010 4 I rented this game thinking well if I didn't like it I'd only rented it and didn't waste . . . on it . Well I wasn't really disappointed , I wasn't expecting much , maybe because I hadn't read any reviews on it , but when I put this into the system it stayed on for hours . I finished the entire East campaign with 2days , but that's over 10 hours of play . It can take a while to get used to the controls and in order for you to get it right they have a tutorial that will take you through the controls of the game . I wasn't much into the history that game portrays , I don't live in Japan and therefore could have cared less about the history however , it does lend itself to the game so I didn't mind it . Graphically this game is stunning , however you will see some of the animations of the battle sequences be the same throughout . The way to stop the animation is just press the triangle button , it won't finish it . For strategy gamers out there , this is a title for you , I'm not sure that other gamers won't like it , but this is definately a strategy game , the graphics are just there to enhance the gameplay . Keep in mind you don't control any particular person in this game , you will command your troops to do the tasks at hand so those hands-on people should probably just keep your hands off this title . Graphically this title so far as I've seen is unmatched . Great strategy game , it was a bit short though and that's the reason for 4 stars instead of 5 . Only about 10 - 12 hours and I played through the East campaign , with some of the individual battles lasting almost an hour , you can see there aren't many battles in place here to go through .
023 4 I recieved a Playstation 2 and Tekken Tag Tournament and Kessen for Christmas this year . I had never heard of Kessen before , or read anything about it . I popped in the game and watched the beautiful introduction video . Seeing that , I thought . . . cool game ! That thought faded very quickly when the first battle started . It wasn't a battle at all , it was just a very long boring tutorial that you have to sit through if you want to understand the game because the manual doesn't tell you how to play at all . Thinking the game would get better , I sat through it for quite a long time . Apparently all that there is to this game is watch a movie , push X , push X , push X , watch a movie , push X , and so on . The actual gameplay was extremely disappointing . The main screen where you see all the troops was poorly made , and the troops are simply poorly drawn blobs that slide across the ground . And the DVD videos , while very cool , weren't anything special . I mean , come on , this is the Playstation 2 , with DVD videos . Some of the videos I saw on the Playstation 1 looked better than these . So in conclusion , this is a good game if you're into war strategy games , but wait till the price goes down . There are much better things you can spend 50 bucks on than this game . All this game is is a graphical history lesson , so if you're into that , by all means , go for it , but I'm gonna pass . . .
045 4 I spent a lot of time playing this game before I gave out my review so I can be completely sure about my rating . The first thing I want to say about this game is that it has excellent graphics and decent voice acting . Though this may not be the best thing I have ever seen , the movies made up for the disappointment . The gameplay is flat out simple for the the newbie who is interested in playing strategy games , but it gets kinda annoying after a while and can take a little getting used to . The movies after every move didn't get all that bothersome since you can easily exit out of it by pressing triagle so it didn't bother me all that much . One of the the movies bugged me though because one of the generals reacted to Yi's request before he could even finish his sentence . I just think this is bad timing but I guess I can live with it for now . . . The number of battles is kinda small so replay value has dropped for this game . Overall , this game is excellent and only a few people would really appreciate this game . I like this game , but there are a few more things I have liked to see in this game in order for me to give it a higher rating .
046 4 I must agree with other reviewers who cite the game as far too easy to beat on the first go-through . Unless you are a hardcore strategy fan , I can't see replaying the game on the higher difficulty levels with the same scenarios . Rent it from Blockbuster and play it over a weekend ; 8 hours of solid play and you'll be finished .
049 4 Alright , So i go throught Blockbuster looking for some interesting game to pop-out at me , and this cover just looks soooo Cool ! So naturally the game must be ! I mean with all that effort into the cover , the game has to be spectacular ! Wow was I ever so wrong . . . The game is basically about 6 levels long and it is just about impossible to lose unless you have no idea about strategy at all . The game took me just a little over an hour to beat , which is saying a lot , cause I dont usually beat things fast . The only cool part about it was how you can use your different * forces * with different guys in sync . . . But , its just way to easy to beat . I guess if you just want something to make yourself feel good to say Hey ! Im amazing at games ! This is for you , otherwise you serious gamers out there wont appreciate it at all .
062 4 I am a fan of strategy games and was really looking forward to playing Kessen . However , this game is the worst game I've ever purchased . In fact , I'm furious with myself that I wasted my hard earned cash on this game without renting it first . I personally didn't find the graphics that great , the game was too easy , and the pace was exceedingly slow . Don't make the same mistake I did , avoid this game and save your money .
020 4 For those of us that stayed up nights cursing Oda Nobunaga and his blasted ambition , this game may very well seem like one of his traps . Old Koei games were NOT real big on doing much thinking FOR you . Autopilot was never an option then . Well , apparently the suits at Koei finally broke down and decided to make a strategy game for the masses , one without all the pesky troop upkeep and rice . The opening credits fill in the gamer that Kessen was made to resemble a movie-like experience ( much like Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid . ) That becomes readily evident when , after going through a tutorial that teaches you all about how to order your generals , and influence enemy generals , and plan battle routes , the game begins to basically play itself .
