Koei has announced, that its newest PlayStation 2 title Kessen III will follow the lead of its two prequels and be released in the US next year. Compared to its two predecessors, the development team lead by producer Kou Shibusawa has revamped the famous Crowd Engine to deliver more exciting 3D battle scenes and action-oriented gameplay. Players will now have direct real-time control over their troops and can join with allied units to execute powerful combination attacks. The game's story, which takes players to the Japanese Sengoku (warring states) period, will unfold in non-linear missions and 120 minutes of movie sequences.

Kessen III will be available in the US sometime in the first quarter 2005. The game's Japanese version will be released on December 22nd for 6,800 yen ($62.27 US).