Dynasty Warriors is one of the most popular Japanese hack and slash games on the market. It even received its own film adaptation in 2021, which is now available to watch on Netflix. Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires release date was on 15 February 2022, so we want to give you all the latest updates, news, and rumors about Omega Force and Koei’s new game.
About the franchise
Dynasty Warriors is a popular series of Japanese hack and slash action video games developed by Omega Force and Koei, which started as a spin-off of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series. Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires is the ninth main installment to the series. The franchise is loosely based on the fictionalized version of the Chinese historical text, Records of the Three Kingdoms.
The series was released in 1997, and since then, it’s been gaining a large fan base and is one of the most successful Koei’s franchises, with over 21 million copies sold worldwide in 2020.
A journey through China
Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires is set during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, an uprising of peasants that occurred in China in 184 AD. The game takes players through the story in 10 chapters:
- Suppressing the Yellow Turbans,
- Confusion at the Capital,
- Starting to Divide,
- The Man Who Ruled the Plains,
- The Sleeping Dragon Awakens,
- The Battle of Chibi,
- To Establish Three Kingdoms,
- The Three Kingdoms Rumble,
- A fierce Battle at Jing,
- Beyond Conquest and Kings.
Moreover, the players will have the freedom of choosing how they will proceed through the game. Whether you’d like to complete every mission in each chapter or run straight to the final quest is completely up to you. Apart from the Critical Missions, there will be various supplement missions to take in different regions.
One of the major changes will be that for the first time in the series, the Dynasty Warriors world will be presented on the expansive single map of China. The creators promise a beautiful visual experience through various regions and replicated cities of China with the attention to changes caused by the passing time and changing weather.
A new key feature in the Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires are the Castle Sieges, in which the area around castles is now the battlefield.
The co-op mode
The latest game update allows players to join friends in tactical Dynasty Warriors 9 co-op gameplay. Apart from the online co-op, there will also be a local co-op that can be played on a split-screen.
In these modes, you’ll be able to make coordinated attacks on the enemy and work in sync with each other. Additionally, you can split the tasks between players. For example, one player can complete the main task while the other can complete the side-missions or gather resources at the same time. This strategic play will definitely increase your chances of defeating the enemy.
Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires release date
Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires has already premiered in Japan on December 23rd, 2021. However, the game’s premiere in Europe and America was on February 15th, 2022, which had been revealed in the Release Date Trailer.
Moreover, the Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires platforms are PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The PlayStation 5 version, however, will be digital-only.
There is also a demo version of the game available for free in which players can try out the story mode, the free co-op mode, and the edit mode.
Dynasty Warriors 9 characters
In each game of the series, there are three main kingdoms battling: Wei, Wu, and Shu. There is also the Jin Dynasty, which was formed at the end of the Three Kingdoms period and introduced to the players in Dynasty Warriors 7. The dynasties are color-coded according to the faction they belong to.
Players should be especially excited about the enhanced character creator system, based on the one in Nioh 2. From what we could see in the demo gameplays, the system looks really good and detailed. You’ll be able to choose different clothes and customize their color, select various facial features (even the pupil size!), and change the character’s hairstyle, to name a few.
Apart from creating your character, you can also choose from a plethora of already made officers. The developers announced that all 94 officers that appear in the latest title are playable.
Deluxe Edition
For all avid fans of the franchise, there will also be a Dynasty Warriors 9 Deluxe Edition. It will include such additional features as:
- 6 Gems,
- 10 Custom Ancient Officers,
- 3 Additional Campaign scenarios,
- Season Pass, with more additional items.
Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires first reviews
Currently, Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires review on Metacritic scores 62 for the PS5 version of the game. Moreover, players have been pointing out some issues with the game, especially with the Nintendo Switch port. Most complaints regard the game’s poor graphic design and repetitive gameplay. Some critics went as far as to say that Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires is reusing old ideas, has little to offer, and suggest that maybe the series should not be continued. Ouch. Notwithstanding that, there is also some positive feedback, especially about the character creator system. But is Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires worth it? For the series fans, the answer is probably yes. For anyone else, it’s worth checking out, but it’s not a must-have.
That’s all we know about Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires so far. In case of any new updates, we’ll be sure to let you know first, so check our blog daily. Follow us on our social media to never skip any news from the gaming world!
