Dynasty Warriors 7

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*Updated for Platinum trophy*

I'll start with my obligatory Dynasty Warriors disclaimer. These games aren't for everybody and you'll hear a lot of harsh criticisms on the series that is more or less justified. I'm about to get in to why I think this is one of the better examples of a Dynasty Warriors game I have played but just keep in mind that this game typically does have a niche audience with somewhat biased opinions coming from either camp. My simple recommendation? Check out the demo for games like Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2, Sengoku Basara Samurai Heroes, or even N3II: Ninety-Nine Nights just to familiarize yourself with the base concept for these titles. If you hate those you most likely won't like this.

Story:

The story of these games is based on a novel written in 14th century China, The Romance of Three Kingdoms, Vol. 1. I don't harbor any delusions of intimate familiarity with the story by way of Dynasty Warriors but that is the subject matter. In previous games the story, whether or not it is faithful to the book, has always taken a bit of a back seat. The narrative was either non-existent, fragmented, or amateurish at times. In this incarnation there's still kind of a corny charm to certain characters but on the whole they've made moves to make the story easier to follow (perhaps after 7 games I'm just putting the pieces together though). The cut scenes are much better, the voice acting isn't distractingly bad, and rather than looking slack-jawed at a piece of art, the loading screens are utilized to deliver more information in small spoken pieces and text-based character backgrounds. All things considered the changes went a long way in improving the logical flow of the story mode.

It is recommended by the game itself that you play at least one, even better all three of the original factions (Shu, Wei, Wu) before proceeding with the Jin story line. Why? Without spoiling too much the Jin story to the best of my knowledge (again not an authority on Romance of the Three Kingdoms) is an epilogue to the other stories. At the very least I'd recommend checking out Shu or Wei before jumping in to Jin's story.

Battles:

Not much has truly changed here. In story mode you're forced to play a certain character for the battle. From there the gist of these games is that you are thrown in to a battle with various objectives ranging from pure body count to escorts and various shades between. Regardless of the objectives the real objective tends to be hunting down enemy officers which can have varying priorities depending on the flow of battle. Sometimes you might need to bum-rush their general, other times you may be running to all corners of the map to bail out your allies. This particular game has introduced a few new spins compared to the older games including some pseudo-vehicle portions to battles. There's nothing staggeringly different but there's enough variety to distinguish it from previous entries.

Another small change for the better is that the battle staging screen is gone and is instead seamlessly integrated in to most battles by way of an actual camp. In this camp you can interact with NPCs and buy new weapons but once the battle starts you actually march out of the exact camp you start in which I thought was cool.

UI/HUD:

I'm just going to briefly comment on some of the changes here, particularly the mini map. In this game troops are represented as a red blotch of sorts which is more red depending on the density of troops as opposed to other games which will have the same red dot for 1 troop as it will for 20. There are two zoom levels which can switch between the blotch and a close up local map that actually individually represents each troop present in that frame. It isn't wildly useful but it does present some features which have circumstantial advantages such as facing many officers or trying to free up an escort from foot soldiers. A couple of gripes come here though, as far as I can tell there is no way to get rid of the mini map which can be annoying in certain fights because the mini map doesn't have a set size, some battles have large and differently shaped mini maps which can be irritating.

Besides that everything else is fine except the temporary buffs you currently have don't feature any indication of their remaining duration, just that you have them. They appear to blink faster as their duration is coming to an end but it isn't quite as helpful as the buff bars were in Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 for example.

Combat:

Basic combos remain mostly unchanged, you're still hammering on square and executing a move with triangle thrown in there somewhere. Weapons are no longer character specific so once you familiarize yourself with the combos of a weapon it's mostly the same between characters. Where there are differences lie in EX attacks. Each character has a weapon preference of a particular weapon which grants them an EX ability/combo. It functions like any other combo it just has a unique input, and can only be used by a particular character with a specific weapon type. These EX attacks will remove or elaborate upon a particular combo branch of that weapon so sometimes you're getting a better move than you'd otherwise have and other times you're losing your bread and butter of that weapon. It's a give and take but it adds nice variety.

