Dynasty Warriors StrikeForce - Like playing Bayonetta with Chinese Dynast Warlords

El Fantastico

So, a friend of mine sort of highly recommends this series of games. We're in an Exalted game together and he claims that the Dynasty Warrior series is a pretty accurate representation of the kind of crazy-assed stuff you can think of doing.

Digging around the tubes, I see the Strikeforce iteration of the game which sounds very cool, despite the low-ish average metacritic score it received. It's getting an update and port to the PS3/Xbox and sounds like a fun multiplayer game that my friends might get into. The visuals are pretty cool, and it looks like fast-paced crazy fun.

Does anyone else have any opinion on the series, or specifically the StrikeForce game for PSP?

TGS 2009 Gameplay

Dashui

I have no idea what's going on in that video. What's it like compared to the latest Dynasty Warriors Empires game? Is it basically standard DW (no empire management) but with the characters being able to fly around and transform like it's Dragon Ball Z?

CowShark

Wikipedia says it's sorta like Dynasty Warriors 6, but you can fly (sometimes?). I'd guess the video might be all boss fights, because I can see the wads of color on the map that should indicate "generic troops" that you would kill hundreds of to charge up your meter. Ha ha.

I'd wager the critical malaise is because it's the eleventy-billionth Dynasty Warriors sequel, and they haven't changed a whole lot since Dynasty Warriors 2. So they have score rot. User reviews will tend to rate higher than critics, since there's definitely a built-in audience for these games (i.e. - people who want to play a game that tells you how many thousands of dudes you've killed at the battle of Hu Lao Gate). I'd say you should try it and see if you like it. I get a good hankering for some Dynasty Warriors maybe once a year or so. Run around a map, waylay gangs of dudes with your giant sword--does this sound fun?

Eight Rooks

Don't know Exalted, but Strikeforce is pretty much Dynasty Warriors goes PSO. Online multiplayer, grinding, crafting, hunt down big enemies and slay them, etc., etc. It has a far better, tighter combat system - like Too Human if it weren't horribly misconceived, lots of dashing, air juggles and such - and the daft Dragonball transforms.

My experience is pretty much based on messing around with the PSP demo, though. It does seem to still be aimed very much at the fans. It's getting an upgraded console release soon, however (beefed-up version of the engine from #6, new features, so on) if that's more your thing.

El Fantastico

Yeah, the updated console release is something I have my eyes on right now. I used to be a HUGE Koei freak in the early 90s, with Uncharted Waters 1 and 2 and some of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms games. DW:SF hits that Rot3K spot for me and looks like over-the-top multiplayer combo fun. I guess if nothing else, I'll give it a rental and see how it plays out.

Darth_Mogs

I actually can't stand the demo for StrikeForce PSP. And I want so goddamn bad to like it. I think it's the difficulty of the demo. It doesn't seem like the first couple levels or anything, which is unfortunate since it's like a brick goddamn wall that I run into constantly.

I'm pretty sure the Console version will be good for me, though (because of the better controls and the bigger screen), and I can't wait. I want to go do all this crazy stuff. Also crazy awesome Multiplayer.

El Fantastico

Demo for this is coming out to XBLA and PSN next week (Feb. 4th). To me, looking at the video in the OP now reminds me of Bayonetta, only with famous Chinese warlords. It's that same level of over-the-top, multi-hitting, air jugging button mashing. Sadly, no torture attacks... but this at least means I'll give this demo a try!