By Quinton Miles

KOEI announced this afternoon that [i]Kessen III[/i] has officially gone gold and is ready for manufacturing. Produced by Kou Shibusawa, [i]Kessen III[/i] will be the first sequel in the series in nearly four years and will host numerous new features such as non-linear stage selection, better officer and troop development, and a process that lets players choose over 450 accessories for their troops.

“This month will finally see the release of one of the most long-awaited sequels in KOEI’s history. Over two years in the making, Kessen III is a reinvention of the franchise. No longer a turn-based strategy, Kessen III is a true real-time action game with clever strategy and tactical game elements. More than just an action game, Kessen III is also a grand movie-going experience. The story of one of Japan’s most influential samurai comes to life through more than 120 minutes of the most finely crafted cinematic sequences,” said Amos Ip, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at KOEI Corporation.

“This degree of beauty could not have been reached without the talents of KOEI’s internal development teams and Producer Kou Shibusawa. With his vision for Kessen III, Kou Shibusawa continues to be a powerful force in the entertainment industry.”

[i]Kessen III[/i] will be a PlayStation 2 exclusive when it ships on February 22.