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Dynasty Warriors 3

Score: 9/10

What to bring if stranded on a deserted isle?  Strangematter generator; Check- Flat screen TV; Check- PS2; Check- Dynasty Warriors 3; Check. 

Ever since James Clavell wrapped me up in his Asian Saga (Shogun, Tai Pan, Gaijin, King Rat, Noble House, Whirlwind) I have been an addict of Asian history.  At one point I even diverted my dreams of becoming an accredited Bachelor of Journalism in order to become a professor of Far Eastern Studies (Then came E3 2000).  With this background it is no wonder that Koei tops my list when in a heated debate about the best third party developers (pre-Sega sellout).  They have consistently interwoven compelling gameplay themes with even more compelling Oriental historical flavor, from the classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms epic (soon to resurface on PS2), to the groundbreaking Kessen.  That said I am a big softy for this sort of stuff, and so I must say, I will judge Dynasty Warriors 3 as such.

When a discerning eye casts its glance upon the DW series, especially installment 3, it is sure to acknowledge that the title has extreme potential for dull redundancy, for at its core, it is nothing but a beat-'em-up.  This fear had some relevancy in DW2 which lacked strategic depth as well as the key motivating factor to get the gamer past the tedium, vast amounts of unlockable goodies.  DW3 ameliorates all the qualms and then some.  DW3 boasts 41 playable characters, 10 of which are initially selectable, meaning 31 need unlocking.  Though many would gripe, dismissing the motivational power of this feature, the sheer quality of the character design as well as the cut scenes and cinemas, each player specific, speaks of another truth.  There is no way to resist getting them all.  As far as strategy goes, DW3 incorporates a much more advanced pacing, in many places forcing you to rely on your supporting cast in order to pass certain points.  No longer can you simply throw yourself into battle expecting to survive.  Also added is a block and parry maneuver, enabling each character to battle in a more realistic manner, both the opposing forces and the friendly NPC’s will use these techniques in battle.  It is also possible to customize certain aspects of the game, such as, the amount of bodyguards you will use and which weapon they will wield.

 

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As far as the battles go, they are truly epic, some lasting upwards of 45 minutes.  Most are lifted straight from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms tale penned by Luo Guanzhong, and are able to bring to life the conflicts found therein.  Though there is no other objective than “kill the enemy”, the underlying story, fleshed out before each battle, is powerful enough to keep it interesting.  Also killing certain enemies such as the Gate Captain will cause access to be gained to otherwise closed off areas, placing a deeper objective in the common one.   

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Presenting a solid title like this has got to be tough, and in many areas it shows.  In fierce battles there will be up to 50 players onscreen at once, at which times slowdown rears its ugly head strongly.  I however, have always been a fan of slowdown, so its head is not as ugly to me.  Also pop-up reigns supreme in the two player modes (to be discussed later), often times it is so severe that running into invisible objects becomes routine.  Graphically the characters are richly and colorfully ornamented and contain many different animations.  Environments are much improved over DW2, adding many environmental changes like, rivers and blizzards.  Without the errors DW3 still wouldn’t be top tier PS2 stuff, but it holds its own well.

Considering the other modes of play is like considering another game entirely, or at least an expansion, as this is where the brilliancy of DW3 shines the brightest.  The co-op Mousou (mission) mode is cause for celebration and rejoicing.  It hearkens back to the days of Gunstar Hero’s where co-op play was an art form in itself.  Seeing your counterpart in the distance foundering under heavy enemy attack and springing to the rescue saving both friend and comrade is as fulfilling as Thanksgiving.

The whole experience of Dynasty Warriors 3 speaks to the true gamer in me which desires enrichment as well as twitch relief.  Aside from the sound (music is Poison instrumentals, Dialog is Game of Death) and some faulty graphical touches, DW3 is as good as anything I’ve seen on PS2, and thus the romance begins…

- Tolkiemingway

(December 20, 2001)

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