WARNING ! NO GREAT AMOUNT OF TACTICAL APTITUDE IS REQUIRED TO PLAY THIS GAME !
Always a little intimidated by Koei's previous elegant epics ? Well , this isn't one of them . You can get as involved or as passive as you want this time , your generals will think for themselves , thank you very much . Old-timers may get a bit miffed at the lack of any serious micromanagement aspects , but even the crankiest curmudgeon will rejoice at the fabulous storyline and character development . And did I mention the graphics ? Never has routing your opponent on the battlefield looked so rewarding .
In short , it is very much a like a Koei playable movie , sans any deep strategy or wide-scale management . As such , one must have patience . Not necessarily for learning the game , more for sitting back and watching as your generals go to work on the opposition . This is still fun , even for an old rice-head like myself ( Aerobiz Supersonic anyone ? ) and newcomers to the Koei stable will likely be very impressed by the grand nature of it all , and grateful that they don't have to spend an eternity making sure the dams and levees are properly funded .
And who knows , maybe this game will count for credits toward that Japanese History major you've been wanting to obtain ; - ) .
007 4 First off , this game has taken some critical hits for being too easy . Keep in mind that the first time through you are playing at INTRODUCTORY level ( level 1 of 5 ) , at which it is extremely difficult to lose . For a REAL challenge , try the skirmish battles at level 5 . . . scream in agony as you are quickly outnumbered 8 units to 2 . . . with your own reinforcements not showing up until near the end , and enemy defections highly unlikely . Even the regular battles become more difficult , but not as unbalanced as the skirmishes . You are no longer treated to complete intelligence reports on the enemy units or officers , so hopefully you've retained knowledge from earlier games . Enemies fire off more frequent and effective special attacks and in general behave in a more combat savvy manner . Another complaint-the inability to cut short the cut scenes - well , just press the triangle button and they'll disappear ! Here's the few things I didn't care for in the game-difficulty levels should have been selectable from the beginning and not just after playing through the easy game . More battles should have been included as well-there are 13 ( I believe ) but 4 of them are Sekigahara variations . It is nice that you can play as either side . The goals are far too straightforward ( although very relective of Japanese warfare , where the goal was to kill as many of the enemy as possible , rather than territorial objectives or strategic postioning ) . These are about the only complaints I have , and that isn't much ! What does this game do well ? Great cinemas based on the ascension of Tokugawa Ieyasu to power . Some of the battles ( such as Osaka Castle and of course First Sekigahara ) are straight out of Japanese history with accurate battlefield maps and orders of battle . Other battles are built upon logical extensions and what-ifs branching off from Sekigahara . The clan leaders and Daimyos of the game are given entertaining individual personalties and look great ( yes , they really DID wear those outlandish looking helmets with the cool armor , although Tokugawa was a older , heavy balding man by the time these battles took place ) . The clan defections add to the game , turning victory to defeat ( or vice versa ) in seconds ( although it would have been nice if they were a little more unpredictable ) . The myriad options in political mode give you the chance to tinker with your units , plans , and strategies until you come up with the perfect one ! Although it was historically incorrect to see units using ninjas ( no self respecting Daimyo would OPENLY use a ninja . . . but Uesegi Kenshin's fatal trip to his castle outhouse proved using them secretly was another matter ) and women ( there were as many samurai women as men , but except for rare isolated instances such as Tomoe Gozen they never went to battle ) you can give it a try here ! Unit compostion , officers , weapons , formations , special attacks-they're all yours to play with . You don't NEED to but they add a lot to replay value . There is a nice informative tutorial mode that eases you into the game ( Koei games can be a little intimidating at first ) . The game also helps to point out why the side with the most soldiers didn't always win-officer ability , loyalty , and especially morale were of paramount importance during this period . Fans of fast action , button mashing games won't be happy here-DYNASTY WARRIORS or even the delightful mess that is KESSEN II might be better for you . All in all , while Kessen is no SHOGUN : TOTAL WAR it provides solid game play , an entertaining storyline , lots of opportunities to tinker and is a good introduction to both samurai warfare and Japanese history as well as being a lot of fun . One of my favorite games that I keep coming back to !
032 4 Me and my friends were playing with my new PS2 console.I wanted to try Kessen a new game I bought.The beginning movie was cool I watched my one of my friends play it for a while . . . The nightmare begins.GOD I wished I had never wasted my money on that . . . . All the missions or whatever are just watch , watch and watch . All we did in that game was just watched some cheesy general fight another loser general and another and another . Okay now for the final conclusion . AVOID THIS GAME AT ALL COSTS do not rent , buy , borrow this nasty game it is . . . a waste of 50 bucks.Buy Onimusha instead Good Graphics Better gameplay and you actually play it !
