Dynasty Tactics

UPC: 040198001168

Platform: PlayStation 2

Publisher: Koei Corporation

Developer: Koei Co., Ltd.

Category: Strategy

Style(s): 3D Turn-Based Strategy

Synopsis: The Three Kingdoms era of Early Imperial China serves as the backdrop for Dynasty Tactics, an offshoot of Koei's Dynasty Warriors series focusing on turn-based strategy instead of 3D action. As either Liu Bei, Cao Cao, or Sun Ce players must carve a dynasty out of the chaos that has engulfed the region. Starting from a single capital, players must establish armies, nominate envoys, and recruit new officers to the cause while forming alliances, declaring war, and satisfying particular in-game objectives. The battles, which form the heart of play, pit armies of soldiers against one another in turn-based warfare. Each army under the player's control can be made up of four officers: a commander, strategist, and two generals, each of whom has thousands of soldiers at his disposal. The objective is to eradicate the opposing commander within a 30-day time limit (each day represents one full turn). Battles take place atop grid-like fields, with each officer capable of moving a certain number of spaces based on factors such as unit type and terrain. Turn order is based on the morale of each officer, with the highest morale moving first. After moving to the designated spot, officers can then be positioned in one of the four cardinal directions to set up potential Tactic Combos. Each officer possesses unique battle tactics such as repel, charge, switch, and pit that can be employed when certain battlefield conditions are met. Once executed, a cinematic sequence will play depicting the two sides engaged in a skirmish or other pertinent action. The ability to use tactics effectively involves proper placement and the correct orientation of an officer. The Aid Tactic, for example, can only be initiated when two allied officers are near an enemy, adjacent to each other, and are facing the same direction. Oftentimes, these tactics will automatically push or pull enemy units to different grid spaces, thereby facilitating the execution of Tactic Combos. Tactic Combos can be unleashed when the outcome of one tactic automatically triggers the necessary conditions required to execute another, with each subsequent combo doling out greater damage than the last. Although tactics are far more effective than ordinary attacks, they can only be used a limited number of times. At the conclusion of battle, the officer's level is increased based on the deeds performed in battle. High-level officers command larger numbers of troops and are also capable of executing advanced tactics. Between battles, players are taken to a map of the region, detailing enemy positions, political alignment, and other such pertinent information. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Package Contents: Registration Card

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

Offers details and descriptions of tactical combos, units and characters along with explanations of the various facets of the gameplay. Some questions are left unanswered, but it provides enough food for thought until players figure things out for themselves. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Battlefields offer minimal visual flash, but are accompanied by beautifully rendered battle scenes and top-notch presentation. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

It's a safe bet that anything based upon the Three Kingdoms Saga, the backbone of Koei's portfolio, will be treated with the kind of care and respect that the source material demands. The numerous Romance of the Three Kingdoms strategy titles are evidence enough of this, while the shallow but enjoyable Dynasty Warriors series panders to the more visceral tastes of players. While it offers plenty to entice strategy enthusiasts, Dynasty Tactics eschews the diplomacy-heavy, micro-management aspects of the former, choosing instead to focus on the strategy of battle; a thinking man's war game, if you will. Although players will have to concern themselves with such duties as forming alliances, appointing political envoys and maintaining fragile relationships, one never has to wait long to engage in battle; a very good thing, considering that much of the enjoyment to be derived from the title is found on the battlefield. An amalgamation of turn-based strategy and puzzle aspects, Dynasty Tactics appears rather intimidating at first. And in truth, after a few hours of play you still feel out of your depth. But then something clicks, and battle plans that previously would have fallen apart at the seams with only a single enemy movement, become diabolical machinations of which Sun Tzu himself would be proud. With precise planning, awareness of your enemy's movement, and just a smidgen of luck, it's possible to unleash devastating, multi-staged tactical combos. The ensuing chaos, as wave after wave of attack unfolds, is a sight to behold. Besides, it makes you feel pretty darn smart. Thankfully, the initial parts of the game are incredibly forgiving, allowing players to win battles with only the most basic of combination attacks, if any at all. Were the game not so accommodating, then few would probably persist long enough to reap the benefits and rewards that only substantial knowledge of the game mechanics can provide. Qualifying exactly what it is that makes Dynasty Tactics so enjoyable is rather difficult, but it probably has something to do with the element of luck present in every battle. Granted, nothing can replace careful forethought, but even the best-laid plans can go wrong at the drop of a hat. As a result, the suspense becomes almost unbearable as you anxiously await the CPU's move, hoping all the while that he doesn't foil your carefully crafted trap. Notable battle events are accompanied by wonderfully crafted cut-scenes -- of the ilk Koei has become known for -- that detail your most hardened generals storming into the midst of the enemy forces, troops building a supply encampment, commanders taunting the opposing armies, and other such battlefield occurrences. Presented using a combination of overlays and full-screen scenes, these events draw the player even further into the battle. That said, the grid-based environments atop which the action unfolds are minimalist, offering only sparse vegetation, average textures, and basic animation. The music, as you might expect, is befitting of the time period, offering melodic Chinese orchestrations during the over-world areas and more up-tempo tracks during battle. A point of contention, and something that has plagued many of Koei's recent localizations, is the voice-acting. Although competent, lines are delivered with little emotion. To make matters worse, many of the names of famous Chinese figures are woefully mispronounced, something that is disappointing considering Koei's otherwise meticulous attention to detail. Considering the nature of this epic tale, perhaps Chinese voice-actors accompanied by English subtitles would have been a better option. It would certainly help maintain the level of authenticity. Given a chance, Dynasty Tactics is a title that will appeal to all but the most hardened of action fans, offering substantial reward for your time investment and a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that few other games can provide. Though united by a common theme, Dynasty Tactics differentiates itself from titles such as Kessen and Romance of the Three Kingdoms that have come before it. It warrants a look from fans of the genre, along with any other broad-minded players. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

While only the truly dedicated will finish all three single-player campaigns, the two-player mode offers plenty of replayability -- assuming you have a willing opponent, that is. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Unobtrusive, yet atmospheric, the music during battle and the over-world is a joy to listen to. The voice-acting, however, is painfully lacking. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Surmounting the learning curve can be a frustrating experience, but once you begin to fully grasp the play mechanics, the level of enjoyment increases substantially. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.