DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires

About

DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires is an action game that allows for 2-player co-op and multiplayer gameplay. In this latest installment of the 'Empires' series, players aim to conquer ancient China through strategy and tactical battles, playing as a hero from the Three Kingdoms era. Save data from Free Alliances Version can be imported into the game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 79 reviews

graphics5 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The character creation features are extensive and allow for a high level of customization, making it enjoyable for players to create unique warriors.
The gameplay has been significantly revamped, introducing new combat mechanics and strategies that enhance the overall experience and make it feel fresh.
The graphics have seen a notable improvement, with better textures and lighting that elevate the visual quality compared to previous entries in the series.

The lack of English voice acting is disappointing for many players, making it difficult to follow the story and dialogue during gameplay.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as the turn-based system for managing territories, can feel tedious and slow down the overall pacing of the game.
There are reports of performance issues, including frame rate drops during intense battles, which detracts from the overall experience.

gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
57%
21%
The gameplay in "Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires" has seen significant improvements and expansions since its predecessor, offering a familiar yet enhanced hack-and-slash experience combined with RPG and strategy elements. Players appreciate the depth of character creation and the variety of combat strategies, although some feel that the core gameplay remains largely consistent with previous entries. While the game provides hours of engaging content, particularly in co-op mode, some users note that certain aspects may not feel as polished as they remember.
- “The gameplay has been revamped and improved tremendously since DW6: Empires to DW8: Empires.”
- “Endless hack 'n' slash gameplay mixed in with country management and land dominance.”
- “Some of the new game mechanics are fun and it is enjoyable trying them out.”
- “I mainly get Dynasty Warriors games to play co-op, so my review is heavily influenced by this game's weird not-really-two-player gameplay.”
- “Most of the gameplay is similar to other Empires games with minor additions.”
- “Nothing noteworthy about core gameplay; it's all what we have seen done in DW8 and 8XL, but that is fine because there are numerous ways to attack opponents unlike the PS2 installments of Dynasty Warriors.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The story primarily revolves around historical events from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms era, featuring a weak narrative with only one unique battle per campaign. Players can engage in quests as vagabond units or free officers, but the co-op functionality is limited, leading to frustration when one player must sit out during single-player missions. Overall, while there are enjoyable customization options, many players express a desire for a more robust and varied storytelling experience akin to earlier titles in the series.
- “The main stories normally focus on historical events and battles that took place in ancient China during the Romance of the Three Kingdoms era.”
- “You can also perform quests for officers and rulers as a vagabond unit or free officer.”
- “I certainly hope he plays a big part of Wei's story in Dynasty Warriors 9 and brings in more scenarios that we haven't yet seen from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”
- “The storyline is pretty weak.”
- “I wish every hero had his own story like in Dynasty Warriors 3 and that they would change the storyline for all three kingdoms. We want something new.”
- “It's as if they assumed the second player will just sit around twiddling their thumbs during the single-player missions.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The graphics in "Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires" show significant improvement over previous titles, with enhanced textures and polished visuals for armor, outfits, and weapons. However, while some players appreciate the upgrades, others feel that the overall visual quality still falls short compared to other games in the genre, and the series has not been historically known for its graphics. The PS4 version offers better rendering and image quality, but opinions remain mixed regarding its overall visual appeal.
- “Dw7: Empires enhanced the graphical visual aspects of the game a good deal and it was noticeable. The amount of polish, fine-tuning, and complete texture revamps for this game is insane. In some situations, I still find it hard to believe how much they polished up the armor, outfits, and weapons just for this title!”
- “The PS4 release of this game uses enhanced graphics and rendering for a far depth of field and great image quality.”
- “The graphics and music are nice; the game is attractive.”
- “Graphics and sound in Dynasty Warriors games were never known for their great visuals, and sadly this isn't any different.”
- “It has iffy graphics that I thought would match Samurai Warriors 4.”
- “There is fun to be had with this strategy/hack and slash mesh, but with poor visuals and paid DLC too.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The music in the game features a variety of tracks, including many from previous titles in the series, which is a nostalgic highlight for long-time fans. However, some players prefer to turn off the in-game music and use their own custom compositions, indicating a mixed reception regarding the default soundtrack. Overall, while the music is appreciated by some, it may not appeal to everyone, particularly those who are not fans of the series' rock/techno style.
- “The graphics and music are nice; the game is attractive.”
- “I keep the music turned off 90% of the time and add my own custom music to the mix because I am a freelance music producer. I design my very own fantasy-themed music for my own tastes with this game to add even further to the fantasy vibe.”
- “Of course if you never liked DW's rock/techno music to begin with, there is not much in here that will change your mind.”
- “At least they didn't hold back with the music; the game features dozens of music tracks from many older DW games, like DW2, DW3, etc. This is especially awesome for long-time fans who will instantly recognize their favorites from past DW titles.”
- “And this'd not be a problem if the DLC in 8 Empires were minimal, but there's quite a slew of it for costumes, stages, music, and more.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers praise the game's atmosphere, highlighting its impressive lighting that surpasses even the highly regarded Guild Wars 2 at maximum settings, contributing to a captivating and immersive experience.
- “In terms of lighting, it even surpasses the very atmospheric Guild Wars 2 on maximum settings, in my opinion.”
- “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its world with stunning visuals and sound design.”
- “Every corner of the environment feels alive, creating a captivating atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only minor glitches reported that do not significantly impact gameplay.
- “This is a solid entry in the series, but there are some glitches here and there that can be distracting.”
- “The game has potential, but frequent crashes and bugs make it frustrating to play.”
- “While the gameplay is enjoyable, the stability issues really detract from the overall experience.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers highlight that this installment offers the best replayability in the series to date, suggesting that players will find ample reasons to revisit the game.
- “The best addition to the series so far in terms of replayability.”
- “Every playthrough feels fresh and engaging, thanks to the diverse choices and outcomes.”
- “I keep coming back for more; the different paths and endings make each run unique.”