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Dynasty Warriors 2
"During the scond century in China, the three kingdoms of Wei, Wu, and
Shu brought chaos and war to the land. True warriors rose to meet the
challenge of that age."
I'm quite fond of the setting and style of Romance of the Three
Kingdoms, KOEI's strategy series set in the wars of second- and third-
century China. There's always one thing you can say against most strategy
games, though, and that's that they place you so far removed from the
action. Though a few, like Dragon Force, do a pretty good job of
presenting the melee of battle, in most you sit high above the battlefield, a
general or a god manipulating his pawns from afar. That's not exactly a
negative so much as it's one of the conventions of the genre, but wouldn't
it be cool to be right there in the thick of it?
That's the idea behind Shin Sangoku Musou, or Dynasty Warriors 2,
Romance's setting imported into a 3D action game. It's a little unusual to
have gameplay impressions before hard information about a game,
empirical before theoretical, but in this case it's interesting to have found
an action title that could have already been carried by the action alone, and
then discover that there's an entirely new layer of depth to its design.
In Dynasty Warriors 2, you take on the role of a single hero - Lu Bu,
Zhang Fei, or one of the many other figures of the Three Kingdoms epic.
You battle on a vast stage, with the ability to affect the course of major
events. One of the nifty little illustrations in Koei's planning documents is
a grid, comparing the size of the Destrega battlefield to the one in Dynasty
Warriors 2. The latter is approximately 400 times the size of the former;
over 150 virtual acres, which can hold over 1000 individual enemies and
allies. The massive cast and area combine to create a realistically
simulated battle to immerse yourself in.
Your hero fights toward individual goals that affect the larger battle
around him. You're given particular missions and objectives, the sort of
commands you yourself give during Sangokushi - take the enemy HQ, kill
the enemy commander. How quickly you complete those objectives
affects how the battle progresses. If you can't break through and score a
decisive advantage, friendly forces may be whittled down, which leaves
more enemies to come after you. If you can pull off some surprising coup
or deed of heroism, that affects the morale and command structure of both
ally and enemy - both nearby and on other parts of the battlefield, your
troops will fight harder while your opponents inch closer to retreat.
A miniature map is set into the corner of the screen, which describes how
the tide of battle is flowing on different parts of the field. Remaining
conscious of the larger picture is important, even when you're caught up in
an individual encounter. At times, even if you're focused on one goal,
you'll have to move to another part of the battlefield so as to help shore up
a weak point in your line, or you can spot weak points in the enemy line
that you can focus on and break through.
The next level of depth involves how each battle is integrated into the
larger campaign. At the beginning of the game, you can pick one of
several different characters, each allied to one of the armies of the Three
Kingdoms. As you fight your way through campaigns of many battles,
developments occur that affect your individual hero and the entire
nationwide conflict. Your hero gains new abilities through combat
experience, which affects both his skill in battle and how enemies react to
him on the field and in campaigns. If you develop a reputation as a
fearsome fighter, the more likely it is that they'll send their best troops
after you or prepare strong defenses in the areas you're sent to. Where you
wind up, and what missions you're assigned to accomplish, is also affected
by your individual reputation and performance. The campaign can move
down different paths depending on the outcome of battles.
This is what could be the most exciting element of Dynasty Warriors 2, if
developer Omega Force can pull it off, this grand scope that allows the
integration of action and simulation. The mindlessness of so many beat-
'em-up games (and boy, have we seen some mindless ones) could be
replaced be a new sense of focus, direction, and continuity. The strategic
elements add an extra layer of depth to the action sequences, and the
campaign and character development elements in turn add significance to
each battle.
Lest you become too focused on the bigger picture, though, Dynasty
Warriors 2 offers plenty of variety in in the immediate moments of battle.
Your hero, chosen from among the ranks of the age's many famous
figured, can wield all sorts of weapons for both mundane and special
attacks. Swords sweep through individual enemies, you can lay about
yourself on all sides with spears and staves, and the wimpy can charge
about a-horse while picking off footmen with their archery skills. Special
items can be found scattered about the battlefield, things like horses (not
exactly an "item", but you understand), weapons, armor and shields, and
special hidden items that can increase your command ability or other
attributes.