041 4 I've never played a game quite like Kessen . In general I am an action / adventure player , with Metal Gear Solid at the top of my list for best game on the PS1 . Unlike the sharp , precise universe of MGS , Kessen unleashes a veritable flood of imagery , history and strategy and somehow manages to suck you deep into the storyline . It is challenging to learn how to make strategic choices within the game , but I found myself almost helpless to turn it off . I was amazed by how well the game managed to convince me that it was IMPORTANT that I take charge and guide my troops to victory . Each of your generals has a distinct personlity and style of fighting , and it's intriguing to build relationships with them while you are struggling either to invade the enemies territory or repel invaders in your land . Rich and vibrant , the characters offer a compelling performance that makes you feel as if you are really a part of the tumultuous passion of battle . I sat down with the game and had to be dragged out of feudal Japan by my husband . He insisted that I had been playing for 4 hours straight without a break ! Wh-wh-wh-whaaat ? ! If you have the time , this is one major rush . Check it out .
034 4 This game is slow but fun in a cinematic way and the game makes victory a wonderful feeling . The only not so stellar thing that I noticed is that the game is rather short when you think about it . One tutorial skirmish and about three battles makes the game feel rather short when you're finished . There are , however , two things that make this aspect of the game not exactly a flaw . One , when you're finished fighting as the East , you can then control the West and see the war through their eyes . Second , THE BATTLES CAN TAKE HOURS ! This makes up for the small amount of battles quite effectively . Although the game is easy to master , its still fun while it lasts Dammit !
029 4 I found this game amusing , great graphics , interesting concept . I liked it a lot , I would reccomend this game to anyone who likes stratigy games .
057 4 I recently bought this title and have been very disappointed with it . The parts of the game where you actually ' play ' were simply a few colored blobs on the screen . The cut scenes are tiresome and the movies reminded me of a bad anime movie . I would not recommend this game to anyone .
064 4 No matter what everybody is saying , if you like to control a war and you like to think a little this is a great game . I never liked stratigy before but now its a lot of fun . Rent this game if you like buy , but it takes one or two battles to figure out how to get the controls and the stratigy .
066 4 I thought this was going to be like Ghengis Khan for the original Nintendo , but on a grander scale . . . . it turned out to be more like chess on a grander scale . The graphics are alright , the game play is lame , and the movies are pretty much the same . It's not as advertised .
035 4 I think Kessen is a great strategic game.It seems annoying to begin with because there is only one track and the controls are fairly difficult . There is no way to know how your armies are going to fair and their is nothing to teach you before you plunge into the campaign . However after you finnish the campaigns the game starts to show its gameplay value . You can choose any of all the battles you fought in the campains to play again . Added to that you get to choose your side and the level of difficulty . As you replay the battles you start to get more comfortable with the game and you start to fidle with the wide variety of options you had but didn't have to take before . You start switching your generals around and changing their troop types and formation . You start making desisions in the war council instead of just skipping over it .
Here are a few comments about the game . The anoying part about the campaign is that between every major battle you have a tiny skirmish which is very uncustamizable . I hate the little skirmishes and i have never played them more than once . The graphics are great . It has a good storyline and its characters are bassed on actual people . When you are beating the enemy down you can sit back and look at your armies fight at the soldier level . You can even see your generals fight enemy generals or fight the enemy troops themselves ( they don't just sit back and watch the battle ) . One of the fun things you can do after you have beaten the campaign is to fight the battle of Osaka again . It is fun to trounce superior numbers with relative ease . In this battle you are outnumbered 3to2 but if you set the difficulty level to 1 you can still beat them fairly easily . And what will make you realy feel proud is that your troops weren't actualy stronger soldier for soldier and you lost less than half of your troops . The feature that makes it not a game where you just send your guys against their guys is special maneuvers . Ranging from a volly to a canonade , this is what makes the game interesting . Its to much to explain right now but special manuevers realy add a lot of strategy to the game . And finaly whatever you do dont buy the strategy guide . I know more about the game than the guys who wrote it ( Im not saying I know that much about the game I am saying they dont know squat about it ) and it isnt very helpfull .
001 4 This games sets ground to a new area , bringing many great animations ( both 3D , DVD , and rendered ) inside an RTS game with a touch of Japanese history . This game deserve those 5 stars because of its new way of bringing the animations .
I was impressed to see real-time video , with a touch of 3D rendered as well as 3D polygons at the same time ! ! That creates a touch of reality over the virtual 3D world and it looks great . I have to agree that I've seen animations that had a little bit more details over the character's face but the overall reality of those graphics plus the number of them are amazing .
I've also looked a reviews that talks about the repeating special features video and you can bypass them by pressing the triangle button . But something else that is interesting is that you can simply sit back and control the armies or you can zoom on a squad while they are fighting ; bringing a different reality .
