Destiny of an Emperor

The Good
Destiny of an Emperor is a role playing game from Capcom. You read that right-- Capcom. The same people from whom you have come to expect- no- demand top-rank action games. So how was this RPG outing for Capcom? It had some good points.

For one thing, the theme was unusual. Rather than controlling one hero throughout a mythical realm, this game has you commanding warlords in ancient China. Allegedly based on actual historical records, the game uses soldiers in place of hit points. Somewhat callous, but a novel twist nonetheless.

The Bad
The worst thing about this game is the fact that it masquerades as a free-form RPG/adventure game while it is as linear as a game can be. An RPG is supposed to feature a vast world that you can roam and explore as you see fit (or as your experience level, hit points, and equipment will allow). This game appears to allow you to explore anywhere. But closer examination reveals that you can not really move anywhere you want to. Deviate too far from the set path and you quickly find that all other routes are blocked by rocks and mountains.

Another item that I had trouble with, personally-- and I openly admit that this is strictly a cultural matter-- is that I had the most difficult time trying to differentiate all of the Chinese names in this game.

The Bottom Line
It may take you a few days to plod through it, but Destiny of an Emperor is still quite easy for an RPG, probably owing to its linear nature.