P.T.O. IV announced

Koei Corporation has today announced that it will release P.T.O. IV exclusively for the PS2 in February next year. Like the previous games in the Pacific Theater of Operations series, P.T.O. IV is a naval strategy game set in World War II. Players can choose to command the naval forces of the United States, Japan, Great Britain, or Germany, with the objective of seizing control of as many regions as possible.

The game is single-player-only, and it will offer 15 different regional scenarios and two global campaigns to play through--all of which are based on actual events from WWII. Units in the game are also authentic, with more than 300 different individual vessels at the player's disposal, including the likes of the USS Iowa, the Bismarck, and Battleship Yamato. Additionally, players will be able to construct their own vessels in the game, using funds, oil, steel, and aluminum acquired from any regions under their control.

P.T.O. IV isn't just about the battles of WWII--players will also have to concern themselves with politics, trade between nations, and the use of spies, among other things. Aware that this could all sound a bit daunting for newcomers to the genre, Koei is also including a "delegate" option to assist with internal and political affairs.

"We are as excited as the fans who are anxiously awaiting the game's release," said Amos Ip, VP of sales and marketing at Koei. "It's packed with all of the political intrigue, ferocious battles, and war room drama that combat simulation fans have come to expect from the series. Following the critical and commercial success of Dynasty Tactics , the addition of P.T.O. IV to our product mix reflects Koei's enduring commitment to releasing the finest historically based simulation games on the market."

P.T.O. IV is currently scheduled for release in February 2003. We'll bring you more information on the game as it becomes available.