If you are still afraid of this game , it is at least a must-rent to see this kind of approach and the useful DVD features .
002 4 Koei was and is the master of turn-based strategy games , so why have they stopped producing them in the US ? This game is visually arresting , but the battle sequences leave something to be desired to gamers more used to a hands-on control of troops ( from games like Starcraft , etc . ) Point , click , kill isn't as fun when you are just a spectator . I grew tired of the same video sequences often replayed during battle . The game is too easily beatable , and I'd recommend rental for all the same fun , and one-tenth the price . Old school Nintendo games like Nobunaga's Ambition still have much better replay value , and once you've beaten this game , you've seen it all , and there's no increased entertainment from added play . I'd much rather a turn-based game that allows you to raise your own army as opposed to inheriting everything from the grace of the programmers . Despite all my gripes , it is still a fun game , but don't bother buying it . Rent .
003 4 I was absolutely enthralled with this game , staying up all night to play it . These people took the Japanese civil war storyline from the 1600 ' s and turned it into a great strategy game . The graphics are phenomenal . I only have two things to comment on , however .
1 . For each attack command or special move , it plays a movie relevant to the theme . However these movies get old after a while and I got tired of pushing the continue button after making a command .
2 . It was way too easy to beat . I would have been willing to play it for two weeks if I could , but I beat it in one night . It was like a demo game .
Rent it ! You'll have an evening or two of great fun .
005 4 . . If it weren't for the fact that you just don't get that much in return for the amount of time you spend setting the game up . The creator of the game spends a majority of the first 3 hours of game play giving you an in-depth look at Japanese history , and whereas this is interesting and all , it's not what I bought the game for .
I was looking for the old time fun of Nobunaga's Ambition ( sp ? ) for the original Nintendo . I used to spend hours tinkering with that game ; playing and replaying different scenarios . This game doesn't give you the option of deciding which battles to fight . It just takes you to the next one and assumes that's where you want to go .
The animations are . . . good . Not great ; certainly not above the standard I've been seeing in other PS2 games . The real drawback to the animations is that you get the same ones every time . . If you fire a cannonade 5 times , you sit throught the same animation 5 times - and you can't stop it once it starts . If your cavalry charges 30 times , you sit through the same animation 30 times . . .
On the plus side : The whole game is attractive , with more detail per character ( story-wise ) than many I've seen . And you DO get a MASSIVE amount of history in the game ( like it or not ) , not to mention a terrific glossary of terms and additional historical materials on the disk .
I'd have given this game 3 or even 4 stars if it had given more to me . Unfortunately , more money and effort was spent on the animations than the storyline and playability . Don't get me wrong , I LOVE games that require a high degree of concentration , but this just got boring after a short amount of time . Anyone have a copy of Nobunaga's Ambition ?
006 4 From the moment I placed this game in my Playstation 2 , I was hooked and did not stop playing this game for another 7 hours . I have never used the word Beautiful to describe a game video game before , but then again , nothing like Kessen has ever been attempted before in Video game history . This game is grand and breathtaking in its scope . Part movie , part history lesson , part chess match and part Braveheart , Kessen has broken new ground which I hope shall be trod upon by many more game manufacturers in the future .
Like most PS2 games , it has excellent graphics . But unlike most strategy games , KOEI's bold attempt at making the battles occur over real time truly makes you feel like a field commander . You can even manipulate the politics of the day to affect the outcome on the battlefield . Of course , what addicts you to the game is the history and drama of the underlying story .
If you are just a button slapper and a shoot-em-up blaster person , then this game might not be at your pace . But if you are seeking a highly intelligent , gripping work of art , then Kessen is the game for you .
011 4 I've run a feudal Japan newsletter for over 10 years now , and am a huge fan of the samurai era . I grabbed Kessen the second I got my hands on a PS2 , and started playing it immediately .
The graphics in the game are startlingly lovely . From the cut-scenes to the campagin setup to the reactions of commanders to your decisions , it truly flows like an interactive movie .
It's not just hack-and-slash , either . There are personal triumphs , anguished losses , generals who you convince to join your side , warriors who show their nuances of personality in how they react to your commands .
The game is a strategic combat between the two great warlords of the early 1600s , recreating a series of battles that put an end to the fighting era and brought in over 200 years of peace .
The level of detail is great . You can see exactly how each group is put together , the loyalty of each leader , their weariness , and much more . You can choose to ignore details if you want , but a true strategist will find ways to shine by taking them all into consideration .
You can also use political influence to sway your enemies , and sometimes they'll even watch how the battle goes for a while before determining which side to take .
The cut-scenes are beautiful , but if you want to skip them , just hit a button and you're back into the overall battle watching . Perhaps the only downside is that since this is based on real events , you don't have as much flexibility as in a game that could randomly create situations and encounters . Perhaps this same engine might be used for that in the coming months !