Beside their preferred weapon type, the 30+ other types are represented by 0-3 stars of proficiency. With no stars you actually can't use the weapon (pretty rare), 1 you can but not well, 2 is basic ability, and 3 stars nets you a bonus to using that weapon type. You can actively have 2 weapons equipped, and can change them freely during battle, but simply in switching them properly also executes a type specific "switch attack". Being able to string these in to combos lends itself relatively well to infinite comboing provided you have decent timing and don't get knocked out of it. Last but not least many characters have a second unlockable musou attack. A musou attack is a one button super move usable after building up a musou bar in combat to those unfamiliar with the term. The second musou isn't inherently that different than the primary but generally fills a different role such as being usable in air, servicing a different range, and things of that nature.

Character Progression:

In this game you don't gain levels. Killing officers gives you a chance at either a weapon or a permanent boost to your defense, attack, or health. The amount of the boost varies based on how badly you destroy them. I don't know precisely how it's calculated but raw combo count seems to be the ticket to higher tiers of skill bonuses the higher ones being rather difficult to get routinely. You can effectively max all of your stats on any character, short of their natural speed and power stats, if you put the time in on them. Killing officers will also grant skill points. These are spent on a small talent tree which are used to access higher level combos and various other bonuses for that character such as movement speed and weapon specialty. That portion of your character is relatively easy to max in a single fight after a certain point in story mode but requires several of the larger battles for the conquest only characters.

Weapons themselves will each have a skill to unlock which is simply earned by using it. These skills can subsequently be equipped on the weapons you choose for battle to further increase your abilities. For those familiar with other games this basically replaces older systems of orbs, skill forging, and all that. Between base weapon elements and the skills (called seals) you will run in to most of the familiar effects (slay, ignite, freeze, defense, attack...)

Conquest Mode:

This mode replaces the free mode of previous games and it's pretty cool. The idea is basically the same, you can choose any hero you have unlocked it's just that rather than cherry picking whatever map you want you navigate a hex map with each hex representing a battle. These hexes are marked with various rewards so you can plan your route such that you get new characters, weapons, and other specific rewards so you can keep your personal objectives clear which is nice. As you progress you unlock hub cities and in these cities, which at like your camps in story mode sort of, you can buy weapons, have a blacksmith develop ones you aren't currently using, and various other things.

Multiplayer:

There's online and offline two player multiplayer in conquest mode. I don't believe there is multiplayer in the story mode.

Graphics:

This is probably the prettiest game in the series, especially the updated character models, but this is still a long ways away from being the best looking thing on consoles. I'd hazard a guess we're looking at roughly the best we can hope for due to the large number of troops being rendered as a matter of a performance choice (the game runs rather smoothly), but I'd still like to see the game feature more realistic use of terrain at the very least. Sometimes the limitations of the boundaries of the game are frustrating.

Trophies:

This is a very feasible platinum trophy and much less time consuming that Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2 or Sengoku Basara. All things considered I put probably 80-100 hours in to the game to max everything. All characters, all maps, all weapons, max bonds... It seems daunting but it's not as challenging as I thought it was going to be because there is no increased incentive to play on harder difficulties which allows you to blow through everything on easy if you so desire.

DLC:

Several DLC packs are available with more on the way. They're unfortunately all priced with the exception of the Japanese language pack which is free (and large fwiw). Personally I don't feel compelled to buy any of them. The costume packs are pretty lame thus far, the stage packs are probably cool but more than I'm willing to pay for them, and the weapon packs are actually slightly enticing but there's no characters with EX attacks for the new weapons which makes me want to use them less.

