Dynasty Warriors 6

"PC Version is here, and it comes in swinging."

Due to the lack of PC reviews, I decided to bite the bullet and try the game for the Gamefaqs community. And very much like it's previous titles on PC, it's a highly notable performance change.

Gameplay 8/10

Essentially, nothing has changed outside the CORE game. However, one new feature, though you are not forced to use it except in one scenario is swimming, which isn't a high note except it's a new form of travel in the Dynasty Warriors universe. Climbing has also appeared as a new option. A new form of dueling has also appeared.

The AI has been improved greatly. It is more challenging for a player to exploit the AI in this game like previous titles. In previous games, officers give up chasing after a certain distance. However, I found that they will follow the player until something interrupts them. And the AI for soldiers has also improved.

Another key change for veterens of the series is that to infiltrate and invade bases, you will actually need to destroy the gate itself. And in some scenarios, hold bases and assist siege weapons in reaching a extremely strong gate. One example is Hu Lou gate, where at one point in the level, the player must maintain a strong offensive base and produce rams and catapults, while at the same time climbing the ladders of the stronghold and defeating the Balistas so that your main forces may enter.

There are also a variety of new enemy infantry. I have found so far infantry that throw boulders, which do more damage but are easy to avoid and take a while to cooldown. Also, flag carriers also appear, which seem to be the core morale of the enemy ranks.

However, one MAJOR downfall is that out of 41 characters, only 17 have a mousu mode. Not to mention, many highly notable and fan favourites are removed, this list includes Jiang Wei, Xing Cai, Pang De, Da Qiao, Zuo Ci, Meng Huo and Zhu Rong. Many characters share movesets, and some have had weapon changes.

Performance 7/10

It hurts. I see good graphics, and I see a machine that cannot handle them. Unlike previous titles, Dynasty Warriors 6 is kinda heavy on your computer. Do research and make sure you're not playing a graphically poor game like I am due to the fact I under estimated requirements. It's VERY demanding on PC's, and compared to previous titles, it's a space ship launch away from those.

However, the graphics when set to high are wonderful. Performance is as well. If you do not have a strong computer, I reccomend you get this game for the console instead, as you will probrably be better off playing it on there. If you lack the requirements, the game can be slow and this is a game YOU DO NOT WANT TO HAVE YOUR PC LAG.

Sound 9/10

New sounds and music appear. And though you may hear a few of the previous ones, it's nice to hear some new music for a change.

Controls 10/10

If you're on a keyboard, the game fits nicely on it. If you use a gamepad, the game will identify which type of gamepad it is, such as PS2 and Xbox 360, and adjust the controls to have them similar to the controls respective console. If you use a USB controller, it also does a nice job of mapping controllers by itself, I only had to switch jump and attack around and the controls were wonderful and intelligently designed.

BUY OR RENT?

Either. If you already played a Dynasty Warriors game, I would suggest buy. It's nice to have in your collection and very much worth the play. However, if you're new, it's definatley a rent-it game. And I usually encourage anyone to rent games to see how they are interested and do heavy research if you consider buying it.

OVERALL 8/10

It is overall, a good game. However, it lacks the hours of gameplay you had in Dynasty Warriors 5 with item hunting and unlocking characters. Overall, I say my favourite in the series is still Dynasty Warriors 5. However, with an DW6:Empires already announced, it still has potential.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/14/08

Game Release: Dynasty Warriors 6 (US, 11/18/08)