Dynasty Tactics 2

Dynasty Tactics 2 is a riveting game that places you in the spot of a tactical general, leading your army towards victory in battle. If you’re up for a riveting tale of rivalry and tactical battles, this will be right up your alley.

Story

Dynasty Tactics 2 follows the same format as its predecessor. It includes campaigns focusing on powerful warlords such as Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Ce, who rose to prominence following the fall of China's Han Empire. The campaigns include some beautifully crafted prerendered cinematic sequences, plenty of text-based conversations between the characters, and the occasional branching point—as the commander of your faction, you'll occasionally be expected to make important choices about how to proceed, which will have a significant impact on how the campaign develops.

Gameplay

In terms of gameplay, Dynasty Tactics 2 is divided into two layers: a strategic layer, reminiscent of the board game Risk, in which you organize your armies and move them around the region, and a battlefield layer, in which your armies, each led by a different commander in charge of thousands of soldiers, clash against opponents. These tactical fights are at the center of Dynasty Tactics 2, and fans of part one will recall that they play out differently than other turn-based strategy games or anything else. Another game where you can control similar units is in Civilization VI and other titles in the Civilization franchise.

Pikemen, infantry, cavalry, archers, and even engineers, who can build siege machines like catapults and arbalests that may rain death on their adversaries from afar, are all examples of battlefield forces. Morale is always a factor to consider, as it influences not only the order in which units move on the battlefield, but also whether or not they may use certain special abilities.

Dynasty Tactics 2 is incredibly combo-heavy, almost to the point of becoming obnoxious. In the original game, the combos acted as a way to let you escape hardship and achieve victory through smart decision-making and a bit of luck, but they weren't as important to winning each scenario as they are in this version. On a single turn preceding any additional combinations that might be formed, you can "chain" combos together for officer units, employing one or more of their powers.

Visuals

Dynasty Tactics 2 appears to be fairly similar to its predecessor, which means it looks fantastic. The battlefields may appear simple at first glance, but once the armies collide, the employment of tactics often results in dramatic-looking, completely 3D scenarios. The majority of the officers have distinct appearances, and the game's aesthetic is rather attractive when compared to most turn-based strategy games. Dynasty Tactics 2 also sounds great, with a powerful music that perfectly captures the era and the ferocity of the war.

Pros:

• Awesome strategy
• Builds upon prequel

Cons:

• Weak story
• Can be excessive with the combos