• ID = PS0438
• STYLE = 3D Turn-Based Strategy
• DEV. = KOEI Co., Ltd.
• PUB. = Electronic Arts
• R-DATE = Oct-26-2000
• ESRB = T / For Teen
• PLAYERS = 1 player
• LIST PRICE = $19.99
  

KESSEN is Koei’s strategy game for the PlayStation 2 that delves into Japan’s history to tell an exciting tale. The game begins with the story of competing dynasties that wish to take control of Japan. The first time through, the player takes the role of the Tokugawa family. The gameplay begins by having the player position troops on a map, planning the best course of action. Then the battles begin, and the player must combine special attacks and take morale into consideration while fighting the opposition.

KESSEN showcases truly spectacular visuals, as watching hundreds of warriors fight in real time is at last a reality. In addition, there are numerous cutscenes that help to flesh out the story with amazing computer-generated movies that look very similar to the impressive real-time graphics. The game merges deep strategy, awesome graphics, and an intriguing real-life plot into one game.

• Delves into Japan’s history.
• Take the role of the Tokugawa family.
• Position troops on a map.
• Plan the best course of action.
• Combine special attacks.
• Take morale into consideration while fighting the opposition.

Description 2:
Become a Japanese General and conquer the world in Kessen from Koei. Players plan out strategies, then watch as armies carry out their orders in real time with this intense strategy game for the PlayStation 2.

• Hundreds of individual horses and horsemen battle in real-time on vast terrain.
• 360-degree movement, jumping, special attacks and more take place on the battlefield.
• Hear the earth shake, the whistle of a weapon slicing through the air, cries for help and the pound of hooves racing towards you.
• Amazing graphics and unmatched player interaction come together.
• Experience the thrill and frustration of being a hero!

Take command of one of the greatest conflicts in history and determine the fate of a nation. The glory of victory or the humiliation of defeat rest in your abilities to read and manage the eddies of war. Now, an exciting historical period has been brought to new and vibrant life on the PlayStation.

Amazon.com Review
Kessen is the first DVD PlayStation2 title--boy, what a difference a DVD-ROM makes! Kessen's fantastic cutscenes showcase the difference between the visual capabilities of non-DVD and DVD formats. That difference is analogous to the gap between analog television and HDTV quality.

The graphics are awesome, too. In a triple barrage, three rows of gunmen draw and fire their guns. Not everyone does it at exactly the same time, and the number of men goes back as far as the eye can see. The smart choreography makes the battle seem much more real. In fact, you actually can see other soldiers fighting as the generals duel.

The game's orchestral score is wonderful, and the sound effects also are great, with booming cannons, neighing horses, and clanking spears.

While all of the above makes for a very splashy presentation, it doesn't do much for the gameplay. Those who have found fault in the micromanagement of past Koei strategy titles surely will be disappointed with Kessen. It's often painful to see every single stat and try to improve them all in a set amount of time.

Kessen goes too far in that every battalion has a morale level, called zeal, as well as a certain number of soldiers of different types. Each general has a different amount of loyalty to you, but it really doesn't affect gameplay, as far as we could tell.

Before each battle, you go through the political stage. Here, you can persuade undecided generals or enemy generals to join you in battle, or not to fight at all. That's a cool aspect, but the game basically tells you outright who will join you and who won't.

The pace of the battles is extremely slow, like in most other Koei games. However, the difficulty is not. Many times, you're given so many reinforcements that you just can't lose. Also, every single event involves a 20-second cutscene, with no obvious way to skip these. Sure, the triple barrage is impressive the first few times that you see it; but, after the 100th time, it wears a little thin. And you get to see a cutscene every time that your enemies do the same to you.

Unlike other RTS games, there's hardly ever any cause for alarm or stress--even if you're losing, you feel like there's not a lot you could do about it, anyway. --Todd Mowatt

Pros:
Fantastic cutscenes showcase the visual capabilities of DVD format.
Great graphics, score, and sound effects.

Cons:
Too many statistics to manage.
Slow game pace.