Dynasty Warriors 3

"Pledge your allegiance to Cao Cao"

The concept of hitting other guys in video games is extremely old and has been brought forward by all kinds of games. Some relied exclusively on the concept while a few tried to be somewhat different by implementing this feature among others. Let me tell you, beating up characters just for the sole purpose of killing or defeating them is cool. There are many different genres of video games but the fact that you can roam about almost everywhere while punching or kicking anybody you encounter has an undeniable charm. Well, to me, at least. Dynasty Warriors 3 is a classic example of such titles.

Dynasty Warriors 3 doesn't limit itself to such a simple gameplay though. First of all, your characters use weapons. Crossbows, swords, pikes…All the beautiful weapons that were used a lot about 1,000 years ago in China and other martial arts-mad countries have been included. To each character, his weapon. To his character, his speciality. Not less than 41 characters await you in this game, each with his own motive for being here.

This brings me to another mode featured in DW3 and an excellent one at that ! Musou mode allows you to undertake missions which revolve around a plot that constantly changes. The story and missions are not only dependant on what warrior you chose but, in addition, they may change if you took the pains to do some important actions at definite points in the game. Doing so unlocks new warriors which join the growing number of allies or fiends who have nothing to do other than happily hitting on each other.

Free mode enables you to just kill people if you are feeling stressed, which is exactly what I talked about in the introduction of this review. While Musou mode alone is more than enough to give DW3 a stunning gameplay and replay value thanks to the huge cast and extremely long missions, Free mode delivers the final blow to make this title a hugely entertaining one. That's not all though. Challenge mode allows you to either test or sharpen your skills in view of the long missions, or you may just see whether you finally achieved the rank of a true warrior. Add to these the huge options such as a Movie Gallery and even a truly hilarious secret ending, without forgetting the necessary 2-player mode which puts the two players in a huge arena where they need to help each other, and you may just imagine how packed with fun DW3 is.

However, the Mosou mode is obviously the core of the game and the one mode you must absolutely beat since the best characters are unlocked through it (unless you cheat). Each character has his own strengths and weakness but confirmed warriors like Cao Cao, who is also the big evil villain, and Xiahou Dun, my favorite fighter, do blow the remaining ones away very easily. Still, regardless of your choice, the missions get difficult as you advance with your opponents getting extremely cheezy with their endless juggles. Thankfully, you'll be able to retaliate in the same cheap manner with practice.

Throughout the various missions, you can adopt different strategies if you wish. However, in the end, it comes down to only 2 strategies depending on what kind of a player you are. Wimps, like you, will try and kill the leader straight away to end the mission as quickly as possible. Doing so also encourages hordes of enemies to stab them from behind, without forgetting that the leader himself is has a very tough skin and doesn't want to surrender. Let's not forget that they will also be alone against all of them too as the allies are still busy fighting against other troops.

Heroes, like me, will take this opportunity to hit whatever comes through their way, even going to the point of chasing lonely fiends around. Seeing as the worlds are always huge, such worthy warriors also run the risk of losing through the timer. But it doesn't matter since three'll have killed from three hundred to five hundred enemies, even one thousand if you're a freak, throughout this bizarre quest. In any case, you are not entitled to help whoever needs you since you already paid for the game and you can do whatever you want. Bows too can be used to take groups of enemies from a distance while letting the bodyguards do all the diry job of getting close to a troop.

While killing everyone is pure fun, it also takes some strategy to successfully complete each mission, while attaining higher ranks each time. Sure, just running and swinging a big sword is fun but the wonderful cut-scenes that pop up in Musou mode do make the latter highly rewarding and the solid plot in particular makes for a hugely interesting quest. The different warriors are all related in some way. Some may share dark secrets while someone else may be intent on avenging his parents' death. Consequently, it is primordial to beat the game with every single character.

All these winning aspects of Dynasty Warriors 3 are brought forward by splendid graphics. The screen may be infested with enemies, yet there is no slow-down. Everything just goes on smoothly and this invites you to kick some more ass. The main characters are all easily recognizable but to make things easier for those who may be playing for the first time, their names are highlighted above them. In addition, they are all extremely realistic. Your enemies also look drastically different from your allies so you know who to kill but you probably will know this right away as they rush towards you to put an end to your adventurous life.

The game also benefits from lush backgrounds. While huge, they are all very wall-drawn and highly detailed. Of course, to each background its own details. Thus, you can actually see fields ot crops when it is your duty to defend peasants from being sent to the blazes of Hell by the infamous Cao Cao and his troops. Similarly, you also come across tents, bridges and countless other infrastructure throughout your epic adventures. Weapon locks, which arise when two warriors pull their Musou attacks at the same time, are splendid with nice light effects and the infamous Matrix effect. The chicks also have breasts that bounce up and down a lot but sadly, you don't have time to drool at them.

The camera angles tend to get in the way as you move but these can be dealt with by just running some more or turning around until they satisfactorily show you any surrounding threats. In any case, you may just check the map which is always helpful whether you need it to be safe or you just need to check how much distance you need to cover to meet up with one of the Gate Captains.

Moreover, the action is accompanied by an excellent techno soundtrack that devilishly suits the atmosphere of the game. For no apparent reason, the themes stop from time to time during a mission and this can be slightly irritating but doesn't really harm the game. The music also changes during key events, just to make you know about it in case you were still unaware of it -happens when you are too happy just by killing everybody around you. Sound effects consists mainly of groans, grunts and two swords or any of those sharp weapons colliding to create a huge blast of beautiful light effects.

Thankfully, Koei managed to get good actors to lend their voices to the main cast. This is a good thing since from what I have observed, we have come to a point where companies will employ whoever they get first to do the job. I mean, have you even heard how Tidus, Wakka and Yuna from the almighty Final Fantasy X sound ? On the other hand, Ma Chao, Liu Bei and Liu Yong, to name a few, sound great with each having a distinctive personality. In any case, they are not as bland as that Wakka-ya-dude. How can I ever forget Lu Bu's stunning appearance as a soldier stammers ''I...I...It's Lu Bu...'' and everybody else flees just at the sight of the best warrior in the game ? Incredible !

If you are looking for a game that you may keep on playing endlessly, Orochi tells you that you have found it. You tend to get blisters playing DW3 due to the unsuitable PS2 pad but this isn't a real problem and long-time brawlers, like me again, will get used to the controls and scheme in no time. Just tap, tap, and tap that button with a square on it. Occasionally, tap the one with the triangle for a massive blow. Doesn't take much time to get used to unless you're a complete moron. Combos can be performed too if you have grasped your character's attacking pattern and priorities well.

Dynasty Warriors 3 is an excellent title that will please any of those run-and-hit maniacs. It is also a must-buy for all of those stay-in-place-and-slash-away freaks. Packed with features, this game has almost endless replay value with several modes of play and different options contribute to make it a nice package. Worthy of a purchase !

But you know what's sad in spite of all this...? Cao Cao is my best friend.

~ Score : 10 ~
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What's up with the absence of the Wu-Tang Clan ? Boooooo.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 06/12/02, Updated 11/09/02