TGS '07: Dynasty Warriors 6 Hands-On
Strategy and button-mashing meet in the next Dynasty Warriors game. We go hands-on with the game in Tokyo.
TOKYO--While certain things have changed with the upcoming Dynasty Warriors 6, it's nice to know that the central component of the game--one hero whipping the tail of hundreds, if not thousands of enemies--is still well intact. Today, we spent some hands-on time with the upcoming sixth game in the Dyansty Warriors series and spoke with game producers to see how the series has evolved.
Though other Dynasty Warriors games have appeared on the Xbox 360, this is the first DW game that has been designed from the ground up for the PS3 and Xbox 360. As a result, the differences are notable, particularly with the game's look. From a technical standpoint, the increased power of today's consoles allow at least four to five times more enemies onscreen at any given moment (and perhaps there will be more before the game is released), and, for the heroes that form the centerpiece of the game, it means new weapons (San Shang Xiang's wind and fire wheels have been replaced with a bow and arrow, for example), a reimagined look for some of the long-standing favorites, and tons of new animations. While some of the moves are over-the-top in execution in the game, the basis for those animations comes from motion-capture, with real martial artists performing the moves.
You'll watch all of those animations unfold on the ever-changing battlefield of Dynasty Warriors 6, as you carve and shoot your way through hordes of enemies. In previous DW games, the game artificially limited the number of normal attacks you could do in a row--that's a thing of the past in DW 6. Extending your attack combos infinitely (at least, theoretically) is cool enough. Combine that with a new renbu system, which lets you build up renbu energy by holding the circle button (or B button on the 360) or defeating enemies, then unleash that energy in high-powered musou attacks, and you can do some extra damage to your foes. In addition to the musou attacks, each character will have a special ability--often an even more powerful attack that you can use to really lay waste to your opponents. Before you enter battle, you can choose your horse to accompany you and, as you make your way through the campaign, your horse can gain experience and better attributes such as speed, as you go.
Gaining access to special skills is one of the main ways the heroes of the game evolve as the game progresses. Characters improve their abilities in two ways--by leveling up on the field of battle (which earns them skill points) and by then spending those skill points on another new feature in the game; the skill map. Here, you can choose the kinds of skills you want to give your characters--be it more powerful attacks, speedier movement rate, or access to special attacks.
Though the TGS build of DW 6 featured just three playable characters, you'll initially start out in the full game with nine characters to try out in musou mode, three from each of the three kingdoms that form the centerpiece of the game's story. By winning battles, you'll eventually unlock new characters for use in the story mode, or in the free battle mode, which will let you replay any previously unlocked stage with any character you've opened up.
While redesigned characters, new animations, and a new character progression system all look to add to the fun of DW 6, perhaps the most important addition to the game has to do with its strategic side. Granted, the Dyansty Warriors series has always been more about hacking and slashing than outthinking your opponents, but that might not be the case when DW 6 rolls around. For one thing, capturing enemy strongholds seems more important than ever--as you'll have more opportunities to access new items and power-ups than in a noncontrolled field of battle.
More importantly, however, the levels seem more open than ever before, giving the player the ability to decide where they send their hero. Second, how that hero gets to the next battle has changed as well--developers have given characters the ability to break down gates themselves, swim over rivers and streams, climb ladders, and jump from ledges into other areas of the map. The result is the ability the player now has to sneak-attack enemies and access areas that they couldn't in a previous Dynasty Warriors game. From a design standpoint, the key for producers was to develop levels that were no longer strictly linear, but open enough to allow the player choices on when and where to attack the enemy. It's an interesting choice that should pay dividends in the long run, especially as it develops in future DW games. We'll be following Dynasty Warriors 6 as it continues through its development, so stay tuned for more.
76 comments
Looks good. Shame no Customisation is avaliable for own Character modes. However, hopefully the new BB online and Dynasty Warriors Xtreme Legends 6 will grant that very own wish. It is simply, predictable!
This game looks awsome!!! This game is a must buy for fans of hack and slash games!!!!
All of the games in the DW series are amazing. I'm just glad the developer's are now putting more weight on the strategy part. I was wondering when they would capitalize on the idea of the strongholds. I can't wait till the release, DW Empires fell short for me and I have a hard time wanting to play Samurai Warriors, hah.
Always loved DW even back in the day when the genre was Callied Romance of the Three kingdoms and it was many RTS...gosh I'm soo hyped for this game to come out and hoping they did a good job on it unlike DW empires...
Hmm,It's true that changing San Shang's weapon is horrible,but the game seems to pack quite a few improvements this time around. I'm looking forward to it :D
Dynasty Warriors is the freaking bomb! So keen on this game. Oh and @ just_insane "if they should've gotten rid of anyone it should be gaun ping he doesn't do s***".. I beg to differ. Guan Ping was awesome, he carried a sword that was almost the same size as him around, whats not to like about that haha :P Zhou Tai is still my main man, but I can't wait to see how Lu Xun and Gan Ning turn out too :D
I like this formula, hack and slash is my favorite genre. And seeing as how Koei is trying to take the franchise in a different direction as far as design is concerned. It is a beauty bro. Unlocking more characters and items just improves the replay value for me. A serious must-have game. Go Koei!
as long as they've got my boy Xu Huang on it its gonna be straight. I can't wait to get my hands on this game.
I wonder if Dynasty Warriors 6 has co-op like the last ones cause i haven't heard anything about it
ive read a few footnotes from the book and jiang wei was the last person to try and keep it going he played a major role if they should've gotten rid of anyone it should be gaun ping he doesn't do s***.
