Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires, sees the much travelled hack'n'slash franchise make its first tentative steps onto the next-generation battlefield, thanks to Microsoft's 360. With the impending release of rival titles, such as Ninety-Nine Nights, it would seem that the developer, Omega Force would have a significantly harder task of convincing consumers to opt for their latest re-incarnation of carnage in Ancient China, especially considering the raised bar of expectation that any new gaming system commands. However, with the tried and tested gameplay formula, coupled with a reduced RRP of 29.99 GBP, Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires aims to retain its already established fan-base.

The mainstay of Omega Force's latest offering comes in the form of a revitalised mode. This new addition to the franchise allows players to fight out the different scenarios available, with an extra element of depth and strategy. The 25 areas of Ancient are presented in map-form (akin to the Total War series; albeit with significantly less panache) and players are given the task of bringing the entire region under the warlord's banner that the scenario in question dictates. This is where the developer has attempted to implement a certain amount of strategic elements into the mix. However, note the use of the word attempted, as ultimately the game boils down to the frantic button bashing that it is known for. While such options as developing trade routes, improving provincial defences and upgrading officer's abilities would suggest that the game is bordering on genre-spanning; in reality it provides little more than a thinly veiled sidetrack to the somewhat repetitive combat mechanism.

In terms of the actual game-play on offer, it is very much a mixed bag. While it is undoubtedly satisfying cutting a path through the opposing army for the first time, the appeal is likely to gradually transform into tedium. This is not helped by the seemingly dumb-witted AI who are willingly prepared to stand in line and wait for you to deliver them to their ancestors. Despite the fact that large enemy armies do indeed grace the battlefield, combat ultimately rests on the success of the demi-god officers. In order to actually emerge victorious in such battles, either the opposing main camp or the enemy leader must be defeated. This can make the rest of the process seem a tad irrelevant, and a degree of varying victory conditions would have been much appreciated. Furthermore, the combat system itself can prove extremely frustrating at times. Firstly, there is little skill if any at all required. With X being used for normal attacks which charges up a 'Mushu' meter, which with a quick tap of B unleashes a powerful burst of damage attacks. However, after a few hours playtime, it becomes worryingly apparent that there is a sense of depth in this system comparable to a teen beauty pageant. Further also serve to irritate, such as the lack of a moveable camera system, making for frustrating incidents when you're not able to see your character.

Visually, it soon becomes apparent that this is little more than a ported title. Low resolution textures are plentiful, whilst outdated graphics and severe pop-up issues mean that your senses will be left very much indifferent. Fortunately slowdown is not an issue, which is a saving grace considering the mildly impressive number of bodies on screen. Compared to other titles it is fair to say that Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires ranks as one of the worst.

Another aspect that needs much work, is the at-times comically bad voice acting and dialogue. If the developers intentions were to use the voice-overs for suspense and replicating the feel of ancient China, then they failed miserably. For instance, upon rejecting a treaty offer from one faction, being heralded with the response 'Damn, that made me mad, damn' hardly invokes a sense of terror in potential retributions. The rest of the audio, in terms of the and battle sounds are solid, if somewhat uninspiring. However the techno mix during battles does seem to suit the frenzied pace of gameplay, with a slower, more oriental composition accompanying the Empire mode of the game.

The game also suffers through the lack of any mode. While it does indeed boast a fairly standard 2-player Co-Op in the offline component, some kind of variation would have significantly added to the longevity of the title.

It does seem that the lower price of Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires is definitely necessary considering the lack of innovation and advancement in the series. While there certainly is substance (the single player portion will take a good 10 hours or so to wade through) there is a real lack of 'style'. Bland visuals and an outdated gameplay system do little to encourage newcomers to the franchise. On the other hand, the fact that the title has retained the core values of the series, while adding a certain degree of variation through the revamped Empire Mode, means that Dynasty Warriors veterans should be kept happy. However, more needs to be done in the future if this series is to survive what could be a turbulent generation.

61%

By Steven Embling

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  1. BILL BESSIS Unregistered 1 year ago

    TI NA SAS PO