Archived from groups: alt.games.video.sony-playstation2,alt.games.video.xbox,rec.games.video.sony (More info?)
Just picked up the import copy of Dynasty Warrior 5 / Shin Sango Musou
4. Here are some impressions.
This game is closer to DW3 than DW4. There is no 1 on 1 challenge,
there is no bodyguard equipment. In fact you only get ONE bodyguard.
However, the bodyguard is now much more useful, and is very active
instead of just sitting around. The bodyguard levelling will also give
them new skills and new attacks instead of just getting stronger.
There is also no more weapon levelling, instead you will find
different weapons with different stats, and you can keep 4 of them on
hand. You will also discover new bodyguard types as you go, eg: I got
a kind of witch bodyguard who can raise my stats during battle. You
can now do a combined super with your bodyguard (ie: similar to what
you could do before with 2 player characters).
There are six additional characters in this game over 4, and three of
them are playable right from the beginning, the others you will have
to unlock. I started the game with Cao Pi, Cao Cao's son. He uses a
double sided sword (think Darth Maul from Star Wars ep 1).
Presentation wise the musou mode has been changed alot. Each character
now has their own unique storyline, and battles that are most
pertinent to them. There are MUCH fewer missions than before, each
character only has five missions before the end of their story.
However, the missions are epic in scale and are tough towards the end.
The difficulty ramping is quite high. It starts off fairly easy in
terms of enemies, I had little problem killing thousands, but it got
progressively tougher, and it gets really tough when you get to the
fourth or fifth mission. Which brings me to another change. You only
get THREE saves per mission, and on the later missions you'll have to
use them wisely. Also, when you're playing 2 player co-op, the game
becomes tougher. My buddy and I had serious difficulty finishing the
last two missions and died numerous times. Even little captains and
sergents will do significant damage to you (a 4 hit combo from a
captain will take off about 1/4 of your health). But it isn't just the
enemies that are tougher, the mission itself is now much tougher.
There are now four types of gates, the regular kind which sends out
troops, and three types of strongholds, marked by square, circle, and
triangle on the map. One will increase the enemy's overall attack, one
increases their defence, and another raises their morale. It's
imperative if you don't want to get overwhelmed to take out these
strongholds ASAP. Another thing that they've changed is that soldiers
which are spawned from enemy games will spontaneously appear at the
location where they should be guarding, ie: they don't have to run the
whole distance from the gate to where they're suppose to be going.
Which makes things really annoying when taking out a heavily guarded
area as new enemies will spawn instantneously around you.
Items are pretty much the same as before with one addition. There is
this new item called a Kakysei, which looks like a octagon. It's
activated using the R3 and gives you for a brief time increased
attacks, defence, and the super musou attack.
Visually the game looks better than the previous one slightly. Most
importantly there is fewer slowdowns. In 2 player mode, you still get
slowdowns sometimes, but rather infrequently. However, the
disappearing enemies is now back, ie: generals can pop out in an area
of heavy traffic, and pop back in to whack you.
I've finished Cao Pi's storyline and opened Sima Yi and Cao Ren. If
this is the standard pattern, it will take a LONG time to open up
everybody. I guess they figured now that Musou mode is only 5 missions
long, players can finish it faster.
Overall, I like DW5 better than 4. 4 tried to do all these little
things and got away from the basic strategy element. DW5 is a more
strategic game, and also a more challenging game.
DW5 will be released in North America on PS2 next month. XBOX release
is pending.
Just picked up the import copy of Dynasty Warrior 5 / Shin Sango Musou
4. Here are some impressions.
This game is closer to DW3 than DW4. There is no 1 on 1 challenge,
there is no bodyguard equipment. In fact you only get ONE bodyguard.
However, the bodyguard is now much more useful, and is very active
instead of just sitting around. The bodyguard levelling will also give
them new skills and new attacks instead of just getting stronger.
There is also no more weapon levelling, instead you will find
different weapons with different stats, and you can keep 4 of them on
hand. You will also discover new bodyguard types as you go, eg: I got
a kind of witch bodyguard who can raise my stats during battle. You
can now do a combined super with your bodyguard (ie: similar to what
you could do before with 2 player characters).
There are six additional characters in this game over 4, and three of
them are playable right from the beginning, the others you will have
to unlock. I started the game with Cao Pi, Cao Cao's son. He uses a
double sided sword (think Darth Maul from Star Wars ep 1).
Presentation wise the musou mode has been changed alot. Each character
now has their own unique storyline, and battles that are most
pertinent to them. There are MUCH fewer missions than before, each
character only has five missions before the end of their story.
However, the missions are epic in scale and are tough towards the end.
The difficulty ramping is quite high. It starts off fairly easy in
terms of enemies, I had little problem killing thousands, but it got
progressively tougher, and it gets really tough when you get to the
fourth or fifth mission. Which brings me to another change. You only
get THREE saves per mission, and on the later missions you'll have to
use them wisely. Also, when you're playing 2 player co-op, the game
becomes tougher. My buddy and I had serious difficulty finishing the
last two missions and died numerous times. Even little captains and
sergents will do significant damage to you (a 4 hit combo from a
captain will take off about 1/4 of your health). But it isn't just the
enemies that are tougher, the mission itself is now much tougher.
There are now four types of gates, the regular kind which sends out
troops, and three types of strongholds, marked by square, circle, and
triangle on the map. One will increase the enemy's overall attack, one
increases their defence, and another raises their morale. It's
imperative if you don't want to get overwhelmed to take out these
strongholds ASAP. Another thing that they've changed is that soldiers
which are spawned from enemy games will spontaneously appear at the
location where they should be guarding, ie: they don't have to run the
whole distance from the gate to where they're suppose to be going.
Which makes things really annoying when taking out a heavily guarded
area as new enemies will spawn instantneously around you.
Items are pretty much the same as before with one addition. There is
this new item called a Kakysei, which looks like a octagon. It's
activated using the R3 and gives you for a brief time increased
attacks, defence, and the super musou attack.
Visually the game looks better than the previous one slightly. Most
importantly there is fewer slowdowns. In 2 player mode, you still get
slowdowns sometimes, but rather infrequently. However, the
disappearing enemies is now back, ie: generals can pop out in an area
of heavy traffic, and pop back in to whack you.
I've finished Cao Pi's storyline and opened Sima Yi and Cao Ren. If
this is the standard pattern, it will take a LONG time to open up
everybody. I guess they figured now that Musou mode is only 5 missions
long, players can finish it faster.
Overall, I like DW5 better than 4. 4 tried to do all these little
things and got away from the basic strategy element. DW5 is a more
strategic game, and also a more challenging game.
DW5 will be released in North America on PS2 next month. XBOX release
is pending.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram