Ranking Every Dynasty Warriors Game Worst To Best
3. Dynasty Warriors 8
Much like Dynasty Warriors 7, Dynasty Warriors 8 takes the formula of the older games and attempts to modernize it. It works. The story mode is further deepened, with optional challenges in each battle providing extra incentives for players to push themselves. The voice acting, dialogue, and character animations may be the best the series has ever seen, making each character feel rich and vibrant, bursting with nuance and pathos.
Free Mode returns, as does co-op story mode, with Dynasty Warriors 7's Conquest Mode replaced with a much-improved Ambition Mode. As you fight battles of your choice to gain influence or favor, money, items, or build alliances, you steadily build up your small settlement with the aim of eventually attracting the Emperor's attention. While Conquest Mode felt lazy and aimless, Ambition Mode feels almost like a Dynasty Warriors Empires spin-off on its own.
The standard modes don't skimp on features either. Each character comes with their own unique weapon, while still being able to equip other weapons types, allowing the player to customize their favorites as they like. Furthermore, a rock-paper-scissors mechanic has been added to the weapons, necessitating changing weapons in smaller skirmishes against individual officers. This helps the player become more acquainted with different movesets and fighting styles before jumping headfirst into a character who uses that moveset or style as their base.
While Dynasty Warriors 7 was weighed down by the failures of Dynasty Warriors 6, Dynasty Warriors 8 was free to experiment and modernize the series in its own way. No modern Dynasty Warriors game has better captured the heart and soul of the franchise than Dynasty Warriors 8.