Dynasty Tactics 2

"A thinking man's nirvana."

Alright. Lemme just get started by saying that I love the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Era. I would do just about anything on the planet to live during that time period. Really. But that's besides the point. Around Christmas 2003, Dynasty Tactics 2 hit the shelves. It basically took the problems with the first one, and flattened them with a steamroller. The result is a finely polished game that will prove heavenly for all of those who like tactical strategy.

Graphics: The character portraits, as with most Koei games, are exceptionally well done. While it's evident that some people look a bit alike, you have to give some leeway, since they have about 200-300+ people to create.

In battle, the terrain graphics are a bit sparse. I have difficulty determining plains from grassland, a big factor in tactics (Ambushes and fire attacks). Officers tend to share about 7-8 basic designs except for the major characters (Lu Bu, Cao Cao, Sun Ce, and Liu Bei come to mind).

Sound and Music: Meh. I think there's like, one track that I would actually listen to for prolonged periods of time. None of the tracks are like nails on chalkboard, but they're nothing to remember either. Sound's about the same. Voice acting, while it's mostly seen in tactics, is decent. It's nothing earth shattering (Kingdom Hearts), but it's not terrible.

Gameplay: This is where it's fun. Officer customization is a lot greater than before. Tactics can be learned at barracks by Craft points, and it adds a whole new level to the game. Combat remains much the same as in the original, however. This is a good thing. There are plenty of new tricks to keep the old dog happy, but not so much that it will completely overwhem the newer introductee to Dynasty Tactics.

Enjoyment factor: This really depends on the player. I'm a thinker sort of guy. I prefer to sit and think instead of a First Person Shooter. But I'm weird like that. And I'm horrible at FPS's. Dynasty Tactics 2 can be frustrating (Capturing the enemy HQ as yours is captured results in victory for THEM, not you), but it's always a blast when you kill off 30,000 enemy soldiers. And it can be played in 2 player mode as well! Another boon to the game.

Replay: There's four campaigns to complete. There's at least three different sub campaigns in each. Then there's the hidden ''epilouge'' for each campaign. Yeah. You'll be there a while.

Overall opinion: I believe that anyone who likes strategy games or the Three Kingdoms era NEEDS to own this game. It's a great game that will sap your time away. Really.

Overall Evaluation:

Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Music: 7/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Replay: 9/10
Bias: 9/10
Bias: 9/10

Total Score: 60/70, or an 8.571428. Rounded to a 9 for Gamefaqs approved quality.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/29/04