The best Dynasty Warriors game to date
936737
- This game is addictive.  You start off a common ruler of a small plot of land and eventually work your way to conquering China.  There are tons of things to do besides your classic DW battlefield combat.  You'll recruit officers to fight as Generals along the way (I made LuBu my Marshal) and promote them/make them happy/unhappy.  It's really fun actually. You can build buildings in each province you conquer and use them for various things like purchasing new weapons/armor/items.  The local peasants of provinces you conquer have a happiness rating, so you have to make sure to keep your people happy if you want to be a virtous ruler.

- There are hundreds of characters to play as.  You literally can play as a nobody if you wanted to under a ruler's command and work your way up.

- Graphics are amazing.  Very fluid.  Musous are now very artistic, especially if you are using an upgraded weapon with lightning/fire abilities. Over a hundred enemy soldiers can be on your screen at once, so its commonplace to wipe out 120 people in a True Musou attack.

- You can set the in-game music to any Dynasty Warriors music created.  I put my in-game playlist to DW4 "Eve" for my battlefield tune.

-There is a lot of strategy that takes place before and during battles.  Before battles you can place generals and assign them to bases, upgrade bases and level them up, and make objectives.  If you complete objectives like "Kill 4 or more enemy generals in 10 minutes" or "Kill Zhao Yun within 3 minutes", you will get extra XP.  During battles, you can command your forces to Attack, Defend, or Escort you.  Yes, it's pretty badass to be followed around by Lu Bu, Dian Wei, and Guan Yu and destroy everything.

- There are "Stratagem" cards you can collect that are essentially triggers you can initiate in the battlefield that do something special.  Each has a recharge time.  Like one Stratagem card is "Unite" which automatically brings one of your Generals to your side to assist you.  Another can heal you every 30 seconds.  So it's another aspect that is fun.

- There is Free Mode if you have a strategy burn out or if you just want to upgrade characters and kill a bunch of fools
2774250
An amazing game! I've played every Empires game to date, and this one is quite possibly the best one to date. I got the PS3 version, and it's a little jittery because of the outdated hardware, but I imagine there are no issues on the new gen consoles. I haven't gotten into it too much yet, but the reintroduction of Free Mode makes me so frickin' happy!
928456
Truly one of the best games of this generation. It's depth is absolutely amazing as far as the different choices that you can make that affect not only the ending, but the actual story as you go. The choices also affect what type of character you become. It does have a few issues, while I have not encountered them myself, it is common to encounter glitches in the game that leave you "stuck" with nothing to do forcing you to reset. They are not game breaking however simply because in this type of game, you should be saving often anyways. The AI isn't terribly dumb, but it isn't painstakingly hard either. It's a very nice in between that provides challenge, without it being back breaking to accomplish. On a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the worst and 5 being the best...I definitely give the gameplay & story a solid 5. As I've said before, this is probably one of the best games of this generation.

The Game of the Year edition comes with all of the DLC expansions that were released for it and they are absolutely fantastic and definitely add another 100 hours of gameplay to the 100 you may have already put into it.  Generally what you pay for the game of the year edition is what you would have paid simply for the DLC anyways, and this way you get the base game as well.

