Dynasty Warriors 2

Review

by Scott Alan Marriott

Koei, the Japanese company that has built its reputation by developing turn-based strategy games for console systems, continues to branch out into new territory with Dynasty Warriors 2. Although it is technically a sequel to Dynasty Warriors, a one-on-one fighting game starring the characters from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, it bears little resemblance to its predecessor other than the combatants. Players must fight literally hundreds of opponents while re-enacting epic battles fought in China.

Dynasty Warriors 2 is a welcome surprise on the PlayStation 2, not because it deviates from the one-on-one fighting of the original, but because everything is done in grand style. From the detailed character models to the enormous battlefields, the game feels like the movie Braveheart in scope. Gameplay offers bits of role-playing and strategy elements to go along with good, old-fashioned hack-and-slash combat. What makes Dynasty Warriors so enjoyable (and so different) is you can literally fight among 30 or so soldiers in a battlefield offering as many as 1,000 troops.

Each of the nine initially playable characters has experience with a specific weapon and has individual ratings in three areas: normal attack, defense, and special attack. The character you select also influences the battles you'll participate in, so there is some incentive to play through the game again as a different warrior.

Since the game consists of expansive environments filled with hundreds of enemies, one of the biggest concerns is the repetitiveness of combat. And to be quite honest, the developers could have included a few more moves such as throws or counters to add more variety. The moves you can perform are simple, but there are slight variations that help break up the monotony. Some characters, for example, can throw their weapons at enemies. There are also charge-up moves that can take out multiple enemies in one sweeping hit.

An interesting feature is that performing combos, hitting an enemy multiple times in succession, will increase the likelihood he will leave behind all-important food or a power-up. Thus, the more skilled you are in fighting, the greater your success. Role-playing aspects like building up attributes also exist, so you have motivation to keep fighting long after the battles are over. By defeating key leaders, for example, you'll be able to permanently increase your attack rating and/or defense.

As enjoyable as the action is, there are a few issues that hold Dynasty Warriors back. On the visual side, some draw-in is evident as objects gradually phase into view as you move closer to them. This is a minor complaint, however, as the atmospheric use of fog helps keep things in check, and you'll often be too busy concentrating on the battles to notice.

There is also a bit of slowdown at certain points when there are too many warriors on the screen, but again, this is a minor complaint. For the most part, you'll be in awe at how much the game throws at you at once. It's only those rare times when you rush into battle when the game seems a bit slow to catch up.

The biggest drawback, however, is the limited saving system. Those used to PC games will gasp in horror when they discover they have to search for a memory card icon hidden somewhere on the battlefield before saving progress. Considering each battle could take up to two hours to complete, the inability to save at will is a significant problem.

The best thing about the game is the freedom to do whatever you want. You can play the whole mission guarding the leader, or you can help allies who seem to be having a rough go at it. This is a war, after all, so many different battles are happening in real time across the map, and there are specific conditions for victory. The bottom line? If you're craving a nonstop action title for the PlayStation 2, look no further.