Pros:

Better delivery of the story

Slightly less menu droning

Nice updates to the characters

Weapon system proves effective

Combat feels more diverse

Cons:

No co-op story mode

Big ol' mini map in some fights

No incentive to play harder difficulties

Before this I think DW 3 was probably my favorite in the core series with Warriors Orochi edging that out overall. I think this gives DW3 a run for its money but I still had more fun with Sengoku Basara and Warriors Orochi. It's simply a great balance of refreshing elements and old comfy sweater kind of familiarity. I'd certainly recommend it to other DW fans out there and maybe suggest giving the series another go with this title if you perhaps weren't entirely too fond of previous games.

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Allow me to start off by saying that I have played just about every Dynasty Warriors title (with the exception of Dynasty Warriors 5) available and keeping that in mind, I always thought that the third installment put forth the best effort.

More recently, Dynasty Warriors 6 was released for the next generation consoles, and while it was great to finally be able to play as our favorite warriors in HD, it just seemed to me that things were "lacking." Now Dynasty Warriors 7 is released in all its glory for the world to see, and I must say...I am very pleased with what this game has to offer.

So with all of that in mind, let's narrow things down a bit shall we?

The Good:

-Graphics. This is definitely the most visually appealing entry in the Dynasty Warriors series of games (though should that really surprise anyone)? All of the costume designs and character models prove that some actual work and effort were put into this release, and this can only be a plus for any video game.

-Online Multiplayer. I have yet to test this feature out and once I am able to play the game a little bit more, I will edit my review and "fill in the gap" on this portion. However online multiplayer hasn't been available in past titles, so obviously something is better than nothing, right? Again, even if it ends up being horrible, at least we can finally be able to button-mash online with friends. Oh, and according to the case, the game is headset compatible. Yet again, I will update this portion soon.

-Story Mode. I'll be honest, at first, I hated the first few battles I tried out within the newly developed "Story Mode" because they were different and unlike any of the past titles. Yet as I kept on playing, I realized I enjoyed it better. While you are able to choose between various kingdoms (Wei, Wu, Shu, and Jin), you aren't able to choose a warrior to progress through the story. Instead, after you select your desired kingdom path, you're forcibly put into the shoes of an officer. Throughout various battles in the storyline, the character whom you play automatically changes (often after being introduced to/encountering new warriors that decide to join your kingdom). In addition to the actual gameplay of the Story Mode, the narrations before each battle are actually quite informative and in many cases (at least for me) you may feel like you're actually learning something. Imagine that?

-Roster. I haven't even begun to unlock even 25% of the characters made available in this game, but one thing I know for sure, there is a vast quantity of them. Many of the old favorites and staples of the series (such as Lu Bu, Cao Cao, Guan Yu, Liu Bei, and Sun Jian) are all here, as well as many other characters (both old and new). Each character offers a different set of attacks and special moves that the player can learn and control, and if you're one of those players that likes to unlock and play as everyone, you will definitely find hours upon hours of fun and entertainment here.

-3D. If you're into this sort of thing, and you have a 3D-ready television, then you are capable of playing this game in 3D. I actually didn't even know this would be a feature of the game until the moment I saw a notification on the case when the game arrived; it truly was an added bonus! Again, 3D isn't for everyone, but if it is your "cup of tea," then put on those glasses and step into the world of your favorite characters!

The Bad:

-Camera. Now I hope I don't get scolded for this one, but honestly, there are many times while I'm playing that the camera just doesn't seem to be showing me what I need to be seeing. In other words, many times, I'll just be swinging towards an enemy officer blindly, hoping that I'm actually hitting him because he is out of sight from the camera (in other words, he is on the other side of the camera if that makes sense). I don't know if this is just a small oversight that can be fixed through an update in the future or if they meant for this to happen, but I don't recall this being an issue in past games. It's not necessarily a big deal cause it doesn't really take away anything from the game, but just sometimes it looks stupid hitting something...yet seeing nothing.