The combat controls have other touches to increase the depth of options
available in battle. You can attack and guard, as expected, but there are
also charge attacks that let you pull off a variety of different powerful
special maneuvers, dash attacks performed while running, and ripostes
that let you counterattack while guarding against onrushing enemies.
Fighting from horseback limits your options as far as special attacks, but it
greatly increases your speed and defensive capabilities, and it makes the
perfect platform for fighting with a bow.
Our first-hand tests of Dynasty Warriors 2 at E3 and the Tokyo Game
Show have proven that the game will deliver as far as action is concerned,
providing the framerate can be sped up and kept constant. Now, with what
we've learned about the simulation elements that will surround the game,
it's become a much more interesting title. US gamers will get a chance to
see if it lives up to its promise at the earliest possible opportunity -
according to Koei, it's scheduled to ship on October 26 with the launch of
PS2.
"During the scond century in China, the three kingdoms of Wei, Wu, and
Shu brought chaos and war to the land. True warriors rose to meet the
challenge of that age."
I'm quite fond of the setting and style of Romance of the Three
Kingdoms, KOEI's strategy series set in the wars of second- and third-
century China. There's always one thing you can say against most strategy
games, though, and that's that they place you so far removed from the
action. Though a few, like Dragon Force, do a pretty good job of
presenting the melee of battle, in most you sit high above the battlefield, a
general or a god manipulating his pawns from afar. That's not exactly a
negative so much as it's one of the conventions of the genre, but wouldn't
it be cool to be right there in the thick of it?
That's the idea behind Shin Sangoku Musou, or Dynasty Warriors 2,
Romance's setting imported into a 3D action game. It's a little unusual to
have gameplay impressions before hard information about a game,
empirical before theoretical, but in this case it's interesting to have found
an action title that could have already been carried by the action alone, and
then discover that there's an entirely new layer of depth to its design.
In Dynasty Warriors 2, you take on the role of a single hero - Lu Bu,
Zhang Fei, or one of the many other figures of the Three Kingdoms epic.
You battle on a vast stage, with the ability to affect the course of major
events. One of the nifty little illustrations in Koei's planning documents is
a grid, comparing the size of the Destrega battlefield to the one in Dynasty
Warriors 2. The latter is approximately 400 times the size of the former;
over 150 virtual acres, which can hold over 1000 individual enemies and
allies. The massive cast and area combine to create a realistically
simulated battle to immerse yourself in.
Your hero fights toward individual goals that affect the larger battle
around him. You're given particular missions and objectives, the sort of
commands you yourself give during Sangokushi - take the enemy HQ, kill
the enemy commander. How quickly you complete those objectives
affects how the battle progresses. If you can't break through and score a
decisive advantage, friendly forces may be whittled down, which leaves
more enemies to come after you. If you can pull off some surprising coup
or deed of heroism, that affects the morale and command structure of both
ally and enemy - both nearby and on other parts of the battlefield, your
troops will fight harder while your opponents inch closer to retreat.
A miniature map is set into the corner of the screen, which describes how
the tide of battle is flowing on different parts of the field. Remaining
conscious of the larger picture is important, even when you're caught up in
an individual encounter. At times, even if you're focused on one goal,
you'll have to move to another part of the battlefield so as to help shore up
a weak point in your line, or you can spot weak points in the enemy line
that you can focus on and break through.
The next level of depth involves how each battle is integrated into the
larger campaign. At the beginning of the game, you can pick one of
several different characters, each allied to one of the armies of the Three
Kingdoms. As you fight your way through campaigns of many battles,
developments occur that affect your individual hero and the entire
nationwide conflict. Your hero gains new abilities through combat
experience, which affects both his skill in battle and how enemies react to
him on the field and in campaigns. If you develop a reputation as a
fearsome fighter, the more likely it is that they'll send their best troops
after you or prepare strong defenses in the areas you're sent to. Where you
wind up, and what missions you're assigned to accomplish, is also affected
by your individual reputation and performance. The campaign can move
down different paths depending on the outcome of battles.
