Dynasty Warriors 8

Dynasty Warriors 8 was released in February 2013, and was a title that was expected to provide more of the same, with very little in terms of changes to the DW experience.

That said, the game did provide a much needed lease of life into the series, and was a welcomed surprise given the state of previous releases. Koei had taken a large roster of 62 characters, and made it even bigger, by adding more playable characters taking the total to well over 70. What makes the characters even better this time round, is that we don’t see the exact same move styles that we’ve seen in the past games. Each character has their own special moves and attack movements, which demonstrates that Koei have listened to fans and are starting to make the changes needed.

Combat

This combat also changes with the more officers you defeat in battle. The second weapon you carry into battle depends on the one you select from the amount of weapons available. You can switch between these weapons mid battle so you’re not tied to the same style of combat. Not to mention the musou attacks, once your gage is full, you can hit crazy combo numbers well into four figures.

Story Mode

There are four different campaigns which make for varied gameplay. These are each prolonged by a series of paths which branch off each campaign. These paths will become active as you fail or succeed with certain objectives.

The ambition mode is also another addition to the game which expands on its core game modes. In this game mode you need to turn a rugged camp into a bustling city, and in order to do so, you need to take part in some quick skirmishes to retrieve the resources needed to keep building.

In Comparison

Compared with Dynasty Warriors 7, the eighth instalment is a breath of fresh air. The new characters, unlockables and features of DW 8 are enough to maintain interest in the series - enough to set it apart from the other games. The graphics are a slight improvement, but still need work. However the upgraded PS4 version of the game does enhance the overall experience. There are also more move sets compared with DW 7, which makes combat more appealing, and the “what if” story branches make the campaign a lot more interesting.

Rating

Dynasty Warriors 8 is one of the best games in the series. It changes a lot, and the developers have actually listened to the fans this time round. Overall, I’d give the game 8/10. A great game in the series, and a step in the right direction.

Pros

• Flexible dual wield weapon system
• A lot more unlockables
• Unique attack movements across characters
• More characters
• Ambition game mode
• More combat movements

Cons

• Lack on multiplayer
• In good old DW fashion - combat gets a little repetitive after a while