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Kinda fun, but too simplistic

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 13 / 15
Date: December 01, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Having played both games, I found the first one to be much more interseting than this. Sure, the story is vamped up and is actually a story, sure, you can now control the general and all that, and the new battle system looks cool. However, while it is fun to play, I think it's even more repetetive than the old game for a few reasons

1) You can no longer directly determine what to do with the units in terms of placing them and the grand strategy involved. All the unit commands have to be issued after you adopt one of the three strategies you can choose from in the beginning of any map. The problem with this is that sometimes it completely determins how you can play, for example the battle between Cao Cao and Sun Quan -- where you place the mines determine where you units go. Also, the maps are small in comparison with the old game, and there's just not much room to move a lot of times, limiting your strategic choices. Battles often end up as a crash of two lines and not much strategic nicety involved.

2. It seems like the game is even more heavily geared towards the special moves that you can use -- if timed properly, the fight between the two units is over in minutse. If your guy has no special maneuveur left, there's no way to try to get one (no more zeal rating) and you just have to wait it out, which could be painful.

3. There's nothing that really goes on in addition to what happens in the battle. Whereas in the previous game you can pick who to use, who to try to convince to come to your side, etc, in this game all there is is to choose one of three options that upgrade one thing over another. It's very simplistic -- I think too simplistic -- to be fun.

The old game offers a lot more in terms of strategy decisions, and to those who thought the old game was easy, they have never played the most difficult level (which is fairly challenging, at least at first). This game is even easier and is less fun -- it becomes very monotonous after a few battles. The graphics and sound and story improved, but at the expense of gameplay. Get Dynasty Warriors 3 instead, or if you haven't played Kessen the original and don't like action games like DW3, try the old Kessen.

Kessen 2

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 12 / 17
Date: September 28, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I am currently living in Japan and I have to admit that I was very disappointed by this game. It was really not very different than the first except for the ability to use magic and this time it takes place in China. If you enjoy a long lasting game than this is not the one for you but if you enjoy eye candy and not much else than please proceed. I finished the first game in about 1 day and this time I finshed it in about the same time. I found this game to be a waste of time and money. My advice save your money and buy the new Dynasty Warriors 3. It is ten times better.

Twisted History Fill with Beautiful Women

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 13
Date: October 02, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Romance of Three Kingdoms (RTK) history turned into a fantasy type movie. Koei has twisted the story of this game and base the theme on love. Just like a prince on a quest to save the princess. The main character is focusing on rescuing his lover than bring peace to China.

Characters are beautiful in design (especially WOMEN with big breasts - even Lui Bei got distracted by them). You even find Zhange Fei's 3 daughters in this game. In contrast to the traditional RTK series, there are no women in there. So, this is a welcome change. However, the voice over is a bit off due to the difference in Japanese and English. The characters' mouths aren't synchronizing well.

Here is where the game falls - The battle field/scene. Unlike "Dynasty Warrior II", the battle fields are vast and empty of trees, rock, and pointy grass. They are smooth as a chessboard. Fighting style is also limited. You hit the enemies the same sequence over and over. Moreover, the characters can't even tell the different between allies or foes. For Example, if your ally and foe are next to you, when you hit the X button to hit your foe, you will hit your ally too even if you don't want to. Duel - Duel is my favorite in many RTK series, BUT NOT HERE. I have Zhange Fei (one of the strongest general, second only to Lu Bu) duel with weaker generals and female general. He lost all 3 duels. Same goes with Guan Yu. I don't know what the outcome of the duel is base on and you can't control it. In RTK, duel is base on characters' strength. I am VERY DISAPPOINTED in this game. That's why I gave it a 4 stars.

If you a fan of RTK, then you might want to give this game a try.

"Your gaming life will never be the same again..."

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 12
Date: October 12, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Kessen 2 lets you DECIDE wether you want to train or recruit troops, research weapon or assist in land development to increase your supply. The game lets you control your commander while in battle and allows you to control the camera while your troops move on to their assigned destination. This features GIVES YOU THE FEELING YOU ARE IN COMMAND which is the theme of the game.

The MAGIC abilities is by far the most coolest feature made on Playstation 2. KOEI has also been successful with their "NEW CLUSTER CONTROL ENGINE," where hundreds of battling troops can be displayed at the same time, which will leave you asking "How in the world did they do it?"