This is what could be the most exciting element of Dynasty Warriors 2, if
developer Omega Force can pull it off, this grand scope that allows the
integration of action and simulation. The mindlessness of so many beat-
'em-up games (and boy, have we seen some mindless ones) could be
replaced be a new sense of focus, direction, and continuity. The strategic
elements add an extra layer of depth to the action sequences, and the
campaign and character development elements in turn add significance to
each battle.
Lest you become too focused on the bigger picture, though, Dynasty
Warriors 2 offers plenty of variety in in the immediate moments of battle.
Your hero, chosen from among the ranks of the age's many famous
figured, can wield all sorts of weapons for both mundane and special
attacks. Swords sweep through individual enemies, you can lay about
yourself on all sides with spears and staves, and the wimpy can charge
about a-horse while picking off footmen with their archery skills. Special
items can be found scattered about the battlefield, things like horses (not
exactly an "item", but you understand), weapons, armor and shields, and
special hidden items that can increase your command ability or other
attributes.
The combat controls have other touches to increase the depth of options
available in battle. You can attack and guard, as expected, but there are
also charge attacks that let you pull off a variety of different powerful
special maneuvers, dash attacks performed while running, and ripostes
that let you counterattack while guarding against onrushing enemies.
Fighting from horseback limits your options as far as special attacks, but it
greatly increases your speed and defensive capabilities, and it makes the
perfect platform for fighting with a bow.
Our first-hand tests of Dynasty Warriors 2 at E3 and the Tokyo Game
Show have proven that the game will deliver as far as action is concerned,
providing the framerate can be sped up and kept constant. Now, with what
we've learned about the simulation elements that will surround the game,
it's become a much more interesting title. US gamers will get a chance to
see if it lives up to its promise at the earliest possible opportunity -
according to Koei, it's scheduled to ship on October 26 with the launch of
PS2.
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Dynasty Warriors 2
"During the scond century in China, the three kingdoms of Wei, Wu, and
Shu brought chaos and war to the land. True warriors rose to meet the
challenge of that age."
I'm quite fond of the setting and style of Romance of the Three
Kingdoms, KOEI's strategy series set in the wars of second- and third-
century China. There's always one thing you can say against most strategy
games, though, and that's that they place you so far removed from the
action. Though a few, like Dragon Force, do a pretty good job of
presenting the melee of battle, in most you sit high above the battlefield, a
general or a god manipulating his pawns from afar. That's not exactly a
negative so much as it's one of the conventions of the genre, but wouldn't
it be cool to be right there in the thick of it?
That's the idea behind Shin Sangoku Musou, or Dynasty Warriors 2,
Romance's setting imported into a 3D action game. It's a little unusual to
have gameplay impressions before hard information about a game,
empirical before theoretical, but in this case it's interesting to have found
an action title that could have already been carried by the action alone, and
then discover that there's an entirely new layer of depth to its design.
In Dynasty Warriors 2, you take on the role of a single hero - Lu Bu,
Zhang Fei, or one of the many other figures of the Three Kingdoms epic.
You battle on a vast stage, with the ability to affect the course of major
events. One of the nifty little illustrations in Koei's planning documents is
a grid, comparing the size of the Destrega battlefield to the one in Dynasty
Warriors 2. The latter is approximately 400 times the size of the former;
over 150 virtual acres, which can hold over 1000 individual enemies and
allies. The massive cast and area combine to create a realistically
simulated battle to immerse yourself in.
Your hero fights toward individual goals that affect the larger battle
around him. You're given particular missions and objectives, the sort of
commands you yourself give during Sangokushi - take the enemy HQ, kill
the enemy commander. How quickly you complete those objectives
affects how the battle progresses. If you can't break through and score a
decisive advantage, friendly forces may be whittled down, which leaves
more enemies to come after you. If you can pull off some surprising coup
or deed of heroism, that affects the morale and command structure of both
ally and enemy - both nearby and on other parts of the battlefield, your
troops will fight harder while your opponents inch closer to retreat.
