Kessen II Review (no fat)

Game Description

Koei goes to work again on the Kessen series, with a big departure from the realism of the part one…here they make a fantasy game that appeals to the masses. Kessen II takes on a storyline of love from the minds at Koei, and with more creative thinking added much more control on the battle sequences. Stripping away certain functions and then adding demanded functions from the previous release, players are now able to take hands on approach to battle. Introducing magical attacks in the Kessen series, take control of a commander and rip apart rival units with simple commands. The second game into the Kessen series is now more user friendly, and also more accessible to those not familiar with Koei games.

Kessen II- Basics

The formula of Kessen is watch the CG sequence, plan out your strategy from a limited amount of options, and battle with more options, repeat over again. The simplistic nature works wonderfully even while excluding options that were previously available. The new storyline is rather easy to follow and not as complex as the original: On one side you have Liu Bei who is in a desperate struggle to save Diao Chan from a ruthless warlord named Cao Cao. Cute and actually very moving from a gaming standpoint, if said player is into that. Of course there is a lot more to the story but the improved battling is where the player will set most of their interests. Talking about other ‘advanced’ features won’t really do any gamer good, as the whole purpose of Kessen is to reach the same audience Koei has ignored for years. More advanced options will have the player training and recruiting units as necessary, and physically taking control of a group of soldiers to move them around as necessary.

Kessen II- Fantasy

Players of the original Kessen can note that the story was the game rather than the battling, this is no different in the sequel but it has enough new battle elements to make the story an afterthought. This sequel deals with magic, a feature previously unavailable in Kessen. With this new added element gamers have the option to unleash various special attacks on opposing forces, wiping out hundreds at a time. Most players will enjoy the delicious visuals associated with it, but others will probably want to get their hands dirty with some weapon on flesh action.

Kessen II- Total Control

Well not completely, but enough to where it pays off to see battles up-close in full 3-d. The original Kessen would involve a player moving his army on a map, issuing commands, and then watching the battle close up if they chose to with no option to control a single fighter. In the new Kessen that closed door is opened slightly yet wonderfully, adding a dynamic option that is good enough to enhance replay value. Players can take control of an officer in the army, and even with the moves limited it still makes its contributions. Considering an officer is a lot more powerful than the troops he commands it is pretty much a slaughter when you take control, but a very entertaining one nevertheless. With the introduction of magic in the series, playing a commander is not as big a chore as it should be. Magic and special attacks of many variations catch your fancy, and if the gamer is lucky enough, they may also catch the many references to Romance of the Three Kingdoms. But alas, that is where die hard Koei fans need apply only.

Kessen II- Graphics

It has been over one year since the launch of the first Kessen, and it shows as there are noticeable improvements to the graphics. The CG is still there and intact but the close up battles were tweaked enough to allow more soldiers, and for the addition of the player controlled commanders. The big boost would be the terrain, which provides a nice bit of a mixture in battles and brings a little bit of realism to the fantasy storyline. The screen lights up beautifully during casting spells, and with only a slight drop in frame rate, makes for some memorable visuals on a PS2.

Kessen II- Sound

The sound still hasn’t improved from the previous installment, but it really doesn’t bother the gameplay even if it is mainly CG. English dubs are usually not top notch and with a romantic storyline it really wouldn’t be appropriate to hold a videogame to such high standards. High standards would be the soundtrack, which delivers once again. A compilation from Kessen II will even have golden age individuals looking into gamer’s room in amazement.

Kessen II– Summing Up

Kessen II is now a proven series to the masses; this one in particular has global appeal and gives Koei an edge in a genre created by them, for everyone. The game is still an interactive CG but it also adds enough player control while stripping away more unnecessary strategy functions to give it a polished, clean, ‘buy me’ look to any player. With the option of playing either side, the game continues a nice non-biased storyline. There are a few hidden tweaks and extras adding to replay value, and even with a decline in the quality of a plot Kessen II still plays as a solid title. A few may be put off by the inclusion of magic and the somewhat corny storyline, but it delivers enough to make it a nice addition to any PS2 owners’ library.

Kessen II-cost

Kessen II currently retails for $14.99US at the time of writing.