I highly recommend this as a purchase
1027699
Now this is what I'm talking about! This is the best one yet in my opinion. Great art (WAY better than the last 2 chapters) and awesome dialogue. They really captured the spirit of the game in this one.
4553833
This game is the best! Aside from the regular RTS/strategy style, building castles and gaining money to build and upgrade your troops, the best I love  the most about this game is using your ninjas to assasinate the enemy and  friendly generals of other clans. By completing a successful assasination,  your ninja goes up in rank and he can kill more higher grade generals and  eventually the other clan's warlord! If anyone has played Warcraft and the  like, then they will find all that building resources and upgrading troops  a breeze; it is the same principle. But in this game, there are some clans  that are specialized in certains that will be cheaper to produce and have a  higher grade quality than the same type of troops of the other clan's. This  you will have to find out for yourself. I think the controlling your own  troops in battle is fun especially when you can set them up into positions  and then have them crash the opposing forces. The graphic are very fun to  watch during the battle scene and also in the throne room when the other  clan's comes to you for alliances and traders come to trade with your clan.
18194
This is one of my favorite games since the Final Fantasy series went downhill.  I have played through DA origins and Awakening twice.  The voice acting is good, not corny like so many games.  The blood and gore is pretty sweet.  I love the romance options in the Origins game.  Something that wasn't available in Awakening to the same degree.  I highly recommend trying out this game.
2435573
I've had Civ3 for two days and haven't gotten to sleep before 3 a.m. since then.  If you are at all interested in strategy gaming, you already know about Sid Meier's string of "Civilization" games - challenging, intelligent, infinitely replayable chances to recreate world history in your own image.
 This latest version is, simply put, amazing. Intricate gameplay with splendid graphics and animated units - there is simply no space here to tell you about all the upgrades, but if you're reading this review you've probably been drooling for Civ3 for weeks already, so just go and buy it, but read the following first:
  Coming to Civ3 from Alpha Centauri, as I did, has made me notice a couple of things that are missing from the Civ3 controls - things that I miss very much.  You can no longer set your military units to Sentry or Patrol an area - you have to move them manually every turn or just set them to Fortify/Hold.  Also, there is no way to customize units that are built. Both of these lacks can mean a royal pain in game play.
  But other than these couple of minor quibbles, Civ3 is all you want in a strategy game and more.  So just buy it and kiss your life goodbye, because you're going to lose interest in everything else but "One more turn...!!"
1029391
I've played just about every Dynasty Warriors game that is on the major consoles. Each time they decide to create an Empires version, I wonder whether or not they will rely heavily on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series or whether they'll just throw in a few strategy elements that can be selected and experienced in between battles or not.

Well, even considering DW6 Empires, I think that Samurai Warriors 2 Empires does it best of all of them.

The biggest reason for this is the difficulty level of the game matches yours and exceeds yours to a point and allows for some pretty intense battles. You are required to get cards and choose actions that will benefit your troops and each of your generals in battles. You must strategically places your best generals in the right spot so that if you are attacked or you are attacking that you have half a chance during the battle. Selecting support troop types can help against stronger forces and  the morale of your forces and the enemies REALLY makes a difference.

There are even formations that can help your attack or defense and other attributes. of course, the enemy can apply formations as well which can seriously turn the tide of the battle in their favor if used against the correct formation as well.

Supply chains affect which bases you are allowed to attack as well so as to avoid you running to the enemy's main base at the start of every battle. Lose a base along that chain that cuts off your route to the main base and you must run back to take it.

To assist this, you can tell certain generals to hold their position, to attack a particular base, to defend a particular base, or to follow and assist you. REAL IN GAME STRATEGY. Few games to date incorporate HALF of this strategy in action games which is why this one is leagues beyond most.

Love this game. Wish DW7Empires ( or even just the original games) would incorporate these elements.
2384504
I had to write a review after hours of playing this game. First off I am tired of reading reviews that call this a Dynasty Warriors ripoff. People that uninformed shouldn't be writing reviews. The developers and publisher of Dynasty Warriors made this. This is DW with Zelda characters and game play thrown in. I was skeptical about this idea, but i have to say it works. One cool factor is you get to play different characters from Zelda not just Link. If you have played DW you know basically what to do you have to conquer/maintain battle fields and take over battle post and fight bosses. Some boss fights will give you treasure chest with weapons and such. You also get to search for the hidden skull spiders. Controls are very responsive and similar to Zelda. You get a regular attack, spin attack, dodge, and a super attack once you meter builds up. The attacks range and style will very depending on the Character you use or weapon selected. Some weapons are swords, some are magic rods and some characters use magic books there is too much to cover. The levels are based on different Zelda games, twilight, skyward, ocarina etc...The graphics are nice the main characters are done well with detail the hordes of characters are also done fairly well with good detail. Very colorful game my only grip is some levels look like they were given less attention than others. The sound is all classic Zelda no complaints there. There is tons on content here almost too much to get into. I can't quit playing this game it is fun even though it has some flaws and can be repetitive on some parts but you need to use strategy to avoid the repetitiveness something a true gamer would realize after playing it for an hour. I say any Wii U owner owes it to themselves to try this game. If you like DW and Zelda you'll be in gaming heaven. If you do not like the DW series you may not like this game, but give it a try.
3181530
The one superb attribute of FFXII that trumps its few negatives is the new battle and character leveling processes. True, the story and music are arguably not as refined as previous FFs and other epic RPGs like "Knights of the Old Republic". Also, I agree that this title doesn't have that "Fantasy" feel anymore and feels more "realistic". However, the combat & leveling-up processes are superior to other RPGs, at least the ones I  played. This quality makes the game real fun to play.

