Dynasty Warriors 2 PlayStation 2

Keeping the home fires burning. Battles rage from snowy mountain passes to river crossings, fortress walls to inner sanctuaries.

Say hello to my little friends. Cao Cao demonstrates the muscle behind his brains.

Power up mugging. Enemy heroes are the most difficult opponents you'll come across, as they will heal themselves between attacks. Its worth it, however, as they have items that will permanently boost your stats.

Lu Bu might have been impressively tall, but here he looks like Paul Bunyan. With a little luck and a powerful warrior, you can change the course of history.

How heroes go. Throwing yourself in the midst of enemy hordes is a good way to lose bodyguards...and your own life as well. Nevertheless, it is incredibly fun.

Must I do everything? While you'll have to concern yourself with the welfare of your men, it's not because they'll be of tremendous help in battle. Sometimes they'll stand around chatting with the enemy if you're not near.

King of Fighters. The powerful Lu Bu begins as a deadly boss character, but is eventually playable in Free Mode as well. Here he charges the camera for the intro video.

Yellow Turbans? Oh well, so much for hoping Green Lantern will save the day. Before each battle, you'll be presented with a briefing, giving background information, tactical overview, and victory conditions.

Roger that. Other officers on your side will update you on the situation during the game...sometimes instantly sending messages to you from miles away. Early walkie-talkies perhaps?

Who is this Machiavelli? An original master of political treachery, Cao Cao is the leader of one of the kingdoms and eventually a playable character. From the intro video.

Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya... Every main hero will introduce themselves in battle prior to an engagement with you. Some, like Yuan Shao here, wear somewhat accurate armor, while others have highly decorative and fantastical designs.

The Fleet Aflame. The game is only concerned with the land battles of the period, but the intro video does show a popular tactic of the time: setting tied up fleets afire.

Choose your champion. Nine heroes from the Three Kingdoms period are available at first, including the legendary Guan Yu. More become available as you unlock them.

Tranquil Melody. Zhou Yu plays a tune before battle in the opening sequence. Filled with heavy rock music, this is one of the few peaceful moments in the soundtrack.