A Dumbed Down Dynasty Warriors? Zomg what?
Introduction
Dynasty Warriors is an enigma in the gaming world. Almost invariably every installment gets trashed by reviewers and yet it continues to sell and grow as a franchise. Despite the fact that KOEI has been releasing what is basically boils down to the same game every year. Regardless of its title of “6” this game is actually more like 14 in its release history. But this notwithstanding, the series has been a financial success and more than that it has been one of the more entertaining games over its tenure. Dynasty Warriors “6” continues this long line of underachieving success.
Though I don’t mean to say that KOEI doesn’t change anything from installment to installment, they do attempt to make minute changes, but as always for ever step forward they take one and a half steps back. The steps in both directions are as follows.
Steps Forward Steps
- Graphical improvement
- Some of the voice actors up their performances
- Some characters' re-designs are for the better
- Horses are deeper in their implementation
- Surprisingly deep character leveling system
- Bodyguards have been removed
- Somewhat improved story arc construction
- Great soundtrack – Instrumental Heavy Metal/Traditional Chinese Restaurant Fare.
Steps Backwards
- Tons of reused audio and enemy designs.
- Weapons do not follow a logical power progression
- Mission scenarios are often unfair.
- Maps are now littered with needless obstacles
- Pop-up at least to me seems more egregious
- The voice actors that don’t improve seem worse in comparison
- No create-a-character.
- Combat gameplay has been simplified to a Head Asplodingly simple level.
- Less playable characters
- Less unique story lines to go through
- Some of the characters have what made them unique taken away. (I/E Dan Wei doesn't have an Axe, Zhou Dun doesn't have a sword, Cao Cao is no longer evil, and Zang He is no longer overly femmi)
Bottom Line
After reading all that I’m sure you’re thinking “Fuck this game” but, taking Dynasty Warriors on face value is a sure way to rob yourself of a couple weekends of fun. DW now more than ever is a mindless romp that is strangely addictive in its simplicity. Unlocking new characters and upgrading your chosen Chinese Hero is definitely entertaining enough to justify a rental, though possibly not a purchase.
C
Head Asplode? – No asploding here rent it.
