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Review by Felix Arabia
January 20, 2009

You can’t tell Kessen is a great game simply by looking at it. You need to play it, think about it, leave it, come back to it, forget about it, remember it, play it some more, and then finally write about it. This process may take years. After finishing the list, you may still not fully appreciate Kessen’s simplicities and complexities, but then Rome wasn’t built in a day, either.

The Tokugawa shogunate is at war with the House of Toyotomi, but the names shouldn’t matter. Kessen is a game about war and its portrayal as a magnificent entity in Japan’s history, and as a vehicle for human existence. This is apparent throughout the game’s visually impressive cinematic sequences, but it isn’t as emphasized during the grainy in-game battles that occur as two converging armies clash amid a field of chaos. Kessen is a launch-PS2 title crafted by the likes of Kou Shibusawa, Koei’s innumerable historical strategy game master. At the very beginning of the game’s campaign, a letter signed by Mr. Shibusawa greets the player. Thank you for playing my game – it says. You could assume it was an apology.

But it’s not. Kessen has never been a well-received game, neither by critics nor consumers. It’s a slowly paced title, and it’s replete with historical figures embellished in stature and power. That’s not to say that the game isn’t striking to behold. At the head of the Eastern forces is Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa, and to his opposite is Mitsunari Ishida. Both men are power-hungry and wicked, yet only one has the will to secure his name in the annals of military lore.

The game is set in medieval Japan, right at the height of the civil war that segregated the land into two warring factions, one under the reign of the House of Toyotomi, and the other under the aspiring warlord Tokugawa. Battles are fought, characters are killed, and time passes until neither side is capable of remembering how such a conflict began. What is most impressive about the story telling is the manner in which it is conveyed. Every important cinematic sequence is given full CG sheen, but, even more importantly, it is told with heart. As the Eastern camp settles in for a war council, we learn of the men who fight beside Tokugawa. Lord Kuroda’s father seeks to usurp power in Kyushu; Hosakawa’s wife committed suicide to save herself from Ishida’s cruelty. Yi is an upstart hoping to prove himself in battle, while Honda has already secured his place as his master’s right-hand man. Tokugawa loves his generals as if they were his own blood, which is to say he looks more fondly upon his vassals than his actual son.

Along the way we come to see other relationships unfold as war spreads across the land. Men betray one side to obtain the prestige offered by another. Assassins threaten the balance of power. Friends die in front of each other in plain sight. Family bonds are strained, even broken. We’re constantly reminded just how ambitions can lead men astray. Should Tokugawa fail to unite Japan, he will surely dig his own grave, along with the graves of hundreds of thousands.

After completing the game once, you are given the opportunity to do just that. Now, playing as the forces from the West, Japan stands on the verge of having its history books rewritten. Even losing a battle or two along the way will alter the pages’ course. Will the final showdown for supremacy occur at the gates of Osaka Castle, or on the bloodied plains of Edo?

Each battle is begins with a simmering pace until a usually explosive and bloody climax takes things into overdrive. We’re given a bird’s eye view for witnessing the events occurring down below. Through this we are made generals and given the full reins of command. Battles consist of maneuvers, tactics, and lots of marching. The best strategy involves pressing the attack, but it is impossible to argue against military logic. Implement the best course for war as the situation calls. Do not expect victory if there is a mismatch going against you. Cavalry excel against infantry, provided said infantry lack the common sense to set up a spear wall, just as clumps of soldiers in range of a cannon barrage bear the risk of raining death.

Of course, should the enemy prove too tough, there are many ways to whittle away its strength without putting your own forces in direct danger. Arrows and barrages are two methods. Setting up an ambush is another. Even a simple rally can lift a soldier’s spirits to new heights. It is always recommended that your men are fresh and ready to kill. It’s either that or they suffer the sharp end of a blade.

As battles unfold, it can become easy to lose track of everything going on, but switching from one force to another is expedient and simple. Managing your entire force is equally straightforward. The menus and assignments never get in the way of what’s unfolding down below, and plenty of times are afforded for more dynamic views of the battlefield. This is incredibly important, because we care about the plights of the men dueling it out on the battlefield. The generals are always flamboyantly dressed, almost to the point of disbelief, but their character never manages to fade. A certain Fukushima charges into a throng of foes outnumbered, cursing as he slices them with his blade. If a man has let the devil possess his will, stand back!

In many ways, Kessen offers some of the most memorable strategy warfare of the past decade. The characters, the rivalries, and the plotting are rich enough, but the combat is quite enjoyable, too. It’s not filled with fantasy, though several moments are truly fantastic. And all are great.

Rating
8	Excellent Most of the elements of this game come together in fine form, meaning it's an experience you won't want to miss.
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Game Profile & Content All NA EU JP AU
	Staff Score (Avg): 8.0 User Score (Avg): 6.0 Press Score (Avg): N/A Reviews: 2 Guides: 0 Cheats: 1 Ratings: 2 High Scores: 0 Screenshots: 0 Videos: 0
Title: Kessen Genre: Real-Time Strategy Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Koei Release Date: October 17, 2000 ESRB: E

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