Dynasty Warriors 2

By Daniel Needham

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Dynasty Warriors was released during the PSP's launch last year, and while it followed the Dynasty Warriors series, it lacked enough content outside of the main single-player mode to keep players engaged, and it also looked pretty rough around the edges. However, Koei look determined to try and rectify some of the wrongs when they release Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 later this year.

Vol. 2 follows the formula of Dynasty Warriors, where you'll find yourself in ancient China as one of a large group of Chinese warriors, and you'll be cutting, hitting, or generally beating up enemies. Like in the last game's musou mode, the primary single-player campaign, you won't just be running around a large, open-ended battlefield as you would in the console versions of Dynasty Warriors. A grid-like map will represent each battlefield, with sections broken out between the opposing territories.

You simply campaign your way through individual sections, strategically taking key areas, and in each area, killing as many enemies as you can. Each side's morale effectively decides who takes the territory. If you take out enough of the enemy leaders and soldiers in a section, the remaining troops will retreat, and the territory is yours.

Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 will include all 48 of the currently known Dynasty Warriors characters, as well as 50 different stages and 31 maps. One new gameplay addition is that you'll be able to keep a stable in the game, with up to eight horses and elephants that gain experience during battle; apart from that however everything will mostly appear similar to last years offering.

The combat itself follows your character as he wades through swarms of lesser enemies and powerful generals. The controls are being designed to work well enough to get started without any practice and pull off some nice combos that wipe out entire infantry units; however, that's not to say you'll have a pushover title in your PSP collection. Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 will offer some intelligent AI which makes the lesser units work well as a team to take you down. If you don't keep your guard up, you'll find yourself sliced to bits by a mob.

Scheduled for a New Zealand release sometime around late September, DW Vol. 2 looks sure to provide even further gameplay for Dynasty Warriors fans and newcomers alike. Keep it locked on NZGamer and we will bring you all the latest news, reviews and previews.

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