012 4 The graphics , sound , and game play are excellent . The game is incredibly fun and you'll learn some history too . Nonetheless , it has a high learning cure - - it took me a good three hours before I really understood everything , so it takes a little patience . I highly recommend this game to those who like strategy games and want to see the extent of the PS2 ' s graphics and sound .
013 4 this game is beautiful , and has a great storyline , but is definatly lacking . The first two times through the game ( once as east , then as west ) are too easy . after this you can choose to replay battles and set difficulty , and the hardest level is somewhat challanging . my biggest gripe about this game is the lack of a two player mode . people have said that the controls are difficult / akward , but they are much like other strategy games . sometimes it is difficult to see what is going on around your armies . still , these complaints are minor when compared to the lack of any multiplayer mode . if they had included such a feature , ease of play against the computer would not be an issue - - you could just play some friends !
015 4 If your a stratagy lover and have patience of steel perhaps you will like this game . It has alot of history to it if your looking for a social studies lessen and decent graphics , but other than that . . . well . . . thats about it for this game , theres not to much more i can say about it .
016 4 Kessen is a fun game , gives players the power to control a whole army . From the CG cut-in scenes to the special movements of the armies . Although there is a history lessen built into the game that really makes me sleepy .
Gameplay is very interesting . From building up your raid skill points to surrounding your enemy its all exciting . Graphics are good , something you just start to expect from Koei ( The development Company )
Complete time taken to finish game isn't very long once you get done with the 30 minute tutorial at the beginning .
So I end with , rent before you buy . If you like the game after you rent it go out and buy it .
017 4 This was the first game I bought for my PS2 . I thought it was going to be like Romance of the 3 Kingdoms . But it was way different . But , it is still a good game . For poeple who dont like stradegy games , stay clear from it . Basicly , its an interactive movie . You choose what army attacks and what it attacks with . Guns , cannons , arrows . You can choose what armys you want to be in the battle , and what kind of formations you want them to be in . And , you get to choose what armys go where and plan out your whole attack in a war council . Its a pretty cool PS2 game , but not the best by far .
018 4 Kessen is a beautiful game in spots . The cut scenes and battle sequences are amazingly rendered and by far are the best part of the game . On the negative side however , most of the actual game consists of you moving little blobs of color around a map . Additionally , the interface is confusing and frustrating at times , althought the game is easy enough so that you can win every battle on your first try without really doing much of anything , making any attempt to simulate a strategy somewhat useless . . . If you want a graphical showpiece for your ps2 , kessen is good , but if you want a game that you can play again and again , look elsewhere .
019 4 Ok game but the setup is very bad . . . If you don't have a memory card then don't buy this game . . . First of all the first board takes 30 minutes to get through and you don't get to do anything because it is a tutorial . . . So if you don't save the game you have to play the first board , and also the gameplay isn't free enough , it practicly plays itself . . . If you have a memory card , it's a good game , if you don't i wouldn't recomend it .
021 4 This game is set in the fuedal times in Japanese History . Basically , it is a strategy game where you must make real time strategical war decisions . The cutscenes and graphics in this game are awesome , but you'll find yourself spending more time watching the cutscenes and cinematic results of you decisions than you will actually pushing buttons . It actually requires lots of patience to go through battle after battle , but if you enjoy the time consuming of nature of role playing games ( this is no RPG , but there are many similar elements ) you will enjoy this game . I'm just a little too impatient , and like the action type , button pushing games myself , which is why I only gave it 3 stars . Have you ever played Final Fantasy 7 or 8 and wished you could skip the summoning Guardian Force scenes becuase you've seen them so many times ? If so , then you're impatient like me = ) i get that same feeling sometimes in this games , regardless of the great graphics . All in all , this is actually a high quality game with great graphics . Definitely one of the better launch games .
022 4 This DVD-rom game for PS2 is great . watching the Five minute opening sequence is like watching the battle sequences in movies like the patriot and braveheart . The game is dubbed in English from the Japanese version but the graphics and strategy make up for it . You will want to get a memory card before you start because the battle may take a long time to complete and if you don't have a card you'll have to start over from scratch if you turn it off . This game showcases the DVD power of the PS2 and I hope future games will look this good .
025 4 My 1st review :
Yes , it is true this game may have killer vidoes . . . but that's all it is basicly , When you start there is a tutorial that takes about a half hour to go through , ( the whole time you're pressing X and reading ) then you finally get to play and you are totally confused , And you don't really do much though the whole game but watch fights so it gets old VERY fast , because its always the same .
And for those people who think you can fight from a first person view in the battles that take place , just so you know you can't , and this game is for 1 player , ( they could have made it two ) The only thing this game really offers are good dvd films and a good sorty line . ( based on true events in chinse history )
So in conclusion I give this game an over-all 2 stars .
