Dynasty Warriors 2

"I never thought learning about ancient China could be so fun!"

Dynasty Warriors 2 is one of the coolest games I have ever played. Not only is it really fun to play, you also learn about ancient China as well. Out of all the war games that I have played, this one creates most accurately what I deem in my mind as an actual battle scenario. Koei has once again amazed me by creating a new and interesting game that also has some historical significance.

Gameplay - 9/10

As the player, you assume control of one of nine historically inspired military leaders from three different Chinese kingdoms. On the battlefield, you navigate your way through the enemy forces while slicing and dicing as many of the enemy foot soldiers as you can and the occasional military leader who is in command of these troops. For the most part, all you do is repeatedly pressing , which lets you perform combos on the enemy soldiers. But its much more entertaining than it seems.

The controls are very good, especially with the analog control. The only thing I find annoying is the camera perspective. Often times, you will find yourself being ambushed from behind because you cannot see what is being you until the enemy is already there chopping away at you.

Story - 10/10

It's the 2nd Century AD and you assume the role of one of nine different military figures from three different Chinese kingdoms, the Wei, Wu, and Shu kingdoms. Each of these three kingdoms is fighting for dominance in China because the Han Dynasty is near collapse. Each kingdom has three warriors to choose from with their own set of strengths and weaknesses. The story is really a continuation of Koei's Romance of the Three Kingdoms series. The story is very interesting, especially because of its historical backdrop.

Graphics/Visual Effects - 9/10

The graphics in Dynasty Warriors 2 are quite good, but what is really impressive is the amount of enemies and allies that can be shown on the screen at one time. It is possible to be fighting against 30 enemies at one time. The battlefield stages are all nicely colored and constructed, as are the different characters. The horses look notably nice.

Audio - 10/10

The music that is used in the game is great for creating the mood of battle. The in-battle music is also very effective. The sounds that the enemies make when they are struck and the sounds that your character make are also very well done.

Replay Value - 9/10

The game has excellent replay value because once you complete the game with one kingdom, you will want to complete it with the other two as well.

To Be or Not to Be?

This game might be a little hard to find now because it came out so long ago, but if you can find I would definitely pick it up if you are at all interested in war type games or experiencing a very interesting story.

Overall - 10/10

This is one of the most innovative and exciting games I have ever played. Koei has certainly done an excellent job once again.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/12/02, Updated 05/12/02