Dragon Force II

Dragon Force II continues the large-scale strategic battles of its predecessor, in which dozens of units clash on screen at once in spectacular, smoothly animated clashes that resemble a raging battlefield melee rather than individual duels. The player manages a kingdom, recruits generals with unique abilities and personal backstories, builds armies made up of infantry, cavalry, and monsters, and decides on campaigns across the world map, while the battles themselves play out as grand automated clashes that can be influenced through command orders, formations, and magic, and between campaigns the player plans further advances across the map and the deployment of forces among the various provinces.

The second installment expands the roster of characters, generals, and hostile factions and further refines the battle system, which was among the Saturn's most striking technical showcases thanks to the large number of moving units on screen without significant slowdown. The music accompanying the individual campaigns and large-scale battles gives the saga's games an epic, martial tone that, together with the clear presentation of large clashes, makes Dragon Force a unique experience in the strategy RPG genre, distinct from turn-based tactics with a small number of units and a clearer approach to combat on small grids.

Like the first installment, this game also remained exclusive to Japan, and Western players got to know it mainly through fan translations and imported copies intended for Japanese consoles. Today Dragon Force II is prized as one of the visually most impressive strategy titles of the Saturn generation and proof that the console could handle battles with an unusually high number of units on screen at once, making it a sought-after item among collectors of Japanese strategy RPGs and fans of large, visually striking battle scenes.

Why play: For collectors of Japanese strategy RPGs and fans of large battle scenes, Dragon Force II offers the visually most impressive battles with an unusually high number of units on the Saturn.