If the goal behind Kessen was to create a spectacular-looking display of medieval Japanese warfare, it succeeds and then some. If the goal was to make a good real-time strategy game, however, Kessen fails. While at first it's breathtaking to watch the clash of dozens of incredibly detailed 17th Century Japanese soldiers-riflemen, archers, swordsmen, lancers-accompanied by the roar of battle and epic music, Kessen's focus on eye and ear candy hurts the gameplay. This is most evident in the many beautiful, but repetitive cinemas you're forced to watch that show every little thing that occurs on the battlefield. While the close-in battle scenes-the best part of the game-look amazing, the player has little control there beyond watching them. You exert most of your control at the Battle screen, a wide-angle view with a totally different graphics engine-here your units are scruffy 3D icons. Sadly, the controls in the Battle screen are totally counterintuitive, making it a slow, tedious chore to command your units. It's extremely difficult just to roam around the map, choose a unit, and give it an order. You're also thrown all over the map when responding to your lieutenants' constant queries and reports. You never feel in control of a large battle, but feel like an observer of many small, disconnected battles. If you're looking for a good strategy game, seek elsewhere. If you want to show off the amazing graphics of your new PS2, or if you're a fanatic for Japanese history, Kessen delivers.
