| Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce is Koei's upcoming | | | | Kowloon gate mission there were a lot more |
| strategy action game for the PlayStation 3 and | | | | tigers around than we remember. In addition, Koei |
| Xbox 360. | | | | plans to make extra missions and content |
| The game is based on the PSP game of the | | | | available for download into the game once it has |
| same name released last year. While the title | | | | shipped, free of charge, which is a nice touch. |
| carried the Dynasty Warriors name, it had an | | | | When playing online you'll be able to play versus or |
| experimental feel to it due to the addition of | | | | co-op with a friend and use text or voice chat to |
| some role-playing elements that were a departure | | | | talk smack or coordinate, depending on the mode |
| from the typical Dynasty Warriors formula. Chief | | | | you play. |
| among the role-playing additions were items to | | | | As far as leveling goes, your character you will |
| craft, a town, a leveling system, and, most | | | | grow in ability and skill based on performance in a |
| significantly, online play for up to four players. The | | | | mission. Your ability level will affect your attack, |
| tweaks to the formula wound up striking a chord | | | | defense, movement, and power, while skill will |
| with fans of the series whose positive response | | | | impact how much you can use certain weapons in |
| has led Koei to bring the game to the PlayStation | | | | the various classes and what level weapons you |
| 3 and Xbox 360. We had the chance to visit | | | | can use. In addition, you'll be able to enhance your |
| Koei's offices in Japan to get a look at the | | | | character's base stats through the use of the |
| work-in-progress version of the game on the | | | | various weapons, armor, and items you'll come |
| PlayStation to see how it's making the leap from | | | | across in the game. While it may sound |
| portable to console. | | | | complicated, the various leveling and loot systems |
| The console incarnation of Dynasty Warriors: | | | | work as well as they did in the PSP and are easy |
| Strikeforce builds on the already promising work | | | | to pick up. |
| done in the PSP game. You'll play as a soldier in | | | | The gameplay is solid and has seen some |
| one of four factions. As always, three of them | | | | console-specific enhancements in the form of the |
| will be based on historical dynasties out of the | | | | new fury transformations, which you can trigger |
| Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel, with a | | | | once you build up enough energy in combat and |
| fourth that isn't tied to history. Each faction will | | | | which add a superpowered twist to the action |
| have its own story and perspective on the | | | | that hasn't really been seen in the series before. |
| events that will serve as fuel for the various | | | | While the powerful musou attacks are still on |
| missions you'll undertake. While this all sounds by | | | | hand, the fury transformations power up your |
| the numbers for a Dynasty Warriors game, | | | | fighters to a superhuman level for a short time |
| Strikeforce introduces the notion of a town hub | | | | and allow them to perform some over-the-top |
| that will serve as your home base. The town will | | | | attacks. The game controls just fine on the |
| feature several locations, such as a blacksmith, a | | | | PlayStation 3, with the controls mapping smoothly |
| shop, an armory, and a new fortune teller who | | | | to the PlayStation 3 controller. In fact, if you've |
| willl let you play a roulette-style minigame. In | | | | played the PSP game, you may find the game |
| between missions, you'll spend time in your town | | | | handles better thanks to the additional buttons |
| and review the various loot you've collected on | | | | and analog stick. |
| your missions, sell what you don't want, use | | | | Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce's visuals have been |
| certain types of materials to improve your | | | | given an appropriate face-lift from the PSP game. |
| weapons and armor, and even do some work | | | | The level of detail is on par with, if not higher |
| improving various aspects of the town itself. | | | | than, the console Dynasty Warriors games, even |
| When you're ready to head on out, you'll make | | | | in the work-in-progress game we saw running on |
| your way to a board in town and review the | | | | the PS3. The character models are highly detailed, |
| various available missions to choose which you | | | | the environments are nicely done, and there are |
| want to take on, and then you'll head to the gate. | | | | bucket loads of special effects all humming along |
| Missions will work a bit differently on the consoles | | | | at a high and consistent frame rate. |
| than they did on the PSP. Whereas you would | | | | Based on what we played, Dynasty Warriors: |
| take missions on solo in the PSP game unless you | | | | Strikeforce should take the Dynasty Warriors |
| got a friend to hop on via Wi-Fi to help, the | | | | series in a positive direction. While many of the |
| console game will pair you up with three AI | | | | core gameplay mechanics fans have come to |
| buddies if you're playing solo. Though the AI will | | | | expect from the series are on hand, the new |
| control your partners, you'll be able to call up an | | | | RPG elements and cooperative online play bring |
| in-game menu and offer them direction, such as | | | | some fresh ideas to the action. The game is due |
| attacking a specific target, attacking anything at | | | | for release this November in Japan, but Koei |
| will, or defending, if you see fit. The missions will | | | | hasn't set a firm date for the US beyond early |
| be a mix of content from the PSP and new | | | | 2010. Given how thin both the PlayStation 3 and |
| material. The two missions we tried were based | | | | Xbox 360 are for this type of online game, fans |
| on those in the PSP game and played as we | | | | should stay on the lookout for more on the game |
| remember them, although in the case of the | | | | as Koei firms up its release plans. |