Refurbishing the Foundation

My first foray into KOEI TECMO’s Warriors series was Warrior Orochi 3: Hyper for the Wii U. Powered largely by the ability to play co-op with one on the TV and one on the Wii U GamePad, it would become one of my top 5 Wii U games. It also made me a permanent fan of the series, but not enough to go backwards and try past releases. With Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered, KOEI TECMO has brought the past to me.

And they did a solid job of it. The Complete Edition Remastered adds enough polish and quality-of-life improvements to help it fit in nicely amongst its modern peers while not breaking the bones of the original 2001 release. And there’s something to be said for that. As technology has grown, so has this series—in both gameplay and IP support. This is especially evident in last year’s Dynasty Warriors Origins, which arguably took itself too seriously and buried the thrill of 1 vs. 1,000 Musou combat under heaps of micromanagement.

Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered, by comparison, is entirely about that combat.

As with most Warriors games, button combos determine how you’re attacking with your weapon of choice. You can randomly hammer away and generally do alright, but you’re better served by memorizing the patterns and using them accordingly. You can also fill up your Musou gauge to launch more devastating Musou attacks and True Musou attacks. And with the new graphics powered by Unreal Engine 5, these battles look wonderful. With the Switch 2, I’m thrilled to finally have a system with the power to put so many bodies on the screen.

But you don’t have to face all those bodies alone. Dynasty Warriors 3 includes a Bodyguard option that allows you to select and equip another character from your roster to take into battle. It’s a fun way to change up the battle scenarios and learn how the other officers work. And depending upon the difficulty level at which you’re playing, proper bodyguard selection becomes essential.

Additional upgrades include the now-expected weapon fusion system and new scenarios for extreme challenges. That these are new features is likely lost on most players. Who played this game 25 years ago and can perfectly recall the experience? But they’re important features for new players more accustomed to the series’ recent releases.

Having said that, there are things I loved about the Warriors games I’ve played since Orochi Hyper 3, and those are all on display here. First, I love the speed of Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered. The story is served in small chunks that shoot you straight into the action. And once a level’s done, you’re right back into the action. This game plays like it’s happy just being a game, and it makes no apologies for what it is. You’ll either love tearing across the Chinese countryside on your horse to eliminate enemy generals and watch them slink off the battlefield, or you’ll play something else. Not every game has to try appealing to all players.

Second, the simple combat belies the true appeal: battlefield strategies and replayability. Yes, you’re seemingly tearing through thousands of enemies willy-nilly, but shifting objectives and complex bonuses requires focus and adaptability. You need to pay attention at all points. In this regard, I wish the English voice acting was better. It sounds and feels better to play with Chinese voice acting, but you’ll end up missing important queues if you don’t speak the language.

Third, weapon deadlock is as cool as those kaiju battles where Godzilla and Mechagodzilla lock beams in a test of strength. Maybe that’s a personal thing. You tell me.

Fourth, the number of officers you can unlock and control provides ample variety without becoming overwhelming. There are over 40 from which to choose, and playing through the main Musou mode with a different officer changes things up just enough to keep things interesting.

But you also have access to Free mode (in which you fight as any officer on any battlefield) and Challenge mode (new levels for those seeking—get this—a challenge). And if you have a buddy handy, there’s also offline co-op and versus play. All of this takes a very short game (you can complete the story in under five hours) and extends the gameplay exponentially.

Again, though, you’ve got to want to play a game like this. As much as I appreciate this throwback to action combat that doesn’t get bogged down by side dishes, those who need the side dishes are going to turn away very quickly. Don’t think you can hop from Dynasty Warriors Origins or Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment to Dynasty Warriors 3 and find the same portions.

But for this diner, at least, the portion on offer here is fully satisfying, and served hot.