DYNASTY WARRIORS 9

Fantastic cleaning game. (Power washer fans will love this as it's a similar game disguised as a war game.)
When you compare this to masterpieces like Warriors Orochi 3 or Fate/Samurai Remnant, it lacks polish and content for the mechanics that make it unique, but when looking at it as an action cleaning game of today, it's incredible.
Large simulated battles, VA story that has comical cutscenes, freedom to approach objectives, lots of characters and items to grind. Local and online co-op for the open world. I hope more games take the unique aspects of this and continue to improve it for the musou genre.
It's insane that this game has local co-op on PC. If you have someone to play it with, it's a lot of fun to just roam around and fight stuff. This game doesn't force you into battles; instead, it treats fights like a cleaning game. You know that you will be able to clean up all of the red dots on the map, and it's satisfying when you do.

Do NOT go into this game thinking it'll be like other Dynasty Warriors, or Warriors games in general.
With a wide open, long, often barren map, this game plays very differently.
The amount of content isn't terrible, but the actual content itself is mediocre. One of the great things they offer is the Chinese audio for characters and voice over; it's far better in contrast to the MISERABLE English voice acting.
I started with Lu Bu (I had heard the tales passed down from previous games, and wanted to be the monster). His father sounded like a sixteen year old boy in the English dub, and as if he was even younger than Lu Bu himself.
What I realized on my second playthrough (Dong Zhuo) is that almost every character plays the same besides their special. Their special, regardless of weapon switched to/used, is always the same and is unique to that character. Furthermore, if a character canonically dies early in the story, they don't extend or what-if their story length. I have no clue if there's a character that spans the entire game, but some characters get a max of two chapters or maybe even less. With how the leader of the Yellow Turbans dies at the end of chapter 1, I highly doubt he makes it past one chapter.
So why I am I even giving this a thumbs up? Because I find it super fun. Despite all the issues it has, it still gives a good enough feeling of fighting on a battlefield to be passable—mind you it's not GREAT. There are many, MANY Warriors games that do what this does on a whole other level. But there's something about this one that just draws me in completely. Not to mention during big sales it's less than 40 bucks for literally everything, which often can't be said of a Warriors game, courtesy of KOEI TECMO.
If I could have any, ANY franchise get a Warriors game to replace this one, it'd have to be based on an MMO like the Warcraft universe or Final Fantasy XIV. While not made out of a historical sense, the amount of monsters and characters in each is astronomical.
Yes, I'm using my DW9 review to shill for a MMO Warriors idea. It's Dynasty Warriors 9, you might've checked out when I said I recommend it. If not, hey, how are you? Hope your day is going well.
I like this game, probably because I don't have a long Warriors history like others do. It's the same situation where a game is a good (mediocre/passable in this case) version of another game rather than itself. Fallout 4 being a good game but not a good Fallout comes to mind.
But even I can tell it has its flaws and isn't as great as the others. If you're going to buy it, buy it at one of the big sales, it's NOT worth 80 bucks for everything. Multiplayer is nice though.

It is not traditional Dynasty Warriors that you know.
The game is much less colorful and less pompous than classic DW and most characters will look the same to you.
All the story missions happens on a one big map, they are separated by cutscenes. The combat system is good, even option for new combos. You can climb walls with hook, jump over the roofs.
Many side quests, which you can complete to level up and have a advantage.
The whole map looks like generated, everywhere it looks almost the same, that is pretty sad, because in DW 3 every map was designed for the scenario (but they were much smaller).
Lu Bu did not even touch me on normal difficulty. (Forgot to switch to chaos)
Lu Bu almost destroyed you even on normal in classic DW.
The game lacks a lot of things to do, since there is a big open map, with a little more effort, it could be greater.
But there is a coop, with online play, which is great and you can play with your friends.
It is not a bad game if you like Dynasty Warriors, but it could be better.
7,5/10

game has come a long way with the full version of the game it is very fun

This plays more like an MMORPG than a traditional Warriors game. Long distances between some objectives require long horseback rides. Though Fast Travel will get you close most of the time. I like being able to play out the story from many perspectives with cutscenes to match. And I still play it for the slower pace sometimes. I dont recommend to people looking for a traditional Warriors game. Cloud saves are ♥♥♥♥♥♥.