  For some folks, the biggest drawback in turned-based RPGs are the endless time-consuming randomized battles that must be completed to level up your characters enough to fight bosses and complete major story-line missions effectively. Though you still have to battle a great deal of "randomized" baddies to level up your characters, in most cases, the end user is in total control of what they choose to fight and when as well as disposing of said enemies quickly.

  The new combat system that Final Fantasy XII employs is not really a new gaming idea. I have never played an MMORPG, but Knights of the Old Republic for XBOX uses the same semi-real-time combat system. FFXII takes that to the next level by allowing the end user to design a highly detailed and situational "script" / "algorithm" for characters to follow in battle (the Gambit system). With all of this said, the end user still has the ability to bypass "the script" at any point in combat to control the actions of each character.

  In addition, the leveling up process, though admittedly a little hard to comprehend at first, is simply awesome once you get used to it. The end user has the ability to make each of their characters as flexible as they wish and not follow a semi-predetermined skillset destiny like in FFX.

  The cut scene graphics are spectacular. However, the in-game graphics are certainly not going to wow anyone like Metal Gear Solid 3 or Ninja Gaiden did. However, the graphics are better than any other RPG on PS2 and the 3D camera is a big plus. Also, the one understated quality about FFXII is the good voice-acting, a rarity in Japanese video games when translated to English.

  In closing, I highly recommend this amazing epic production and I am sure most people will enjoy playing the game.
3070269
Well, I'm a fan of the Naruto series and Manga so I can say for sure; if you're a Naruto fan, this game is a must have. You get a nice large roster full of people and lots of costumes, new ultimate techniques, new characters, new special moves, and many more things for your ninja needs. So far, the combat system hasn't changed other than the dreaded counter system being swapped for a knock back instead of being stunned for short but vital time period. You can now scale your way up walls and duke it out in physically defying ways. Lastly, jutsus will be enhanced by the current terrain being treaded upon. I.e, water jutsus will be enhanced when used over bodies of water and same goes for lightning. Earth techniques will be enhanced by standing on ragged and rocky terrain. Fire will add a short burst of consistent damage.