-Sound. Now don't get me wrong, the voice acting in this is the best in a Dynasty Warriors game to-date (at least in my opinion), and they really stepped up in that aspect of the series. The problem I have is with other sounds. In particular the galloping of a horse as you ride it. Unlike past Dynasty Warriors games, the galloping just sounds...artificial rather than natural (if that makes sense). I don't know what they did, but it just doesn't appeal to me as much as in past games...yet maybe I'm just being picky? There are other quirky sound moments, however they can easily be overlooked due to all the non-stop action that is taking place.

There really isn't much wrong with this game (so far that I've discovered) that I can pick out. The developers really stepped up and did a remarkable job with this entry into the Dynasty Warriors series. Again, I'm going to edit my review somtime within the near future as I am able to play it a bit more, but thus far, here is my overall summary:

Fun: 5/5

Graphics: 5/5

Sound: 3/5

Controls: 4/5

Replayability: 5/5

Conclusion: At the very least, rent the game, try it out, and see if the new style appeals to you. Like I said, at first the story mode might take some getting use to, but aside from that, you will be in for a great gaming experience!

:)

Buy Dynasty Warriors 7 Now

I know a lot of people are just tired of Dynasty/Samurai/Gundam/Chibi/Troy Warriors games. I mean they're just the same thing over and over again, right? Yes. But that's not the whole of it. Dynasty Warriors 6 was really the opportunity to show an evolution of the game into a next gen system. It really should have been a more fun version of Ninety-Nine Nights. But instead, it was quite possibly the worst Dynasty Warriors game ever created. So it's no surprise that Dynasty Warriors 7 has so few reviews. Nevermind the fact that people are so bent on first person shooters and Madden games.

I went into part 7 with skepticism. I figured it'd be the same thing all over again. Turns out I was right...and I was wrong.

While the general gameplay elements mashing buttons are still there, and the challenge is just as low as always harmless peons swarming around you waiting for death, the game is markedly improved over the older versions in many ways, depending on what you go in expecting. Also, Tecmo Koei took the best elements of the Empires games, the Tactics games, and Strikeforce, mashed them up together, and threw in a bit of Dynasty Warriors 3 for good measure. The result is quite solid.

First, the Story Mode has been improved. Instead of playing the exact same story over and over again with every character on each kingdom, you now simply play through each story and use various characters depending on the course of the storyline. For example, when playing Shu, you'll start out early on playing with Liu Bei, Guan Yu or Zhang Fei depending on the map, then later, Zhuge Liang and Huang Zhong, as well as others. This lets you experience each character without multiple wasted hours of playthroughs, and exposed you to the story from different angles. It also increases the character development over other versions by allowing you to see each perspective. Cutscenes have been brought back as well, which were sorely missed. It feels like an extension of what brought Dynasty Warriors 3 to the dance. The telling of the story is excellent; it has emotion, comedy, and linearity without the silliness of Dynasty Warriors 5. When characters die as in the real story, you actually experience the emotion of it. They don't just disappear, there's an actual cutscene dedicated to most of these deaths.

Second, it's clear to see Tecmo's influence on this game. Instead of a pause screen showing a rockslide, now the camera simply pans over and shows it happening, in line. If you've ever played the next generation Ninja Gaiden games, the effect is quite similar. The only time you'll see a pause screen is when it's loading the next scenario and it still tells the story during this time, which keeps you in the game unlike older games. Also, there are mid-battle areas where you can talk to other generals, upgrade weapons, and such; when you're ready, you talk to one of the generals, and it again simply pans over and the action begins, instead of a separate load screen. The game feels quite fluid almost all of the time, and in certain battles, this transition even extends to multiple generals in a single battle. So you'll use Cao Cao for part of the battle, then transition to Xiahou Yuan, for example.