The graphics is excellent and still unparalleled to this date, your gaming life will never be the same again after playing Kessen 2!

To KOEI, Congratulations and PLEASE make more of this game. Maintain the ambiance and features of the game I'll pay double the price for KESSEN 3 !!!

Kessen 2: Fine Sequel That Only Slightly Disappoints

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: November 08, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Kessen 2 isn't really another fantastic reason to own a PS2. It does continue akin to its predecessor by presenting another immense Oriental Military Simulator. By allowing interacting in an amazingly impressive cinematic video game experience, you personally will absorb the epic drenched melodrama of this game's tale. However despite a fantastically labored frame rate, finely portrayed graphics, and an amazing initial dramatic draw, Kessen 2 reduces the gamer's options and responsibilities in the game itself. Instead of being able to decide between a half-dozen different battle strategies or concocting one yourself, you are now derailed to choose between three different strategies per battle. Though you still can personalize your strategy once the battle has begun, the comprehensive personalized hardcore catering of the original game is sorely missed.

With many more abundantly optioned and dramatically more captivating upcoming P2 games than Kessen 2's admit-tingly intense action, progressively interesting gameplay, and unfortunately limited experimentation. Kessen 2 is only recommended for genre extremists. With a woefully inane ensemble of supporting characters and blatantly monotonous gameplay in it's battle sequences, Kessen 2 sustains a market only for those into Koei's previous military strategies or for those who enjoy camp with their gameplay or for those willing to play a game with no replay-ability.

Substandard

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: November 29, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This is a poor, poor game. I loved the first Kessen, even though I beat it in one night, but almost all of what I like is gone.

Kessen II features much worse graphics, horrible dialouge, and a dearth of real options (pick from three choices, woohoo). But I could live with all of those if Kessen II did not commit a unforgiveable crime: Slapstick comedy mixed in with a serious story. I cannot take this game seriously and care about the charecters when the hero becomes distracted by one of his general's breasts. (Kessen 1 didn't feature a large amount of cleavage, and I wish this one didn't either.) Slapstick comedy and a serious story do not mix, and Kessen II has too much slapstic comedy for me to care much about the story. Even that could be redeemed by a good battle system, but in practice, you basically pick one general's strategy, sit back and occasionally unleash a special attack.

In short, this game falls short everywhere. Go with Kessen I instead. You won't see as many computer-generated breasts, but if that's what you really want, you can always just go play Dead or Alive instead.

Long time KOEI fan

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 15, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I have been playing KOEI games since Nobumga's Ambition on regular Nintendo. Personally, I believe this is the best KOEI game I have ever played. First of all, the graphics are stunning and the story line is astonishingly engrossing. However, a good game is not based on a pretty face but is determined by a number of other qualities. I have read some reviewers claim that in between battles you are given many choices on how to guide you army. Unfortunately, I do have to disagree with this claim.

The course of the game is based upon this: 1.)Story line given 2.)player makes one choice between three options (eg. train, recruit, develop new technology...) 3.) Go to battle
Then the process starts over. The player is not given the option where to fight and the three options given to develop are rather pointless to the overall progress of the game.

However, the gameplay of this game is not based on what you do in between battles. This game is completely based upon the battles themselves. The battles are amazing and will force many players to develop new ideas for strategy battles. It is difficult to explain in words what sets these battles apart from other games but I must proclaim that you have not played a battle sequence as amazing as this game. You are given control of about 4-7 generals each commanding their 5000-10000 soldiers. You can choose to let you officers to do their own thing, or you can give each of them direct orders. Also, once an officer initiates combat with another officer you can take control of the actual hand-to-hand fight. Your officer will have either special strength attacks or some magic ablility and you can use them to slaughter you enemy.

Pros:
Outstanding graphics during all aspects of the game
Very detailed and edge of your seat story line
Highly strategic battle sequences
Ability to command as much or as little of a fight as you want
Get to play as both Cao Cao and Liu Bei
Extended gameplay

Cons:
No choice in who to attack
No real gameplay apart from battles
Not historically accurate

If you want a game where you build you armies up and choose who to fight and who to ally with you will not like this game. If you care about how historically accurate a game is avoid this game.