A miniature map is set into the corner of the screen, which describes how
the tide of battle is flowing on different parts of the field. Remaining
conscious of the larger picture is important, even when you're caught up in
an individual encounter. At times, even if you're focused on one goal,
you'll have to move to another part of the battlefield so as to help shore up
a weak point in your line, or you can spot weak points in the enemy line
that you can focus on and break through.
The next level of depth involves how each battle is integrated into the
larger campaign. At the beginning of the game, you can pick one of
several different characters, each allied to one of the armies of the Three
Kingdoms. As you fight your way through campaigns of many battles,
developments occur that affect your individual hero and the entire
nationwide conflict. Your hero gains new abilities through combat
experience, which affects both his skill in battle and how enemies react to
him on the field and in campaigns. If you develop a reputation as a
fearsome fighter, the more likely it is that they'll send their best troops
after you or prepare strong defenses in the areas you're sent to. Where you
wind up, and what missions you're assigned to accomplish, is also affected
by your individual reputation and performance. The campaign can move
down different paths depending on the outcome of battles.
This is what could be the most exciting element of Dynasty Warriors 2, if
developer Omega Force can pull it off, this grand scope that allows the
integration of action and simulation. The mindlessness of so many beat-
'em-up games (and boy, have we seen some mindless ones) could be
replaced be a new sense of focus, direction, and continuity. The strategic
elements add an extra layer of depth to the action sequences, and the
campaign and character development elements in turn add significance to
each battle.
Lest you become too focused on the bigger picture, though, Dynasty
Warriors 2 offers plenty of variety in in the immediate moments of battle.
Your hero, chosen from among the ranks of the age's many famous
figured, can wield all sorts of weapons for both mundane and special
attacks. Swords sweep through individual enemies, you can lay about
yourself on all sides with spears and staves, and the wimpy can charge
about a-horse while picking off footmen with their archery skills. Special
items can be found scattered about the battlefield, things like horses (not
exactly an "item", but you understand), weapons, armor and shields, and
special hidden items that can increase your command ability or other
attributes.
The combat controls have other touches to increase the depth of options
available in battle. You can attack and guard, as expected, but there are
also charge attacks that let you pull off a variety of different powerful
special maneuvers, dash attacks performed while running, and ripostes
that let you counterattack while guarding against onrushing enemies.
Fighting from horseback limits your options as far as special attacks, but it
greatly increases your speed and defensive capabilities, and it makes the
perfect platform for fighting with a bow.
Our first-hand tests of Dynasty Warriors 2 at E3 and the Tokyo Game
Show have proven that the game will deliver as far as action is concerned,
providing the framerate can be sped up and kept constant. Now, with what
we've learned about the simulation elements that will surround the game,
it's become a much more interesting title. US gamers will get a chance to
see if it lives up to its promise at the earliest possible opportunity -
according to Koei, it's scheduled to ship on October 26 with the launch of
PS2.
"During the scond century in China, the three kingdoms of Wei, Wu, and
Shu brought chaos and war to the land. True warriors rose to meet the
challenge of that age."
I'm quite fond of the setting and style of Romance of the Three
Kingdoms, KOEI's strategy series set in the wars of second- and third-
century China. There's always one thing you can say against most strategy
games, though, and that's that they place you so far removed from the
action. Though a few, like Dragon Force, do a pretty good job of
presenting the melee of battle, in most you sit high above the battlefield, a
general or a god manipulating his pawns from afar. That's not exactly a
negative so much as it's one of the conventions of the genre, but wouldn't
it be cool to be right there in the thick of it?
That's the idea behind Shin Sangoku Musou, or Dynasty Warriors 2,
Romance's setting imported into a 3D action game. It's a little unusual to
have gameplay impressions before hard information about a game,
empirical before theoretical, but in this case it's interesting to have found
an action title that could have already been carried by the action alone, and
then discover that there's an entirely new layer of depth to its design.
