Dynasty Warriors 6

Dynasty Warriors 6 was released in 2007, ten years after the series was first introduced. Staying true to Dynasty Warriors style, the sixth instalment involves the same button-smashing hack-and-slash tactics that players have become so accustomed to in the series.

At first, there’s a feeling of satisfaction when you’re running through a historic battlefield taking out hundreds of enemy soldiers in a matter of seconds. Watching your character lift and repel multiple enemies at once isn’t only satisfying, it makes you feel God-like. This satisfaction however, soon makes way for boredom, especially as we’ve become so used to seeing the same style of play across the past ten years of DW games.

So how does Dynasty Warriors 6 build on the experience its predecessors have left us with?

Gameplay

One thing that makes the game more interesting, is that it’s not enough to just to kill as many soldiers as possible. There’s criteria to be met. You need to seek out certain enemy officers, while receiving updates on your own allied forces who are being met with defeat or victory, as well as units which are being broken up, so you know where you need to be in order to turn the tide of the battle.

There’s also the ability for characters to climb ladders to breach fortress walls, as well as being able to swim.

Despite individual character improvements, there’s still some better map design needed. The terrain is still largely flat and barren. While this may give players a better view of multiple enemy units, travelling from one place on the field to the next is quite a tedious experience.

In Comparison

Dynasty Warriors 6 in comparison to other games in the series, felt almost like a step backwards. The series is growing in its complexity, but still a lot more needs to be done.

The developers left out a handful of characters from previous games, and only a few of those playable characters had story modes. Not to mention, the moves for each character were simply recycled which made each playable character basically the same.

Dynasty Warriors 5 had been a stronger release. It incorporated the sudden death game mode, bridge melees which saw soldiers being knocked off in droves, and a longer - drawn out story mode. With hidden items and unlockables throughout the battlefield, it was definitely a game completionists could enjoy.

Rating

I would struggle to give Dynasty Warriors 6 more than a 6/10. It’s an average game, but the main questions that were raised by fans haven’t been answered. There’s still a huge graphical problem too. The game doesn’t look good on screen, which is something that the other games in the series have also suffered with.

Pros

• Breaching Fortresses
• Catching up with other games - swimming and climbing ability
• Battle criteria
• Costume Design

Cons

• Similar to the previous titles
• Graphics
• Story
• Characters left out
• Movements and character attacks were boring and regurgitated