Ranking Every Dynasty Warriors Game Worst To Best
7. Dynasty Warriors 9
Dynasty Warriors 9 is not a game that is interested in you understanding it. Dynasty Warriors 9 doesn't even understand itself. Originally heralded as an "open world Dynasty Warriors game", it seems less like it was developed with an open world focus in mind, and more like every single mechanic, trope, and innovation of the 2010s was dumped into a blender. Open world? Check. Crafting? Check. Grappling hooks? Check. Home decoration? Bafflingly, check.
Although a gorgeous-looking game, Dynasty Warriors 9 presents a beautiful world filled with meaninglessness. While there's no shortage of roving bandits or wild animals, delivery sidequests, NPCs to meet and build friendships with (by giving them gifts and doing tasks for them), there's so little here that draws one in. The story modes are long, but surprisingly flat, with weak voice acting and minimal animation. The rich world presents more of the same, with the same basic quest rotation available everywhere, and precious few secrets to discover for oneself.
The combat is a bit more dynamic than 6's, but not by much. Many unique attacks branch off from the game's new Flow mechanic, but they're finicky and unreliable, making them almost always worse than the basic attacks. Framerate issues and glitches further incentivize playing as simply as possible.
Lastly, and most unforgivingly for many players, the game has given into predatory DLC tactics. Though DLC has been a part of the franchise for a while in the form of unique costumes or weapons, Dynasty Warriors 9 offers additional playable characters whose data already exists on the base game. It's a shameless low for a franchise whose fans have given it so much.