Kohan II: Kings of War
- August 24, 2011
- TimeGate Studios
- 27h median play time
Get on Steam"Kohan II: Kings of War" is a strategy game set in the war-torn world of Khaldun, where players must lead their armies in battles against rival factions and an ancient evil. The game features 3D terrain, weather effects, and diverse armies, with a variety of single and multiplayer modes including a 25-mission campaign. Unique unit management and six distinct races add depth to gameplay, with customizable maps for added replayability.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Kohan II is a unique and enjoyable RTS that emphasizes strategy over micromanagement, allowing players to command customizable squads instead of individual units.
- The game features a rich story, great music, and solid voice acting, making it a nostalgic experience for many players who enjoyed the original Kohan games.
- Despite its age, Kohan II holds up well visually and mechanically, offering a variety of factions and replayability through its map editor and skirmish modes.
- The game struggles with compatibility on modern operating systems like Windows 11, leading to crashes and performance issues.
- The AI can be frustrating, often preventing players from building up their armies effectively, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Multiplayer functionality is severely limited, with many players unable to connect online, making it less appealing for those looking for a competitive experience.
- story70 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally well-received, with many praising its engaging narrative, character development, and the nostalgic return of familiar faces for fans of the original. However, some players find the storyline to be somewhat linear and lacking depth, particularly for newcomers, and it struggles to innovate beyond the previous game's conclusion. Overall, while the campaign offers a satisfying experience, it is often described as a mix of cliché fantasy elements and a decent, if not groundbreaking, plot.
“With a truly wonderful story.”
“Balanced gameplay, great story, lots of faction/unit variety, fascinating world.”
“This game has the best storyline ever written, an awesome character build-up and characteristics, an extraordinary troop displacement and formation.”
“While certainly fun enough (and worth a playthrough if you're a fan of the original games), the storyline struggles to find new room to explore after the conclusion of the previous game.”
“Subplots were not developed as much as they could, and so the story felt rather linear.”
“Oh right, and the story is essentially just there to provide stuffing for the lore.”
- gameplay52 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title features a significant shift from resource gathering to a focus on tactical combat and settlement management, with players capturing limited settlements for automatic resource generation. While the game introduces diverse factions and simplifies town management, it struggles with balance and lacks the depth of tactical trade-offs seen in its predecessor. Overall, it offers a unique strategic experience, though some players feel they are often contending with the mechanics rather than fully utilizing them.
“This lets you focus more on the tactical gameplay, which is exceedingly important, as you shift the formation each company holds and deploy them at just the right time and place.”
“I like this, because it makes for interesting gameplay, playing your strengths to your advantage, exploiting your enemies' weaknesses while attempting to prevent them from doing the same to you.”
“The gameplay is more about actual combat and moving troops and less about gathering resources.”
“Tl;dr: a mess of a game that makes mechanical improvements from the last game, but suffered a rough transition from 2D to 3D.”
“Sometimes I feel I am fighting the mechanics more than using them.”
“Aside from that fundamental change, there's not a lot else that's unusual or novel, and since this game has come out we've had Dawn of War/Company of Heroes also do the squad thing, so this is more interesting for a historical view than the actual live gameplay.”
- graphics50 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the decent visuals and 3D models that hold up well for their time, while others criticize the dated appearance and lack of detail compared to the original 2D artwork. Despite the transition to 3D, many agree that the graphics are not the main draw of the game, but rather its engaging mechanics and nostalgic elements. Overall, while the graphics may not be cutting-edge by today's standards, they are still considered acceptable and enjoyable by a portion of the player base.
“This game has terrific graphics and there are unique versions of old races you can play, which makes it different and fun.”
“It has everything: superb music, excellent mechanics, graphics that still look good to this day, interesting missions.”
“The graphics have improved even more (if that was even possible) without losing any of the amazing parts that made KIS such a success.”
“The story might be a bit confusing for someone who has never played the previous games, but for me it was interesting to see old characters return, uglified by mediocre 3D graphics as they might be.”
“Graphics-wise, if it isn't already obvious, I really did not enjoy the visuals at first.”
“These graphics are decent enough, and comparable to other games from its time (LOTR: Battle for Middle Earth, Rome: Total War), but graphics aren't timeless, and by today's standard they can be an eyesore to look at to some.”
- music20 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its pleasant and heroic soundtrack, particularly noting the contributions of renowned composer Jeremy Soule. While some players feel the score doesn't align with the series' traditional style, it is often described as inoffensive and enjoyable, complementing the overall gameplay experience. Overall, the music enhances the game's nostalgic charm and immersive atmosphere.
“Highly recommendable old but gold fantasy strategy game, with great story, music, voice acting, and looks even if it's old.”
“It has everything: superb music, excellent mechanics, graphics that still look good to this day, interesting missions.”
“Great easy and fast to pick up and play RTS with a nice little story, fun voice acting, and a good heroic soundtrack.”
“While the musical score done by the famous Jeremy Soule was nice, it is not a type of music I associate with the Kohan series at all.”
“The game's music isn't much to write home about, but it's inoffensive at worst and quite pleasant at best.”
“Everything from the soundtrack to the combat strategies.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be a significant source of enjoyment, particularly during multiplayer sessions and skirmishes, which can lead to chaotic and amusing moments. The combination of random maps and engaging AI contributes to a fun and replayable experience.
“Funny thing is, this is actually where the game gets fun.”
“In addition, the game offers a lot of replayability with random maps, pretty good AI for skirmishes, as well as the occasional frantic, somewhat funny multiplayer game.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, primarily due to its robust map generator and diverse faction/race combinations, which keep skirmish and multiplayer modes fresh. Players also appreciate the random maps and competent AI, enhancing the overall experience and encouraging repeated play.
“The skirmish/multiplayer has an insane amount of replayability due to the map generator and the plentiful faction/race combinations.”
“The game offers a lot of replayability with random maps, pretty good AI for skirmishes, as well as the occasional frantic and somewhat funny multiplayer game.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game experiences significant stability issues, particularly during intense action sequences or large battles, leading to lag, occasional freezes, and unexpected crashes.
“The downside is that if the action gets too intense or there is a massive battle going on, the game lags, occasionally freezes, and then just quits.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Kings of War" is generally considered lacking when compared to titles like "Immortal Sovereigns" and "Ahriman's Gift," though the cutscenes do add a charming touch.
“The atmosphere in Kings of War really is nothing compared to either Immortal Sovereigns or Ahriman's Gift, although the cutscenes are charming in their own way.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players are experiencing significant stuttering issues during gameplay, indicating that the game's optimization may be lacking. Many users are seeking solutions to improve performance.
“The game is stuttering for me constantly... any suggestions?”
“The optimization is terrible; I can't enjoy the game with all the lag.”
“I've tried everything, but the performance issues just ruin the experience.”
