The Endless Dynasty

Zhen Ji of Wei.

Given that I've played a bit more of this game since the last time I wrote, I think I now have a much better idea about the changes made to this most recent iteration of the Dynasty Warriors series.

At a glance, the change in the regular story mode is the addition of the Jin faction, which is lead by Sima Yi. This story takes place further down the Dynasty Warriors timeline, which does finally bring a different perspective on the tried and true stories that have been replayed time and again.

Beneath this, there is more happening in the regular story mode then before. Unlike the past, you will not be able to actually pick the character you'd like to play through in any particular faction's storyline. Instead you are moved through a variety of characters throughout the span of each faction's story.

Another change is the cut scenes have much more feeling to them, rather then the often cheesy voiced bits from the past. This does add a much more dramatic feeling to each faction's overall story and the deaths more meaning then before. Despite the fact that I have played quite a number of Dynasty Warriors games, I never really felt anything when ever a major character died in the course of the story. But here there is meaning and that is a much needed addition in my opinion.

One disappointing aspect about the story mode is the lack of two player co-op, which was obviously lost when the option of choosing characters was taken out. I understand that it had to be done to preserve the way the story needed telling, but it is still disappointing to have lost that option (though it is present in the Conquest mode). 

Moving onto the Conquest mode, it feels like a slower version of the Empires games, which I actually liked (Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires was a lot of fun to play) better then how things played out here. The maps here are rather small and the battles are over fairly quickly. While I admire the Koei's attempt to fuse some RPG aspects into the game play, I couldn't shake the feeling of wanting more. Maybe more freedom in leveling up or perhaps even more options in creating weaponry. I do miss that aspect from Warriors Orochi 2, where you could take weapons and combine them to make better weapons.

One tedious point is unlocking characters in this game, which can be somewhat done in the Story mode. Otherwise, you have to fight your way across the entire map in Conquest, then fight each character's Legendary battles to unlock them. I haven't unlocked everyone I've come across and instead I've found myself trying to find my old favorite characters, whom unfortunately are spread across the entire map.

Overall the changes made in this seventh iteration does mostly make this game better, though I wish some aspects were taken further then they were. In truth, I actually am enjoying this much more then I did Dynasty Warriors 6. I suppose it is mostly because the game play feels like the older games, which I enjoyed the heck out of back in their day.

Frustration

I don't know what or why, but I am feeling increasingly irritated at this very moment and it is driving me crazy. I just want to rant and rave and argue and just take it out on the whole world! If I were a dog, I'd be chewing up everything I could sink my teeth into I'd think. But the reasonable part of me knows better and thankfully I don't go over the edge and just start snapping at everything that moves. My poor girlfriend, on the other hand, has to deal with it (though she honestly throws fuel on the fire a 5/10 times). Still, it is a struggle that I have to deal with almost daily but one I'd like to think I am getting better at dealing with in time.

What I think I could use is something good to play, to just get my mind off of the world for a few hours a day. That would be awesome... which is why I am pretty excited about Dragon Age II. Just the more I see and read about the game, the more I can't wait to get my hands on it.

The same can be said for Dynasty Warriors 7, which always earns a place in my heart almost yearly just because a good hack and slash game always makes me feel better. Is that a good or bad? What I like is the fact that the game has been slowly evolving over the years and I think the overall game has gotten a lot better. Personally though, I think I just like having a game where I can unload and smash into groups of dozens of random soldiers for hours on end, just for the hell of it. I wonder if war was ever this way in Ancient China? And more importantly for me, when is Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires coming out?

But above all else, something I didn't think I'd want to buy is slowly creeping up my interested list. Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection actually looks pretty damn nice, with the graphics update and what not. I think I kind of favor the style that the DS version had, but the style that it has on this upcoming PSP release is pretty nice too. It always is amazing to me to see these older games modernized, just for the fact that the spells and summons look so freaking awesome. I am also finding it interesting that not only will FFIV and The After Years be included, but also a story that bridges the gap between two will be thrown in there as well. And after buying this game basically every single time it has been re-released, it'll be nice to actually have much more added into the game.

One thing I do have to agree though is this: Of all the old school Final Fantasy games that Square Enix could remake, why always choose FFIV? Why not VI? Or VII? Or VIII? Hell, even Final Fantasy X could be pretty awesome if they bumped it up to PS3 (keeping the way it looks of course, but cleaned up). Maybe add some parts to the story, flesh things out a little more and the whole nine. But I guess this sort of topic is one that I could probably rant endless about for the rest of my life, so I will spare the world of such words for the time being. Maybe until next time, yes?

The Everlasting Dynasty

 

You know what I am really somewhat irritating? Learning about a ton of games I didn't even know were being made and getting jittery about it like a little school kid. Okay, so maybe my list of must-have games hasn't increased by all that much, but a couple of games have caught my eye and the one pictured above is exactly one of those games.

Dynasty Warriors 7.

Why am I still playing these games, which essentially are/were very similar to one another game after game? I once thought that these games were so stupidly simple, but it is amazing that next to no one has been able to make a game quite like a Dynasty Warriors game. And I've played others like this (like Ninety Nine Nights) and you know what? Those others I've played don't quite come close to capturing the charm of a DW game.

And while it has taken the series (and I suppose the developers) long enough to evolve their game, this seventh entry looks to be one of the best ones yet.

But personally, while I do enjoy the games from the main series, the one I am really waiting for has to be Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires. It hasn't been announced (as far as I know), but it is one of the games that usually does follow behind the release of a new numbered game. I could use a new time sink and I played Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires to death and even after unlocking all the achievements for it, I just kept playing and playing and playing...

So now March holds 2 games of interest for me, that being Dragon Age II and now Dynasty Warriors 7...