Dynasty Warriors 4

"A Blast From The Past!"

Opening

Hello, and thanks for reading my review! Dynasty Warriors 4 is a wonderful game in my opinion. A game revealing the past, a game with so much adventure, a game that will get your mind so focused that you might even think it's a test! This review is here to help people decide if they want to buy the game or not, and to see the main elements of the game. Now, a lot of people like getting their reviews simple and easy to read, so let's begin! NOTE: Even if I say this game is great or bad, my opinion is NOT your OPINION! You might like this game, while you might not. It's simply your decision!

Storyline

The storyline for this game is simply one word: Wonderful. The storyline of this game continues from the previous Dynasty Warriors games. If you like the other Dynasty Warriors Games, I assure you that you WILL like the storyline of this game. But hey, it's just an opinion! The storyline is well done and comes with some FMV's along the way, but most of the story is in text. A blast from the past is what I say about this storyline, because it mainly focuses on the problems of the past (I'm not sure if it's real Chinese history). As the story goes on, you will want to see and here more. With many betrayals and many alliances, the storyline is action-packed and just wonderful!

Graphics

The graphics for this game are above average, though not the best. As I said above, during the storyline, you may see some FMV's along the way. The graphics can be beautiful, yet some can be a bit average. Now, as many game players say, you shouldn't judge a game by its beautiful or ugly graphics. I also agree with this term. Even if the graphics for this game aren't the best, it's still a great game!

Game play

The game play of this game is simply marvelous! Yes, many things are back from the previous Dynasty Warriors games, yet there are still some new things, like the tenth weapons, which can be VERY hard to get. This game focuses on Action Strategy type of battles. With combos and the traditional Musou, this game can have some WILD battles, taking hours and hours to beat counting on the difficulty of your enemy! Also new, you can equip saddles, which let's you ride elephants and horses, depending on the saddle you're using. You can also equip items to boost of your STATS, and hire bodyguards to guard you during your journey through the difficult battles! You can also get experience for your weapons by using combos on officers/generals! This makes your weapon stronger as it gains levels! Also, by doing certain requirements, you can also get some new characters and items! Oh, and did I mention that there is also some new modes called Challenge mode and Versus mode? Yes, it's true; there is such thing as Challenge mode and versus mode! In challenge mode, you choose a challenge (like longest to survive or how many enemies you can kill) and you try to beat your record! Even if this doesn't have anything to do with the storyline, Challenge mode can be quite a thrill! Then there's versus mode. I play this mode with my friends all the time! You choose a type of fighting to do (like destroying the wagon or fighting in the dark) and you just begin fighting each other. This IS 2 players, just in case you’re wondering. Like I said above with Challenge mode, even though versus mode has nothing to do with the story, it can be quite the thrill! Most people play this game because of its action packed battle system, and its battle system is really why this game is so popular!

Sound

The music for this game is Chinese based, which is definitely NOT a bad thing! Most of the songs in this game don't have words, and are usually built to help you concentrate. At least, that's what I think, since they sort of go with the style of the game. I think KOEI tried to make an equal amount of songs for each genre, because I hear rock, techno, and even pop sometimes in the game! I will give the sound about an above average grade, because it can help you focus and it just sounds good! Also, I like the music in this game because there is a lot of music. When I mean a lot of music, I mean a lot! For every stage, movie, text, and screen, there is music! Music is everywhere in this game! So far, the game play, music, and storyline for this game is great, let's see what else we have, shall we?

Replay Value

The replay value for this game is very high, considering the many things you can get in this game. Even if you have finished all of the stories that are in this game, you will still have many things to do, like getting characters, items, tenth level weapons, and more! You should also level up your characters so that they can be the best they can be!

Difficulty

The difficulty level of this game is also HIGH. But, luckily, you can change the difficulty for your game in the options menu. Some levels can be so difficult that it will take more than two hours to beat, even with your strongest characters! So watch out, if you're a beginner to the Dynasty Warriors games, make sure you set your difficulty level to Easy!

Overall Rating

The overall rating I give for this game is a perfect 10. It has a great storyline, a wonderful battle system, high replay value,a difficulty level that makes the game fun, and great music! All of those attributes that I have just listed are the main keys to making a great game, and that's what this game is!

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed my review! I hope you found it useful, too! Remember, even if I say this game is good, it might not be in your opinion, so think before you buy! Now all I have to say is thanks to KOEI, for making a wonderful game!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/11/04