026 4 Graphically this is a nice game , but the gameplay becomes repetitive and boring . The cut-scenes , while visually impressive , become annoying very quickly . Also winning battles is far too easy , and there is little story line in the game .
028 4 I think this game is underrated . It is actually a great game that suffers a little from misguided expectations . Koei never makes games that are truly mainstream - - this game comes about as close as it does ( except Dynasty Warriors , but those aren't designed by Koei ) .
The game gives people the wrong impression in the beginning , because the initial difficulty , I think , was made too easy . You can beat the game blindfolded if you play the starting game , and since you can't change the difficulty until after you've finished the game , people just think oh , I finished the game - - no point in playing anymore . The difficulty level 5 ( hardest ) is actually quite challenging , and wins are no longer guaranteed if you don't play carefully . What they perhaps should've started out is 3 , instead of 1 . That might scare players away though , so it's a tough call .
There are also more than just five levels for each side . If you intentionally ( or unintentionally ) lose one of the important battles , you'll be led to a different battle line that can still win you the game . There are a total of three ways of winning the game for each side , so you can actually play 12 different battles for each side ( with some overlapping ) . There's more to the game than what offers you in the superficial glance , but again , I think the initial ease of beating the game turned some people off thinking it's boring .
The movie can be a little annoying , but I think it's balanced with good gameplay that's almost chess like , like someone said . At the higher difficulty , a mistake could cost you the win and battles must be planned out ( instead of just attacking like in the easy difficulty ) .
All in all , a great game that is a bit misunderstood and gives the wrong first impression . At 30 bucks , it's a great buy and I think more worth it than Kessen II .
031 4 i thought kessen was cool ! the movies are really emotional and you can actually think you are commander of the eastern or western army.i like this game because the war councils and meetings you have.i already beat it and im looking forward to buying kessen2
033 4 I did not like this game at all . It took for ever to get anywhere . It takes hours to finally win a battle and you can ; t understand what you are doing . I suggest you do not buy this game . If anything rent it .
037 4 I consider myself an average video gamer ( no hardcore by any means ) . For some reason , I found this game incredibly hard to play . The game itself is a very beautiful game . Graphics are top notch . But like everyone else who commented on this game , that's about it . In the first week that I played this ( first day just watching the history part ) , I was rather confused that all I did was keep hitting the X button . I couldn't even tell if I actually won the battles or if I lost them . I even bought the matching guide for it , but even the guide was confusing .
As an average gamer , this is a purchase I regret .
039 4 Kessen shows how good the graphics on the PS2 can be . The amount of independently moving warriors on the battle grid and the amount of detail for each is truly stunning . While the game is only minimally challenging from a strategy standpoint for an experienced strategy gamer , it is engaging for a number of hours of gameplay .
042 4 I went out and rented this after reading reviews saying that it has great visuals , and i agree . It makes full use of its DVD-format . The cutscenes are great , the gameplay , however , isn't . If you've done one level you've done them all . Each one is the same thing , get your army , beat up this guy , and your done . You get very few choices concerning what kind of troops , and it got very repetitive after the first level . I think it could really have been a great game if they hadn't spent so much time on the graphics . Overall , not a very good game , I found the cutscenes to be better than the game itself . I really reccomend not buying this game , I'd wait until they come out with more DVD format games .
047 4 Koei are most well known for their amazing Romance ofthe Three Kingdoms games . Most people were turned off by the complexities of the games , but those who liked a good strat . game haven't stopped hailing it as the best war sim series ever to hit consoles . This game seems like it's trying to appeal more to the average gamer , as opposed to the sim freak fanbase of the RTK games . What it does , it does well , with beautifully rendered troops and amazing cutscenes . The game is dragged down to 3 stars by the simplicity of it , with little control of the actual battles being given to the user . Not one that will keep you up for a week , but easily the best PS2 game I've played thus far and the cream of the US launch title crop . Don't expect another RTK game , but also expect to have fun . Pick it up if you've got a PS2 , this one is a keeper !
048 4 First of all , one should have at least a bit of knowledge in Japanese culture / history to enjoy this game , in my opinion . The one who wrote SOOOOOOOOOOOO Dramatic review made it apparent she / he doesn't . Ieyasu's granddaughter didn't marry Hideyori out of choice ; marriages were arranged in feudal Japan to form alliences between families , which is exactly what happened here . But anyway , that's not my main point here . . .
Yes , there are too many things to remember . But , as I've discovered , you can ignore half of them and still get along fine . The battles do get repetive , and you are limited in your battle choices , but , if you can put up with this , this game has great replay value .
You first must beat the game as the Eastern army , then as the Western army , before you have a choice in which side you want to play . And , contrary to what a few have said , you CAN lose . In fact , sometimes you may want to on purpose ( After you've beaten it , of course ) . That way you can stray from history and see some interesting cut scenes , from both armies ' points of view . For me , this was a great feature , especially with the wonderful quality of the graphics .