This game looks like it might be an improvement. Personally, I have played all of the dynasty warriors games since the first one (which was a fighting game). They have slowly evolved, so Im not sure why this one is going to be such a HUGE step forward. Whats stopping KOEI from doing the same thing they have done with the other ones. I mean, we all still buy them right? But....Im still getting this one because Dynasty Warriors is the shieeet!
lame San Shang's weps were awesome....new she gets a lame bow like Ina?? well w/e im still gunna stick with my boy Zhang Fei!!
You can't tell me that this isn't going to be a highly anticipated game for fans of the series. It is disappointing that some characters got deleted but the graphics look great and adding some strategy to the mix is amazing. I've loved button mashing on this game since the first one came out, though now that swimming and climbing are intact as well as the importance of strongholds, you can't knock this game nearly as much anymore.
Lu Bu looks wicked in this game. It looks as though the additional moves the characters can do will help relieve the inevitable boredom that came from doing the same old combo again and again.
Yea, you think the KOEI team sat around and said 'oh I know how we can improve the game. Let's make the characters able to swim and climb ladders, that way we can still sell the game to idiots instead of changing the combat system.'
Well, I'm impressed, now that highly talented warriors can now SWIM AND CLIMB LADDERS... I want it!
Hehehe - this is quite funny. Gamespot always rips Dynasty Warriors games to shreds for being repetitive, yet it seems like they're looking forward to this one. wonder what kind of review it'll get?
It has been confirmed that there are no new characters and only 41 of the characters will return in this game.
BADDDDDD NEWS! there's no new character in Dynasty Warriors 6 and 7 characters have been DELETED! Here's the list: - Da Qiao (Wu) got deleted - Jiang Wei (Shu) got deleted - Meng Huo (Other) got deleted - Pang De (Wei) got deleted - Xing Cai (Shu) got deleted - Zhu Rong (Other) got deleted - Zuo Ci (Other) got deleted
Wow in comparison to the 5th one its so much better, specially the graphics i mean dynasty five is like little sploges for enemies and now they're rit clear its awsome and the dif weapons kick ass, lol i jst cnt wait til it comes comes out. totally awsome.wooooo
Awww yeah, all games need to change every then and now, good that Koei knows this. I seriously think the graphics are good enough for me, hundreds of guys on screen, strongholds, seige...yeah they are going on the right track. Love the series, and this one should be a revolution for the Musou series. Can't wait!!
Amazing games all round, graphic are for the easily fooled non game deserving peons, i say slash the graphic with in reason and give us more levels, people on screen, larger levels, anything that would let us bid time, test our skill, or just give us the chance to be the reaper of all things, i can't help having to love the thrill being half dead and fight for sweet dear life - becoming with with our game of purity, And its sad to hear the messed with the weapons.... that was just like a special feature, the next thing to just purely pwn, if anything they should improve on the differences in the weapon, every sword swinging differently, every fan, flute,bow, boomerang, fis-ty cup gloves every weapon was a new challenge, NA a personal quest to me a master. Personally i want to see diversity, if you gunna put the systems to the limits that where i believe it should be done, and i am liking the idea of the skill page and the horse, pure awesome! everything is great, though i want to see some better working with the items, had past sorrows with them cause there were some that, were just completely better that the others, rendering the others to a garbage status,, Lets keep up the input , and hope that the future games we can see our hopes and dreams made true, and we always know it takes time but the legacy of the series shall remain a fav. to all; and if you do think so, hey looks something shiny - yeah, go back to the n**b cave.
Seriously not everyone plays these games for their graphics...actually I doubt anyone does...people play cause they simply enjoy hack and slash games, the series or just the history/story behind the game. A perfect example of a game with horrid graphics and people still buy it is Koei's other game with the same storyline, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Anyway these graphics look like a great improvement to me and even if they weren't I'd still play the game because this one seems to actually be an improvement from the rest. I wish they would just skip to making all their games kind of like Dynasty Warrior Empires. Also I hope they still have their create a character system in the game. While I love playing as their characters there is nothing like raging through thousands with your own creation
GIF the reason why the graphics are not how u want is because there are about 200 enemies on screen so dont say anything when u know nothing
What is this crap? This looks like the last few games yet the graphics are barely improved. Games like Heavenly Sword and Haze prove this game should and could look 100 times better. These screens look like they belong on the first Xbox. The PS3 has 8 microprocessors and a beefy videocard, COME ON KOEI. Stop milking a played out formula with this crap!
I love these games. despite the repitition of the older series, i could never put the controller down until i finished the stage and even then it was hard. This is a game i'll have in my collection
Still look like a port to me......... the majority of the foot soldiers still look exactly as they did in past version....... Only the playable characters seem to be remodeled...... I think i will past if the final version looks like the current screen shots..
looks like ballz.. im a big fan but don't look or feel next gen. everything is the same save some new abilities
Looks like Dynasty Warriors series is getting a upgrade. About time I was getting tried of playing recycled games.
even with all of these changes, i hope it's not going to be too similar to DW5, or DW5 empires, or extreme, or DW4, or DW4 empires, or extreme or DW3, well you get the picture.
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Game Info
- Release Date: Mar 13, 2008 (AU)
- Classification Board: M
- Release Date: Jul 11, 2008 (JP)
Dynasty Warriors 6
- Publisher(s): Koei
- Developer(s): Omega Force
- Genre: Action
- Release:
- Classification Board: M
Dynasty Warriors 6 Navigation