However, if you want a game with a great story line and exciting battles that require strategy to achieve victory, then this game is for you. From a long time KOEI fan, I love this game.

Much jabbering, little action

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I am most likely not alone when I say I bought this game because it was on sale for around ten dollars. Koei has had quite a bit of sucess with the ROTK based games, but they seem to have slipped a little with this one.
The graphics are good for the most part, but the animation is, at times, choppy and un-fluid. But I can live with that.
The dubbing...oh the horror... Couldn't the US editors have tried at least a LITTLE bit better to time it right? Bleh, this is the kind of thing that really annoys me. I don't expect perfection, but I did kinda hope for more than this...
And the so-called "strategy" element? Eep. You can move your troops and perform actions in many different ways, but the gameplay is simplistic. This is definitely not for hard-core strategy gamers. (Don't even get me started on the "unable to enter" areas...)
And the story, the main reason I even glanced at the game...well, let's say I don't trust the packaging anymore...the story is the same one: Guy is in love with Girl, Girl is kidnapped by Guy's rival, Guy fights huge-ass war to save Girl, and then we see it from the other side. At least seeing it from the other side wasn't an ANCIENT idea... And why do these characters insist on telling you every little thing that runs through their tiny heads?
I'll have to give this game an mediocre 3 out of 5... (too much X-Play...)

Good graphic, Too Simple

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: February 18, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The graphics are good. The story line is interesting, although it gets bit cheezy.

If you micro manage this game, you mostly like to lose. But if you place the army in certain positon and use specials at the beginning of the battle, you'll win.

You can control the general but it's not that fun. There is only two mode of attcking. Rush or just simple swing. There is something called dual but you cannot control it. You can ask for it or decline it only.

After a while, you just setup and watch. 60% of game time is spent on watching the story and army being moved. Almost feels like I bought a DVD movie not a game...

Perfect!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: May 06, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I played Dynasty Warriors and a friend told me about Kessen, at first I thought it was pretty stupid, you command an army to destroy other armies? Oh boy thats fun. If you think about it, Dynasty Warriors is almost exactly the same.
I rented it once, was to lazy to play through the tutorial and returned it. I gave it another chance and I really, really liked it!
Every one from Dynasty Warriors is in it, but they look more realistic, the cinematic scenes are incredible and the levels will keep you on the edge of your seat. You'll get so addicted to customizing your army that you'll dance when a new officer decides to join your forces. If you lose the battle you gain exp points and get to try it over again with your powered up army. You get to choose your battle stradegy from the start, its easy and you'll enjoy watching as your force does as exactly as they were told.
Many disagree that you can not create your own army, every ones army is exactly the same. That is not true! One of my favorite features is that your officers will give you three options, example: Help cultivate land (raises supplies), Kill Man Eating Tiger(Raises Morale), Train Officers(Just like it sounds). Plus they always change, so you'll always see a new option before the next battle!
Your officers get their own skills and they gain even more as you fight. There are different types of skills, there pretty much summed up in the Magic and War. Magic is my favorite, meteors, tornados, fire balls, I don't want to give it away. War is just like magic, you're officers will use brute strength to kill the enemy forces. Volley is my favorite, your officers shoot thousands of arrows into the air that fall onto your enemy.
You also gain mechanical things, like arbalests, winged soldiers, catapults and more that I still haven't got.
Now many people have judged Kessen II poorly, "not historicly accurate", "bad graphics", "to simple", let me run down these.
Not historicly accurate? Uh... Who buys a game for a history lesson? Kessen is just for fun, if you wanted it to be historicly accurate... There would be nothing to it. Just a whole bunch of soldiers running at each other.
Bad graphics? Kessen 2 has the best cinematic scenes I've ever seen. In game play the graphics are as good as in any other game, when the officers use skills the graphics are even better and not slow and grainy.
To simple? Simple? As in how? Kessen 2 gives you unlimited options, devising a war stradegy may seem boring, but when you get sucked up in your army, the one you created, you want to do your best and making the stradegy is actoully fun. The stradegy can be... Anything you want your army to do, set traps, put sleeping pills in the enemy forces water, destroy the enemy supplie depot, a beserk attack on the enemy Lord's unit, set the enemy's boats on fire(did I forget to mention that you can fight on water?)... Unlimited! So if theres anything simple about it, I haven't found it.

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