In Dynasty Warriors 2, you take on the role of a single hero - Lu Bu,
Zhang Fei, or one of the many other figures of the Three Kingdoms epic.
You battle on a vast stage, with the ability to affect the course of major
events. One of the nifty little illustrations in Koei's planning documents is
a grid, comparing the size of the Destrega battlefield to the one in Dynasty
Warriors 2. The latter is approximately 400 times the size of the former;
over 150 virtual acres, which can hold over 1000 individual enemies and
allies. The massive cast and area combine to create a realistically
simulated battle to immerse yourself in.
Your hero fights toward individual goals that affect the larger battle
around him. You're given particular missions and objectives, the sort of
commands you yourself give during Sangokushi - take the enemy HQ, kill
the enemy commander. How quickly you complete those objectives
affects how the battle progresses. If you can't break through and score a
decisive advantage, friendly forces may be whittled down, which leaves
more enemies to come after you. If you can pull off some surprising coup
or deed of heroism, that affects the morale and command structure of both
ally and enemy - both nearby and on other parts of the battlefield, your
troops will fight harder while your opponents inch closer to retreat.
A miniature map is set into the corner of the screen, which describes how
the tide of battle is flowing on different parts of the field. Remaining
conscious of the larger picture is important, even when you're caught up in
an individual encounter. At times, even if you're focused on one goal,
you'll have to move to another part of the battlefield so as to help shore up
a weak point in your line, or you can spot weak points in the enemy line
that you can focus on and break through.
The next level of depth involves how each battle is integrated into the
larger campaign. At the beginning of the game, you can pick one of
several different characters, each allied to one of the armies of the Three
Kingdoms. As you fight your way through campaigns of many battles,
developments occur that affect your individual hero and the entire
nationwide conflict. Your hero gains new abilities through combat
experience, which affects both his skill in battle and how enemies react to
him on the field and in campaigns. If you develop a reputation as a
fearsome fighter, the more likely it is that they'll send their best troops
after you or prepare strong defenses in the areas you're sent to. Where you
wind up, and what missions you're assigned to accomplish, is also affected
by your individual reputation and performance. The campaign can move
down different paths depending on the outcome of battles.
This is what could be the most exciting element of Dynasty Warriors 2, if
developer Omega Force can pull it off, this grand scope that allows the
integration of action and simulation. The mindlessness of so many beat-
'em-up games (and boy, have we seen some mindless ones) could be
replaced be a new sense of focus, direction, and continuity. The strategic
elements add an extra layer of depth to the action sequences, and the
campaign and character development elements in turn add significance to
each battle.
Lest you become too focused on the bigger picture, though, Dynasty
Warriors 2 offers plenty of variety in in the immediate moments of battle.
Your hero, chosen from among the ranks of the age's many famous
figured, can wield all sorts of weapons for both mundane and special
attacks. Swords sweep through individual enemies, you can lay about
yourself on all sides with spears and staves, and the wimpy can charge
about a-horse while picking off footmen with their archery skills. Special
items can be found scattered about the battlefield, things like horses (not
exactly an "item", but you understand), weapons, armor and shields, and
special hidden items that can increase your command ability or other
attributes.
The combat controls have other touches to increase the depth of options
available in battle. You can attack and guard, as expected, but there are
also charge attacks that let you pull off a variety of different powerful
special maneuvers, dash attacks performed while running, and ripostes
that let you counterattack while guarding against onrushing enemies.
Fighting from horseback limits your options as far as special attacks, but it
greatly increases your speed and defensive capabilities, and it makes the
perfect platform for fighting with a bow.
Our first-hand tests of Dynasty Warriors 2 at E3 and the Tokyo Game
Show have proven that the game will deliver as far as action is concerned,
providing the framerate can be sped up and kept constant. Now, with what
we've learned about the simulation elements that will surround the game,
it's become a much more interesting title. US gamers will get a chance to
see if it lives up to its promise at the earliest possible opportunity -
according to Koei, it's scheduled to ship on October 26 with the launch of
PS2.