hack and slash with rpg elements pretty fun and endless hours of gameplay

Dynasty Warriors 9 represents a bold shift for the long-running musou franchise, attempting to redefine a formula that had remained largely unchanged for over a decade. Traditionally known for its hack-and-slash gameplay set against the backdrop of China’s Three Kingdoms period, the series has built its identity on massive battlefield encounters, over-the-top combat, and a sprawling cast of historical characters. With this installment, the developers at Omega Force chose to embrace an open-world structure—a first for the series—in an effort to modernize its gameplay and deepen player immersion. However, while the ambition is admirable, the execution leaves much to be desired, and what results is a deeply polarizing experience.
At the heart of Dynasty Warriors 9 remains its signature musou combat, where players take control of legendary warriors such as Zhao Yun, Lu Bu, or Sun Jian and mow down thousands of enemies in stylized, high-impact fashion. But in this iteration, the gameplay loop has been restructured to fit a sprawling, single-map version of China. Missions are no longer chosen from menus; instead, players must travel across mountains, rivers, and farmlands to reach battles, complete side quests, and gather resources. This change in structure is intended to make the Three Kingdoms feel more like a living world, but in practice, the open world often feels vast and empty. Towns are sparsely populated, enemy encounters are limited outside of missions, and travel frequently becomes tedious without offering much in the way of discovery or meaningful engagement.
The story is retold from multiple perspectives, with each of the game’s 90+ characters having their own chapters and battle routes. While this approach gives the player an impressive amount of content on paper, the execution is uneven. Many of the narrative arcs reuse the same missions, voice lines, and cutscenes, leading to noticeable repetition. Furthermore, character development is often shallow, with dialogue that struggles to elevate the drama or provide insight into the complex historical figures being portrayed. The voice acting, particularly in the English dub, suffers from flat performances and awkward pacing, which further undercuts emotional resonance. For a game based on one of the most iconic literary epics in Chinese culture, the storytelling feels like a missed opportunity to truly do justice to the source material.
Combat, which has always been the series’ bread and butter, also underwent changes in Dynasty Warriors 9. A new combo system based on “Flow Attacks” and “Trigger Attacks” replaces the traditional string-based mechanics of previous games. While this system adds a layer of flexibility and allows for more dynamic reactions to enemy states, it also flattens the learning curve. All characters now play more similarly, and the unique feel that once defined individual movesets is lost to some extent. This change, combined with simplified enemy AI, leads to battles that can feel more repetitive and less satisfying over time. The thrill of taking on hordes of foes is still present, but it’s often dulled by a lack of challenge and variety in combat scenarios.
One of the most heavily criticized aspects of Dynasty Warriors 9 is its technical performance and visual presentation. Upon release, the game suffered from frame rate drops, texture pop-in, and clunky animations, especially on base consoles and mid-range PCs. Although some patches have improved performance, the game still struggles to present its world in a polished manner. Environmental design feels generic and repetitive, with many areas blending into one another. Villages and cities lack character, NPC behavior is limited, and wildlife encounters often seem out of place or half-implemented. For an open-world game, the lack of interactivity and attention to environmental storytelling is a glaring flaw.
Despite its many issues, Dynasty Warriors 9 is not without merit. The sheer scale of the cast and the attempt to offer a more immersive retelling of the Three Kingdoms period is commendable. There are moments, especially in larger story battles or when storming a castle during a siege, where the game manages to recapture the grandeur the series is known for. Weapon customization, crafting, and hunting systems—though underdeveloped—offer a glimpse into what could have been a more layered experience. For die-hard fans, there is a certain satisfaction in seeing beloved characters rendered in new outfits, with expanded voice lines and more cinematic intros.
Ultimately, Dynasty Warriors 9 is a textbook example of ambitious innovation that falls short in execution. It attempts to evolve the musou genre in meaningful ways but stumbles due to a lack of polish, underwhelming world design, and combat changes that dilute rather than enhance the core experience. While it may still appeal to franchise veterans willing to overlook its flaws for the sake of content volume and character nostalgia, newcomers are unlikely to find this entry a compelling starting point. It stands as a reminder that bigger isn’t always better—and that in trying to be something new, Dynasty Warriors 9 lost much of what made the series uniquely enjoyable.
Rating: 7/10