Kessen III

My Gamer

The battles require some thought and are a blast to execute, but can often still be completed in ten minutes or so—depending on the battle.

Siliconera

The good mix of action, planning and jaw dropping visuals in Kessen 3 will please the majority of gamers out there. [JPN Import]

GameZone

The only problem with this game is that the AI is not the smartest.

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

There's so much potential for strategy here that it's almost overwhelming. [PSM2]

AceGamez

A great title and there's nothing else quite like it. The only thing that comes close is "Kingdom Under Fire" for the Xbox.

PSM Magazine

Is this thing as addictive as crack-laced Jelly Bellies, or what? The difficulty ramps up almost perfectly, delivering contstant new challenges. [Apr 2005, p.74]

IGN

The strategy and the action mix well together and manage to make a cohesive whole. That's not easy to do and for that Kessen III is very successful.

GamePro

Even while having more twitch-combat, the strategic aspect has not been compromised, making the game approachable for both hardcore and casual audiences.

Computer Games Magazine

What's truly satisfying is these games make history entertaining. [June 2005, p.90]

PALGN

An incredible experience that all strategy fans shouldn’t pass the opportunity to experience.

GameBiz

The game’s graphics are far from amazing – facial detail aside, of course – but overall Kessen III is an innovative and highly-enjoyable title, delivering a fresh and even blend of action and strategy with menus and statistic systems that are easy to learn and to get into and far from convoluted.

Game Informer

This series is close to breaking through, it only needs to tighten up and refine its core elements (as well as expand its linear strucure) to stand out. [March 2005, p.130]

Worth Playing

If you've always craved for a bit more strategy in your Dynasty Warriors game, Kessen III may fit the bill.

Gaming Target

With decent gameplay and a retail price of about 19.99, Kessen III is a bargain for people who are looking for a way to spend several hours per day on an engaging historical melodrama.

GameSpot

Delivers a good balance of tactical decision making and up-close action that will be most appealing to existing fans of Koei's other beat-'em-up works, but it's simple recipe for mass warfare can create an armchair general out of anyone.

Pelaaja (Finland)

Kessen III contains more action than the previous two games in the series combined. Unfortunately, this mostly means constantly having to mash the square-button without much thought put into action. Strategic and tactical elements are still there, but they suffer too much from the more action-oriented game play. [June 2005, p.58]

DarkStation

Strategy buffs out there will not find much to Kessen III as the strategy in the game is quite limited.

Sydney Morning Herald

Major change comes on the battlefield. With the introduction of game mechanics from Dynasty Warriors, players can now directly control troop manoeuvres.

games(TM)

Kessen III manages to prove that strategy and fun aren’t mutually exclusive in the war sim genre. The series still needs to find the right balance between depth and instant fun, but this is proof that Koei is getting closer to the elusive formula with each sequel. [May 2005, p.106]

Edge Magazine

Fortunately, the backbone of strategy means that behind every chaotic disaster lies the digestible conclusion that, with better planning, it could have been avoided. [May 2005, p.87]

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Bravely straddles the border between action and strategy, but it needs to take a step deeper into both territories.

netjak

Repetition, bad AI, and bad localization absolutely kill this game.

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

The manual camera constantly begs for your attention, never where you want it to be. Probably great fun for "Dynasty Warriors" fans.

G4 TV

This ain’t the console equivalent of "Rome: Total War." Action fans might furrow their brows over the slow pacing, and the camera is stubborn, requiring you to manually adjust it to see your surroundings while moving around the enemy.

Gaming Age

The heart of Kessen 3 lies in repetition; in mission layouts, in the simple combo execution, and in the cutscenes and music.

Game Revolution

Lots of options and simple control makes Kessen III about as accessible as war strategizing can get. Unfortunately, the action is pretty repetitive and the button mashing grows tedious, leading to only a two-star general.