Third, the characters are no longer as one-dimensional as they had been before. Now, characters can equip basically any weapon they want as long as it's available for their gender. Some weapons they're better at than others, and you'll want to get used to the idea of equipping the odd weapon every now and then, because it's the only way you can unlock Seals, which are powerups for your characters. It's just weird seeing Xiahou Dun wielding Sun Shang Xiang's hoops, but whatever gets the job done. Also, don't worry about musous the character will always use the same UBER powerful musou no matter what they've got equipped. Speaking of musou, they're seriously killer...to the point even average characters (Xu Zhu) are dominant in this game.

Combat is constantly fast and furious and the enemies numerous. Getting 500 kills minimum per battle will become a no-brainer, sometimes you'll be up in the 1200's just by the nature of the scenario. There are times when your only objective is to just keep on fighting endless swarms of enemies coming at you until they're cleared out, or to escort someone through a castle and to safety (encountering endless swarms of enemies coming at you until you're cleared out). The breaks in between scenarios is a welcome respite to this fast-and-furious gameplay, but don't misunderstand: it's still button mashing.

Skip over to Conquest Mode, and you'll be able to dominate a bunch of scenarios using whatever officer you want. Certain officers don't get unlocked until you finish the Story Mode, so you'll probably want to do that first, but Conquest Mode is where you can basically do whatever you want. You'll start off in a town, where you can buy weapons and items (ala Strikeforce), then you proceed out to battle to do scenario-based battling. Here is also where you can build up your warrior to use in versus or other modes.

Graphically the game is not pushing the envelope of the PS3 or 360. But it's definitely superior to the PS2 versions of the game by a long shot. Pop-in still occurs (which is mind boggling), though there is no "fog of war". The Pop-in is the only knock down on the game, quite frankly.

I've got to say, this game is quite entertaining. It's just unfortunate that Tecmo Koei is way too late with it. This is what Dynasty Warriors 6 should have been. Now, a lot of people will miss out on what is probably the best Dynasty Warriors game of the series.

Read Best Reviews of Dynasty Warriors 7 Here

I got the PS3 a few years ago in order to play DW6. To say the least, the game was very disappointing. Despite my disappointment with DW6, I got DW7 in order to give the series another chance. I have been playing the game for a week and have enjoyed every moment of it. I highly recommend DW7 to any DW fan. The gameplay is outstanding and the multiple game modes will allow you to play this game for a very long time. Highly recommended.

Want Dynasty Warriors 7 Discount?

I have played every main Dynasty Warriors title (but not the XL or Empires versions) since DW3, as well Samurai Warriors 2 and Sengoku Basara Samurai Heroes. I loved them all-even the much-derided DW6-and spent dozens of hours on each of them over the years. I can't quite muster the same enthusiasm for DW7. Having just completed the Wei Story Mode, I'm not really feeling that same pull I experience in previous games to start again.

The issue for me is that rather than being able to choose a specific character and play the story through his or her point-of-view as you used to be able to do, now the game selects which character you are to play depending on which part of the story you're at. This makes for a much more coherent story on the whole, but it removes a lot of the incentive for me to play any specific character again. For instance, now that I've completed the Wei campaign, what's the point of playing any of the Wei characters anymore?

Don't get me wrong, I like to grind. I'd spend a ton of time in the "Free Modes" of previous games making my characters and equipment super-powerful, but it was always in service of being able to complete their individual "Story Modes" without breaking a sweat, so I could see all the different variations on the same basic story. Now there are no variations. The "Story Mode" is a fixed tale with fixed characters.

(There's also the fact the game is laughably easy on "Normal" difficulty. No grinding is necessary, you'll simply dominate every enemy officer throughout the "Story Mode" campaign on your first playthrough.)

Finally, while being able to choose between dozens of weapons seems nice at first, the fact that any character can use any weapon and that all the characters use the weapons identically makes having 60+ playable characters redundant. What's the point of playing as some minor character if 1) they don't get their own story, and 2) they don't wield a unique weapon or have a unique moveset?