The voice acting is superb , but can get a little annoying during battle when a general says a phrase you've heard 300 times already ; thankfully , by pressing Triangle , you can skip these . Also , as many have pointed out , there is no blood ( Well , there was a tiny bit on Yi's mouth in a cut scene , but I won't count that ) . Now , I'm not exactly a BLOOD AND GUTS ! ! ! YEAH ! ! ! kind of person , but it does make it seem very unrealistic when your general sticks his spear through an enemy , and he never bleeds .
All in all , I'd say buy it if you can ignore the flaws and put up with repetativeness ( is that even a word ? ) because of its good reply value . If not , either rent it , or just don't play it period . It's your buck , not mine .
050 4 I just loved this game . It's amazing graphics and cut scenes really draw you into the battle . It is easy to master , although at first it looks complicated . It was too short for my liking and followed a very set path . This is my biggest fault with the game . I would have prefered to have had to take the land province by province . Would have made for a longer game and given the player choice . There was no politics really either . It would have been nice to have been able to send emissaries to other lords . Or used ninja . But for all it's short comings I still had a blast playing it . Destroying an enemy unit and watching it's leader ride away in disgrace is alot of fun . Is it worth a buy ? Probobly not . But rent it for sure and have a look at the ps2 graphical possibilities .
051 4 Koei's Kessen is an incredible Strategy RPG that takes all of the technological advancements of the PS2 and spins a remarkable web of astonishingly mind-boggling game engine graphics ( that compare to 99 PC graphics ) , astounding movie reminiscent sequences ( akin to Braveheart , the Patriot , or the Gladiator ) , outrageously life-like human animations , amazingly competent acting , and a massively intricate real-time battle system that mixes the complex pleasures of war strategy with the unbelievable cinematic presentation of a motion picture .
Kessen remains a must buy for any lover of strategy RPGs such Age of the Empire , Civilization , Boulder's Gate , or Panzer General . Finally , A PC game on a console .
054 4 Yes the cutscences are repeatative but look past that and u see a bland rts , not to much strategy . Iwould of liked it better if it was a simulation of war . The game is give u story , give u the plan ( which u cant change ) , puts u into war , rince repeat . Its a pretty short rts . It is addictive and fun so that justifys the score . Good game for begginers of the generation , like me .
055 4 Kessen is Risk of the East . It's a great concept with exceptional graphics . The game play is slow but so is war . If you've got the time to play it this game is a good buy .
056 4 When I started playing this game the first thing that hit me was the terrific battle scenes that were displayed in the well done opening credits and the very similar feel that the game had to romance of the three kingdoms . Unfortunately after game play began all my hopes for the game deteriorated into a free-for-all of unrealistic combat between armies that I had little to no control over . I had hopped to be able to have some amount of control over the game but instead I found myself watching volley after volley of animated musket fire and screaming at the computer to let me do something . Somehow I managed to beat my way through most of the game despite having no concept of the controls .
This game is not worth any amount of money , if you wish to play it find a friend and play his copy , renting is simply too much money .
058 4 The gameplay is excellent . It doesn't get really any better . Koei did a great job with the animations and battles . The battles are truly amazing , and to know that you actually have control over them . . . wow . If you're looking for a game to show off the Playstation2 ' s power , along with the graphics , don't look no further . . . this is it . I bought it thinking it was gonna be kinda slow and boring , but once you turn it on , you won't let the controller go for at least a few hours . ( The whole game is so life-like that its like watching a school video of a war . ) It also has actual footage from the war at the start , just like a movie . Buy it .
059 4 I did really enjoy this game , it was incredibly pretty ( would be nice if there was a way to unlock blood though kind of funny seeing people ran clean through and not bleed ) . The overhead map wasn't that attractive either . However the cutscenes , historical info , and zoom in views are all very nice . The only 2 things I really didn't like were : Firstly it was very short ( I beat it with both guys in something like ten hours total ) . Secondly , I have heard some people complain that it was hard but I thought it was almost too easy , when playing through the first time I did not lose a single battle , in order to open up some of the battles I actually had to reboot old saved games and throw the fight . Theoretically would have been nice also to have a 2 player option but not sure how it would work in practice .
060 4 If you are really into Japanese history , then you may like this game . If you are really into strategy games and Japanese history , you may like this game . In fact , go rent part 2 . It has to be better than this mess . If you are not interested at all in Japanese history , then to you , this is simply a very lame strategy game that should be avoided at all costs . If you are not even into strategy games , let alone Japanese history , you shouldn't even be reading this review !
