Gamers of a certain age will be able to recall obsessively replaying a demo disc until it was either adorned with countless scratches or finally replaced by a copy of the full game it was showcasing. For me, that demo disc came with issue 18 of the Official PlayStation 2 Magazine which, in retrospect, was an absolute banger. Sandwiched between Half-Life, Maximo, and Drakan was a playable preview for Dynasty Warriors 3 that would turn me into a lifelong fan of the franchise, having since witnessed all of its ups, downs, and numerous curveballs.
For Omega Force and Koei Tecmo to return to this killer third instalment after 25 years is an exciting prospect, though one that doesn’t make a huge amount of logical sense, at least at first glance. On one hand, just about every other game publisher has hopped on the remaster/remake bandwagon over the previous several years, with some efforts more lazy and cynical than others. While there’s definitely a lot of love for DW3, reviving the game while also working on a reboot series (kickstarted by the fantastic Dynasty Warriors: Origins) feels a little odd, especially given how Omega Force has overhauled the core hack’n’slash gameplay.
With that said, Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered is a worthwhile nostalgia trip and one that has been treated with a great deal of care for both the original game and the modern audience it’s looking to entice. Besides the mandatory visual upgrades, there are a number of key changes that help iron out some dated kinks in DW3’s gameplay while making some smart revisions.
If you’re new to the franchise, you may be asking why Koei decided to choose Dynasty Warriors 3 and not its two predecessors for the remaster treatment. In a nutshell: the original Dynasty Warriors was a 3D fighting game that rarely comes up in conversation due to its middling critical reception. In Japan, it’s not considered part of the main series which is why there’s a discrepancy in the numbering of each game – that’s why DW3 is referred to as Shin Sangoku Musou 2. In Dynasty Warriors 2, Omega Force switched to the action hack n’ slash “Musou” formula we’re all familiar with today, its sequel heavily refining that template while adding a glut of new stages and playable characters. Although 4 and 5 are both fantastic games, if Koei was to start anywhere with a potential spree of remasters, number 3 makes the most sense.
Inspired by Luo Guanzhong’s epic, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dynasty Warriors 3 lets players witness semi-historical campaigns set in Ancient China through the eyes of powerful officers. From spear-wielding posterboy, Zhao Yun, to the indomitable Lu Bu, each character has their own story and unique moveset, cleaving through entire armies as they go from stage to stage, unlocking new weapons and items while levelling up their stats.
The series’ trademark gameplay has always proven divisive; some find it pointless and repetitive while others revel in the cathartic button-bashing madness. Then there are those who actually take the time to max out their characters and attempt Chaos difficulty playthroughs, searching for finesse and strategy amongst the on-screen madness.
Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered won’t convert any haters out there. In fact, if you’re making the backwards leap from Dynasty Warriors: Origins then you may find some friction here that could prove offputting. However, while character movesets are far more restricted (and levels designs more basic) clear attempts have been made to modernise DW3’s gameplay. For starters there’s now an evade button that allows you to not only avoid powerful enemy attacks, but also dash from one crowd of grunts to the next, quickly reengaging without losing your combo meter. The bow – which was admittedly useless in the original game – now packs a punch and is now a vital tool when tackling those higher difficulty tiers.
The biggest complaint I’ve always had with Dynasty Warriors – especially after transitioning into the PS4/Xbox One generation and beyond – was the lack of defensive gameplay options. You’d simply hammer away at the face buttons on your controller then run away whenever a powerful foe starts a counterattack. There’s a running joke that just about every AAA video game released today has a parry button, even though its inclusion made perfect sense for Dynasty Warriors: Origins. This remaster doesn’t go quite that far. While it does feature a perfect guard and a perfect evade, the timing window on these are rather strict. Not only that, it can be difficult to spot when an enemy officer’s attack is about to make contact when there are so many characters on-screen at any time. To help keep players in the fight, a simple new mechanic allows them to see when officers are winding up for a charge attack, giving them enough time to counter with their own, stunning their opponent in the process (the bow is particularly handy for this). The same counter also works for Musou attacks, encouraging a more offence-focus playstyle.
Another major improvement is the new Weapon Fusion system that has been added for this remaster. This adds a smart new dimension to character progression, allowing you to recycle old weapons by transferring their effects over to a new one. This really helps those players who are serious about clearing the game on Chaos difficulty, something which is made more approachable thanks to a couple of changes found elsewhere. Firstly, you now have the option to quit mid-stage and resume at your leisure. Secondly, and more importantly, you can retry any failed stages without starting from the beginning, using the rewind feature found in Origins to dive back into the action at certain checkpoints.
Of course, the most noticeable change here is the visuals. Dynasty Warriors 3 has been spruced up thanks to Unreal Engine 5 with incredibly detailed updated character models and stages that pack in far more depth and dynamism, thanks to vastly improved weather and lighting effects. When it comes to presentation, audio is the real highlight as any DW3 sicko will know. The hair metal soundtrack is among one of best found in any video game, accompanied by charmingly outdated dialogue and character voice work.
