Dynasty Tactics 2

"Dynasty Warriors turned Strategy and Tactics"

Dynasty Tactics is a turn-based strategy game with characters from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Dynasty Warriors series. Dynasty Tactics 2, its successor, has finally entered the fray of the strategy genre. Here's the lowdown:

Graphics: 9/10

The graphics of this game is great. The character designs, the environment, the battle sequence looks very fantastic.The CG sequences looked fantastic and you;ll be captivated and enticed to watch the cut scene instead of canceling it. KOEI has put a lot of effort in perfecting this department of the game. The only downside that is present in the graphical department is that some notable and important characters have generic bodies with altered heads! KOEI should have improved this before releasing the game.This is the only fault I have observed in the otherwise flawless graphical department.

Sound: 8/10

The music used in this really fits the battle sequences.The only thing that is not worth noting in the sound department is its repetitiveness once you get to play it over and over again. Otherwise, the sound department is definitely okay for most people.

Controls: 10/10

Ahhh...the controls. The control system is very easy to learn because it is a turn-based strategy game. The controls are basically highlighting the option and then clicking it. I believe that a gamer, whether new to this stuff or nut, will not have any problems in learning the intuitive and fluent control system.

Gameplay: 10/10

The gameplay is excellently designed by the people at KOEI. You have 4 main selectable generals,namely Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Sun Ce and Lu Bu. All of them have their own storylines and their own fighting techniques and abilities. You start out slow with a small force until you progress all the way to having a full-fledged army. You may think that the game's pace is slow but trust me, there are a lot of battles. You ca also use some link and chain tactics to maximize your battle efficiency.You get to form armies to send into battle or to use as a defense force against enemy invaders. The player is also allowed to get more techniques by increasing craft points.

Replayability: 10/10

You could play this again without getting bored because of the many secrets that could be unlocked and the many officers that could be recruited by different means. There are certain decisions along the way that could alter the outcome. Try if you could unlock everything!

Overall: 9.5/10

Overall, Dynasty Tactics 2 is a great game. It is definitely worth your money. This one of KOEI's most prestigious line of strategy games. We have hardly seen any serious strategy game. This one certainly hits the spot.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/29/03