This game is just bad . It is very slow . You move your group of soldiers here , while they move their soldiers there . If they get close enough , there is a warning that someone is going to attack . This is where you see a cool looking cut scene where some guy on a horse says he is going to kill you like the eagle diving down from the sky to capture its prey . . . or something lame like that . Then , you watch as he kills your soldiers and you realize that this reminds you of another game you should be playing instead . Then you are back to the overhead screen where you see your soldiers defeat his soldiers . Way to go eagle man . After you beat him you can keep moving your group of soldiers to another group of bad guy soldiers . If you win , the cycle of violence continues . I suppose the game may be worth playing to see what other kinds of neat metaphors the evil Hondas or Toyotas come up with . Who knows , in the later parts of the game , they may have prepared threatening haikus .
Your face is ugly
My sword is extremely sharp
I will watch you die .
061 4 This game is probably one of the worst I've played on the PS2 . There are some cool movie sequences at the beginning , but thats about it . I going to keep this short and just say don't waste your money and rent it first .
065 4 This is a truly wonderful game and I would like to start off by saying : Shawn D . Crapman of were ever they heck you are from you suck ! You have no taste in games at all ! This game is probebly the best ( one player ) PS2 game out there . Worth 50 bucks ! Just make sure you have enough free time . . .
069 4 This review is from :
Kessen ( Video Game )
This game is awesome . It runs smoothly with great graphics . It will keep you playing untill u beat it . If you have the money go out and get this one with your PS2
070 4 This game is awesome . It runs smoothly with great graphics . It will keep you playing untill u beat it . If you have the money go out and get this one with your PS2
040 4 This game is definetly not for strategy game lovers . It has defined wars between 2 tribes , in which the blue tribe is better . The game doesn't allow any customization options or even level selection . It doesn't have the open end game like in AOE2 random game . There is no economical side to the game and the political side of the game is dictated.So u basically don't have to do anything except hit x to pass to the next scene . You can skip the repetitive video clips by hitting the triangle button . This game has a few good video clips but it just doesn't make up for the . . . strategic design aspect of the game . This game couldn't be more poorly designed .
027 4 Incredible game ! Awesome graphics and great strategy . It does give people the wrong impression in the beginning , with the fairly-boring but nessicary tutorial . But once you get to the battles , be prepared to be blown away !
043 4 I'm not an avid Koei fan , but i was very interested in trying out this title , and in less than four hours i have beaten the entire Eastern Scenario , the controls to go from map to overview to ground level and back were cumbersome for me and it wasn't nearly what i had imagined from the reviews / previews i had read . a game thats 1000x's more fun , and looks better is Dragon Force on Saturn , probably the most underrated of any system , it has so many amazing high-endthinking ( rpg / stradegy ) games . . soooo uhm . . Koei seemed to forget people wanted replay value and lots of time / painstaking effort in enjoying their game . . . both Dynasty warriors and this were less than i expected .
004 4 Game is visually stunning . The graphics blow you away , the music is sweet , and the voiceovers are awesome . But you don't really play . You tell your guys what to do , then spend an hour ( or more ) watching them do it , hoping that your computer powered guys fight better than your computer powered opponent . Don't get me wrong ; everyone should try it , and it is immensely fun for awhile . Just rent it or borrow it , don't buy it . If you like this sort of game , I definitely recommend going with Dynasty Warriors 2 over this one .
014 4 this isn't really a fun game it is basically a look at how great the PS2 graphics are for one of the first games I think its ok but still thsi game isn't really worth the money get Dynasty Warriors
030 4 This was another PS2 game which is very short to run the campaign . Don't get stuck buying the game with out renting it first .
067 4 this game blows chunks ! don't let people kid you , this game is not worth your time . i was so thankful i rented it first . the game practically plays itself . there are better games to be bought .
063 4 This is the worst game I've ever purchased and I still get upset thinking about the money it cost me . Please save your money and the frustration by skipping this one .
044 4 I got this game for xmas.Thinking that it was good I playedit.Graphics-good.Playing-boring . . . .
068 4 The game is alright . I only bought it because it seemed like a bloody barbaric war kind of game . There is NO blood in the game whatsoever . And it is so dramatic . Like in the first batle of Sekigahara , when Lord Tokugawa is with that concubine named Okatsu and he sees Lord Nobunaga in the clouds and starts talking to himself saying he has his own vision of Japan or something . Oh PLEASE how much cheesier could this game get . Instead of bloody warfare I got a history lesson about some Japanese family who needs to sort out their priorities back in the 15 or 1600 ' s . And the other thing that just puts the cream on the coffee is that that stupid Princess Sen got herself married to the guy whom is head of her Grandpa Ieyasu Tokugawa's enemy . Is that little tramp just trying to get some attention or does she think if I marry him , My grandfather and him can make peace ? Give it a rest . If she knows her grandpa hates that guy and is going to war with him , why is she gonna marry him ? The cinema parts are always so soap opera-like . And that officer Masanori Fukushima has such a short circuit and goes through these temper tantrums like he just entered puberty and he even gets drunk in the game [ either he got drunk or Tadakatsu Honda ] .
