Having only been introduced to the very unique style of play that musou games have to offer in the last generation, I feel like I’ve gotten to witness it in a well-honed state, built on many years of iteration and innovation. Hearing that they were going back to remaster a much earlier edition of the Dynasty Warriors franchise, one that collectively seems to be considered a key title that helped define what the series would become, I’ll admit that I was interested to check it out. Now, having spent some time with it, I’ll say that it’s pretty fascinating to witness and play, and though it’s clearly a few steps back in terms of complexity, it’s wild to see how much of the formula it already had dialed in back then.

For those unfamiliar, gameplay here is essentially you hacking and slashing your way through hordes of enemies, knocking back waves of foes at a time with your more powerful attacks. There’s a tactical element in play as well, as you are typically playing on a large battleground, and sometimes as your forces are struggling you will need to shift and lend aid in order to keep your key allies from falling. Though there are a few different mode options available, for the most part the style of play remains the same, and while it isn’t something that will appeal to everyone, there can be some fun and satisfaction in dominating the field of battle. In the case of this specific edition the biggest selling point is the sheer replayability though, if you enjoy this style of play, as there are a wide variety of people to play as, who often have different weapons and play styles to work out and wreak havoc with.

The challenge here is that if you’ve played more recent versions of the series, it can be tough to take a number of steps back. The variety of your attacks is pretty significantly dialed back, meaning that you’ll generally be working the same combos over and over, where at least in more modern versions there’s more room to enjoy a wider variety of options. Additionally, the scope of what’s happening on the battlefield, and the role you can take in turning the tide is far more simplistic, shrinking down what now can feel quite epic into something far more simple. If you’re a fan of the series and this style of play, though this may not represent the subgenre at its most refined, there’s still plenty to conquer, unlock, and enjoy. However, if you’re someone looking for a starting point to work with, I’d be more inclined to recommend a later version since this may feel more underwhelming given it represents a release from a few decades ago.