DYNASTY WARRIORS 9 Empires – Review
Our Score: 8/10
Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires is the newest installment in the Empires series, with a mix of exhilarating action and simulations of taking countries. Experience the Three Kingdoms’ human story in a way that only Empires can. Fight spectacular castle sieges and alter the political landscape of the country. Welcome to the world of Empires.
The Dynasty Goes On
For those unfamiliar with the series, it is a reworking of the traditional Chinese epic The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, reimagined as an action game. Since 2004, each Dynasty Warriors game has included an Empires spin-off. That blends the original game’s musou combat with tactical and grand strategy features. It’s proven to be an absorbing combination over the years. But combining these diverse components in Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires will be more difficult than in prior years.
When it comes to Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires’ tactical emphasis, it works nicely. The player can select the many campaigns of the game through a big picture view that compliments the primary musou combat experience, giving the events of the original game and its take on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms a larger scale. Furthermore, the character creation tool allows players to create their own way through the campaigns if this iteration of Dynasty Warriors feels too realistic for them.
The Art of War
The grand strategic gameplay is as addictive as it has been in past Empires games, with the player having to keep track of things like rations as they try to extend their region. Players should expect some schmoozing with other characters to win them over. As well as pillaging and dispatching spies to probe adversaries and weaken their fortifications. When everything is in order, it’s time to get down to business with some classic Dynasty Warriors fighting.
The battlefield is littered with objectives and bases, as is customary. Each one has a certain purpose. Your forts determine the type of support you receive, as well as their ability to wrest control of the conflict. To put it another way, a large number of kills isn’t enough. With their individual plans, officers change the battlefield dynamics. Weather, manpower, morale, and other factors are all influenced by plans. If performed correctly, effective tactics can tilt the conflict pendulum in your favour. Enemy forces can also use objectives to their advantage.
Officer Edit mode returns, allowing the player to change the combat style of their favourite character and replace it with a male or female character of their own creation. The majority of the costume designs are based on the game’s standard officer attire, but there are a few anachronistic touches, such as spectacles and suits and ties.
Final Verdict
Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires is a fairly decent musou game that has some shining moments but sadly it feels like it falls short of the finish line. It can be slightly frustrating at times, and slow to start but it’s still a Dynasty Warriors game so that magic is still present. If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll enjoy this.