 A few people say they didn't get their DLC pre-order content but it's most likely in their email as yours should be if you pre-ordered the game. I couldn't find mine at first. I was about to be pissed as well as the only really reason I bothered to pre-order the game was for Kakashi (Hokage). Anyway, the game is a bit too similar to the previous games for my taste and if you've watched the anime and/or read the manga, the story can kind of get boring. And Adventure mode is most likely for those who're completionist...I'm not one and honestly it doesn't look too interesting either that, or I just don't want to invest that much time into that mode. I got the game for the online battles. Overall, even with its shortcomings, I still think the game's amazing and it's especially gorgeous. I just felt it's was too similar to its predecessors and could've been changed some more but I still thoughly enjoy this game. A definite recommend!
3960521
Like the various iterations of the Dynasty Warriors and Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, this game is based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms story. Game mechanics-wise, however, this title bears little similarity to those other games. I can't think of a game that's remotely like this one. Ostensibly a tactical  game (like Final Fantasy Tactics), your main goal in each battle is to position your troops in such a fashion as to unleash a successive number of special moves (tactics) on one or more opposing units.
The game requires a certain degree of patience to play effectively, and is probably not for more action-oriented gamers. For those who aren't bored by this type of game, there's a fair amount of replay potential thanks to the scenario system (somewhat similar to Onimusha 2). Each kingdom (Wu, Shu, and Wei) has 4 different scenario endings, which can vary greatly in terms of how much of China you end up with. However, battles can be repetitive, as they only really differ by terrain and the generals involved. Also, although not strictly necessary, trying to recruit as many generals as possible through the use of diplomats also tends to really slow down the game.
Overall, KOEI has developed a solid and relatively unique game which can use a little more variety during battles, and a little less trying to send diplomats all over China to recruit new generals. Hopefully some of these annoyances will be addressed in Dynasty Tactics 2.
328947
If you have ever played any of the Warriors games, you know exactly what to expect. They haven't changed the formula much for any of them, but that's also why they have such a dedicated following.
This however, is probably the most innovative one yet. The different modes, weapons, attacks, and variety of characters add a lot of fun to it. Split screen multiplayer is also a lot of fun. The game also has online multiplayer and sadly there is a glitch that makes it impossible to play online for many of the levels. The game is also easy to recommend for people who are into Japanese history at all.
1120277
Amazing game!

It is a portable, but WAY better than 358/2 days.

*Some unknown facts about the game*

It was in production before KH2 Final Mix, so it was originally designed as a PS2 game which is why it shines so much better than 358/2 days, and why they worked harder on it. The game features the 3 heroes, however, in Final Mix +, they are all wearing capes (gone now) and when you fight Terra's lingering segment, he doesn't have the chain on his keyblade as he does in this game. now on to the review...

*Characters*

It starts with Ventus through the tutorial and lets you control the other two during it to show how they all play. Then you can choose who you want first and Once you beat it with one person, you move on to the next. But I will strongly suggest using Aqua last, as her story goes deeper and further than the others, way past the ends of their stories. (Which is where the secret US exclusive hooded unknown battle comes in.)

*Gameplay*

The Gameplay is flawless! It may be frustrating at times, but you really have to level up the abilities. you can mend abilities together for example, fire and some strike ability, and you get fire strike. once you level up certain spells such as Cure, if you have 2 of them at max level, you mend them together to upgrade to Cura, then to Curaga (as with other spells.) And the gameplay is very fun! Also with mending, you add certain crystals to get abilities such as combo plus or HP plus, and leveling the ability at MAX gives you the ability for other use. I started the game on Proud mode, so I got really frustrated until i figured out how to use the things.

*Command Board*

It's like Mario Party on drugs. You play the game just like Mario Party but you level up your abilities at the same time, or if you win.

Storyline

It takes place before the first Kingdom Hearts, everything is explained in a beautiful way, feels like a PS2 game, definitely.

All in all, I rate the game 5 stars. And don't go thinking just because it is a portable game it would be as watered down as 358/2 days. That game was decent, but not the best in the series and not even close to Birth By Sleep.

***Spoliers Below***
One of the cooler cutscenes is Terra appearing at Destiny Islands. He lets (young) Riku touch the Keyblade and tells him if he looks inside his heart, someday he will be the next Keyblade Master and can travel freely (as Riku wants to leave the island). Sora is their too, and its funny because after Riku talks to Terra, Sora says
"come on riku, tell me who he is! I'm the best at keeping secrets!"
2802394
I haven't stopped playing this game since I got it. I like the added Hottori Clan that comes with the Limited Edition. The graphics and the games ai are pretty nice. There is also alot of replay ability with this game due to all the different clans you can play. Highly recommend to anyone who loves the Total War saga. You will not be disappointed.
4426279
Awsome game with awsome bonuses worth the extra money with out a doubt
2828446
This game is a lot of fun. It made the world of dynasty warriors accessible and relatable. The gameplay is addictive, and paying on the gamepad while the family watches TV works great.