Dynasty Warriors meets Phantasy Star Online
Unfortunately, neither does Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, but that doesn't stop its fantastic online platform from being nearly as addicting as Phantasy Star Online or Monster Hunter.
Strikeforce is a spin-off of the Dynasty Warriors franchise, taking the tried and true gameplay of the venerable series and stretching it over the established skeleton of an instance based four player online co-op action-RPG, much like Monster Hunter or Phantasy Star Online.
Gameplay wise, not a lot has changed. You are still killing faceless soldiers and faceless officers, with the occasional conflict with a major character. You still execute combos using a variety of normal and strong hits each mapped to one of two buttons. There have been some changes, however.
First of all, you have the lock on system. If you click the right thumb stick, you will lock onto your nearest target. It is pretty useful in co-operation with another new ability, the dash. By pressing the left bumper, you can execute a dash that will propel you towards whatever you have targeted (or whatever direction you are facing). This is useful because a lot of the combat takes place in the air, dashing up to an opponent and executing combos, which adds a little bit of depth to an aging formula.
Another meaningful new addition is the large scale enemies. There are various large monsters you encounter, and taking them down is a pretty big ordeal. It's quite different from slaughtering endless soldiers, and is a welcome change of pace to those who are tired of the typical Dynasty Warriors models.
The quests that you embark upon are also quite a bit different from the typical large-scale Dynasty Warriors battle. Some of them have different goals, but most ultimately boil down to getting from point A to point B and beating a boss of some kind. This format ends up being closer to a game like Phantasy Star Online than typical Dynasty Warriors.
The action-RPG elements don't end there. Enemies now drop loot that can be used to make new weapons, skills, or status enhancing items. This process is incredibly addicting, and the continued acquisition of new items will keep you glued to the game.
The game is clearly intended to be played online, and as of now has a pretty decent sized community. Of course, it would be all the better if you can find a friend to take the plunge with you.
As with any Dynasty Warriors game, it's not without numerous flaws. The character models are the exact same ones from 2008's Dynasty Warriors 6, which wasn't that great looking of a game to begin with. Strikeforce also retains the series' trademark goofy voice acting, but you hear significantly less of it through the course of the game than you would in a normal Dynasty Warriors title. Additionally, some environments are pretty liberally reused.
There are also some balancing issues with the single player game. Initially it seems like the game's difficulty ramps up too quickly. However, this is easily rectified by finding some pals to play through the game with.
What Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce offers isn't for everyone. If you really and truly hate Dynasty Warriors, and want nothing to do with it, then it's going to be the gameplay that drives you away; because make no mistake – it is the same. However, if you're a Dynasty Warriors fan or at least don't hate the series, and you want an addictive game in which you can loot and level with the best of them, this might be right up your alley, and all the more if you are a PSO or Monster Hunter veteran. For those who know what they are getting into, Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce is addicting, rewarding, and incredibly satisfying.