Three Kingdoms: Yi is a 2D turn-based roguelite deckbuilder in which you command a sovereign across 8 provinces and 49 cities, forming a battle line, swaying enemy generals, raising banners and awakening an avatar. The Steam page opens with the claim that it was solo-developed in two months.

Steam 250 weekly chart: #18 on the Top 50 Games of the Past Week, up +4 places, scored 7.54 from 119 reviews at 95% positive, released 22 October 2026. Chart position via Steam 250.

Key features

A deckbuilder where the map is the deck

Most roguelite deckbuilders keep the card layer and the journey separate: you pick a route, then you fight. Tying deck changes to provinces and cities means territory is the upgrade system, so a run reads as a campaign rather than a sequence of encounters. It is also why 49 cities is a design claim and not just a number — each one has to alter the deck or the structure collapses.

Swaying enemy generals turns opponents into resources

Recruiting the people you just beat is the most reliable way to make a deckbuilder feel like a war rather than a card game. It gives defeat a second function, since a hard fight becomes a shopping opportunity, and it fits the Three Kingdoms setting, where shifting allegiance is the actual historical subject matter.

The two-month claim is the real story

A 95% positive score from 119 reviews on a game its developer says took two months is the interesting data point here. Deckbuilders are unusually forgiving of short development time because the genre has settled conventions a solo developer can lean on, and the content budget goes into numbers and text rather than art and animation. This is what that trade-off looks like when it works.

Where to find it

Three Kingdoms: Yi is on Steam for $8.37, down from $9.30, developed and self-published by XL Studio. Steam lists Simplified Chinese with full audio plus English, Japanese and Traditional Chinese, and the store page is written in English. It supports Steam Workshop and save-anytime.

Read more: The best roguelike deckbuilders on Steam.

Frequently asked questions

Was Three Kingdoms: Yi really made in two months?

That is the developer’s claim on the Steam store page, which opens with the line that it was solo-developed in two months. IndieForGames has not independently verified it.

How much does Three Kingdoms: Yi cost?

It is listed on Steam at 8.37 dollars, discounted from 9.30 dollars.

Is Three Kingdoms: Yi in English?

Yes. Steam lists English interface and subtitles. Full audio is in Simplified Chinese only.

Is Three Kingdoms: Yi a deckbuilder or a strategy game?

Both. Steam lists it under Indie, RPG and Strategy, and the developer describes it as a 2D turn-based roguelite deckbuilder built around commanding a sovereign across provinces and cities.

Does Three Kingdoms: Yi have Steam Workshop support?

Yes. Steam lists Steam Workshop among its features, along with save-anytime and adjustable difficulty.