*Bandit Kings of Ancient China*, developed and published by KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD., is a classic strategy simulation that reflects the company’s early ambition to merge historical storytelling with deep, system-driven gameplay. Drawing inspiration from the Chinese literary epic *Water Margin*, the game places players in the role of a rebel leader rising against a corrupt regime during the Song Dynasty. Rather than presenting a straightforward conquest narrative, it frames the experience around the complexities of rebellion—building alliances, managing people, and sustaining a fragile movement in the face of overwhelming authority. Even decades after its original release, it stands out for how seriously it treats its subject matter. At its core, the game is a hybrid of grand strategy and role-playing elements, with a strong emphasis on character management. Players are not simply commanding armies; they are leading a group of individuals, each with distinct attributes, skills, and personalities. Recruiting capable officers is essential, and their effectiveness depends not only on raw stats but also on how well they are managed. Loyalty becomes a critical factor, as dissatisfied…

Community reviews

0 reviews

Sign in to write a review.

No reviews yet. Be the first to review this game.

More like Bandit Kings of Ancient China