Kessen 3 conquers gold

Koei today announced that Kessen 3 has gone gold and is off to production in anticipation of its February 22 release. The single-player strategy title is being released as a PlayStation 2 exclusive.

Kessen 3 is set in ancient Japan during the "Warring States" period before the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Gamers will assume the role of Oda Nobunaga, a brash young teenager who sets out to gain control of the fractured landscape.

Using legions of samurai and ninja, Oda will fight through 13 chapters and 50 stages of battle. The game features nonlinear stage selection, a first for the franchise. Also new to the series is the ability to switch freely between soldiers, develop soldiers and officers, and equip officers with more than 450 articles of equipment.

Stay tuned, because GameSpot will have more on Kessen 3 as details emerge.