5.8/10 Koei have managed to pack in everything from the console version, it's just a shame about the console vers
GRAPHICS 5/10
Well, the graphics are passable but compared to what we've seen recently on the PSP we all know it can do much better than this. While there are plenty of characters on screen and huge wide open battlefields these are all very repetitive and look rather bland at times and sometimes even ugly. I'm not sure whether it's because I've been spoiled by the graphical capabilities of the PS3 recently but it seems this game is really underperforming. Like the older PS2 Dynasty Warriors games the battlefields always have a really thick fog surrounding them but for this game it seems even thicker and even closer than ever before leaving you stumbling around in a lifeless area fighting millions of clones. I wouldn't call these particulaly bad graphics but as we've now seen what the PSP can do I wouldn't say they're very good either.
STORY 6/10
Right the story goes that an evil warlord called King Orochi has manipulated time and space and pulled together the worlds of Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors. Apart from that the story is pretty forgettable and you regulaly find yoursef skipping vital story scenes in order to jump into the action. The story is passable for the game and gives it a bit more, much needed depth and it is nice to see Koei using a new story for once and as it is completely made up by them you get to see them use their imagination much more. Ok, the story isn't great but it seems enough for a game that doesn't seem to have its empasis on story at all.
LONGEVITY 7/10
Ok there is a lot to do here. This game packs over 70 officers for the DW and SW series' which will keep you busy for what could be a lifetime. You could spend forever levelling up your characters and gaining all the hidden stuff in the game. If your a completist and committed to seeing everything in this game you will certainly be kept going for a very very long time. However, notice I said committed, as you'll have to be very committed, it is nice having a lot to do, you certainly get value for money, however, there is more to making a game than packing in loads of things to collect, you have to make aquiring everything fun, and at times this game can become rather tedious. So if you want to unlock everything this will keep you going forever, but you probably won't unlok everything as you'll just get bored along the way.
GAMEPLAY 5/10
It keeps pretty close to it's heretage in terms of gameplay in that this game is essentially a more fun way of wearing out your square button than pressing it on the XMB. To it's merit it does pack in all the gameplay features of the console version, this is the first time Koei have done their portable version to the same standard as their console version, it's just a shame in this instance their console version was rather lacking in gameplay aspects. It's very repetitive just like very other DW or SW game but we weren't expecting much else from Koei if we're honest. That said at least everything actually works as there isn't really much to go wrong.
FUN 6/10
What could be more fun that killing hoards of people on the go? Well actually quite a few things. The game is rather fun but still doesn't feel as fun as the newer titles Koei have, namely Dynasty Warriors 6. Although they have packed in everything from the console version into the portable version they've made it from a tired formula and the original console game has the
exact same problems.
OVERALL 5.8/10
It's nice to see that they've managed to get everthing the console game had into the portable version, it's just a shame about which game they picked. Personally, I think they would have done better esentailly putting Dynasty Warriors 3 onto a UMD. At least we know for the next time they make a portable DW game they can put a full one on as opposed to the other portable versions they release, all which seemed to be rather lacking. Really they should try again with this game. I should note this is definately one for the fans. If you really really love Dw and SW then you maybe should look into this game, however, I would more reccommend DW6 if your not so familiar with the series. Only for people who have plated everything else really.