Combat Ready, Anywhere You Go (Dynasty Warriors (PSP))

Member Name: Goldensummit

Product:	Dynasty Warriors (PSP)
Date:	10/06/08 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Numerous Characters | New grid system

Disadvantages: It's Dynasty Warriors, need I say more?

Difficulty: Very Easy.
Learning Curve: Around 10 minutes.

Dynasty Warriors for the PSP, based on the same engine used for Dynasty Warriors 4. Created by KOEI, when going through their 'handheld' phase, which all game companies come to at some point, they decided to make a strategy grid based system for the repetitive yet entertaining Dynasty Warriors game play.

As it is known, Dynasty Warriors has never really changed its form through the never-ending cycle of sequels, where it just continually repeats the same battles over and over, with the odd new twist and tweak to make it seem worth getting for the diehard fans. However, for those that are looking for added strategy towards this style of game, KOEI have made a good attempt for doing so on the handheld PSP.

Each battle you par-take in, will allow you to go into battle mode, and strategy mode. Strategy mode is where you choose your officer to go. On a grid based map, you can choose either to go forward, left, right or back, depending if the path leads that way. Your choice can lead to advantages, or disadvantages. However, from moving too much, you will loose supplies, which you can restock at supply bases conquered. There are many different types of squares, such as main camps, defence bases, attack bases, and supply bases, plus more. Each base has a unique aspect to them, such as supply base will increase your overall supplies, while defence bases will be a lot harder to conqueror.

When in battle mode, after you've chosen where you want you and your unit to head, this is where the action kicks in. You appear in a part of the map, where you are forced to face several enemy soldiers, and sometimes some officers. Your objective to conquer this square is to kill so much that the enemy morale reaches zero, where they will flee. As per usual, to win a battle, you will need to kill the enemy ruler or take their main camp, but there will also be some new objectives to win battles, such as for the yellow turban rebellion (a well used battle in Dynasty Warriors series' formed of imperial units versus the masses of rebels), you can win by taking out all of the shrines (which appear in certain squares on the strategy mode).

Also so other new features, is the sub-officer system, which allows you to take up to four officers in your unit. However, you can't take everyone you want, as officers cost leadership points, if you don't have enough leadership points to cover the officers you want, you won't be able to take them. Naturally, the better the officer, the more leadership points you'll need. There is also an online feature based on this, although nothing special, it allows you to trade officers you've gotten to other peoples games, but there is really no use to this.

Gameplay - 6/10
With the same basic actions and repetitive hack n slashing from all the other dynasty warriors games, this isn't anything really special, especially when you start using the same moves over and over again as there's not enough ways to dispose of your enemies. You may enjoy playing around with the several characters offered, but with the lack of depth in game play, it probably won't seem worth it.

Design - 4/10
The designs of the characters are pretty decent, but everything else just feels like a giant let down, with drab environments and hardly any detail in your surroundings.

Sound - 5/10
Again, nothing at all special in this department either, just the usual grunts and increasingly annoying rock-based soundtrack that leaves you feeling this is exactly the same as the others.

Value - 6/10
You'll get some kicks out of this if you enjoy hack n slash games, but if you're after a new experience and a game to push systems to their limits, this is far from what you want.

Overall - 5/10
A nice attempt by KOEI to try and add variety to the game, but it just leaves too many glitches and unimpressive visuals to make anything of itself.

Summary: A nice attempt, but leaves too many glitches and unimpressive visuals to make it good