PlayStation 2

Kessen II

Do You Remember Love? Chief among the liberal interpretations that bothered some fans was the fictional love between Diao Chan and Liu Bei, which is the centerpiece of the game's story.

Wei, meet the mighty power of Wu-Shu! Pre-battle strategic overviews often involve a map with standard unit icons and imagery of the generals involved. Here the Army of Wei engages the combined fleets of Wu and Shu at Chi Bi.

Extraordinary helmet, matching weapon. Kessen continues its trademark of overly-stylistic armor.

You sunk my battleship! The strategic map allows for quick overviews of battles and changes in strategy.

Truly a god of war. Guan Yu's stats early in the game. You can also change formations from the tactical menus.

Diao Chan, you look...different. For some reason, sometimes Diao Chan appears as the only live-action character in cut-scenes.

Not your history book's China. Artistic liberties were taken often in Kessen 2, from costumes to personalities to weaponry.

My power's grown THIS big! Training your troops between battles is essential, as their stats not only increase, but they also gain tide-turning special abilities.

She means YOU! There's a good reason Mei's pissed...she's the subject of multiple cleavage jokes in the course of the game.

The sky is falling! Some of the characters can cast literal ground-breaking war spells.

Same old story. Memorize your goal here, as it will be nearly the same for every battle.

The Bold vs. the Beautiful. Daring generals can challenge each other to duels. Although no one can die, the loser has to live with his troops losing respect for him.

The cold shoulder. Wind, Earth, Fire, Water...the Kessen 2 mages attack with nearly every element.

A personal touch. Kessen 2 allows you to more directly control things on the battlefield by possessing your generals. Learning how to gather and charge your men is very important.

Shocking stuff. Himiko may just be a little Japanese girl completely lost in 2nd century China, but don't piss off the sorceress...

It's my army and I'll cry if I want to. Don't underestimate the value of morale, as a small but invigorated army can beat a much large, lethargic horde.