DYNASTY WARRIORS 9

59%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,188 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
DYNASTY WARRIORS 9 Game Cover
Dynasty Warriors 9 has finally entered the next generation of gaming, bringing the series' tried and true 1-versus-1,000 fights into a massive open world while sticking true to its roots, for better or for worse.
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DYNASTY WARRIORS 9 offers an open-world experience in the franchise, featuring a vast map of ancient China and a day-night cycle. With over 80 playable characters, each with unique abilities and weapons, players engage in fierce battles set in a detailed narrative based on Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Exploration, emergent battles, and strategic objectives enhance the immersive Warriors experience.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

59%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,188 reviews
story144 positive mentions
optimization126 negative mentions
  • The graphics are stunning, with beautifully detailed environments and vibrant colors that create an immersive visual experience.
  • The gameplay is engaging and full of variety, offering a great challenge whether it's solving puzzles or battling enemies.
  • Character development is impressive, with each character having a unique backstory and abilities, adding depth to the overall experience.
  • The open world feels empty and lacks meaningful content, making exploration tedious.
  • The combat system has been simplified, leading to repetitive gameplay and a lack of unique movesets for many characters.
  • The English voice acting is subpar, detracting from the overall experience.
  • story1,365 mentions

    The story in "Dynasty Warriors 9" is a mix of familiar historical narratives and new character perspectives, with each of the 90 playable characters having their own storyline. While the open-world format allows for exploration and side missions that can enhance the main story, many players find the missions repetitive and lacking in depth, often feeling disconnected from the overarching narrative. Overall, the storytelling is seen as more fleshed out than in previous installments, but it suffers from poor presentation, including lackluster voice acting and a disjointed mission structure.

    • “The character development is also impressive, with each character having a unique backstory and abilities, adding depth to the overall experience.”
    • “I was new to Dynasty Warriors and found it great that many of the characters have their unique point of view of the story through the cinematics throughout the chapters, of which the different characters have a different start and end.”
    • “The story is actually really well narrated, and I believe that this is the best thing about the game.”
    • “The game's storyline, which is based on the historical events of the three kingdoms period, fails to captivate and engage players.”
    • “The major flaws come in the form of the open world and the lack of content in it as well as the outright disappointing way the story is told.”
    • “The story is very strict on who wins battles (most often Wei) and who ends up retreating (most often Shu), but when your character's story ends... the game gives vague statements about their motivation and how they succeed in the future.”
  • gameplay523 mentions

    The gameplay of Dynasty Warriors 9 has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the engaging combat mechanics and open-world exploration, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking depth. Many users noted that the shift to an open-world format has led to a less epic feel in battles, with frequent interruptions from tutorial prompts and a sense of emptiness in the game world. Overall, while some find the new mechanics and variety enjoyable, others feel that the execution falls short of expectations, making it a polarizing experience for fans of the series.

    • “The gameplay is engaging and full of variety, whether it's solving puzzles or battling enemies; it offers a great challenge and keeps you hooked.”
    • “The gameplay is amazing, especially in open world where you can do whatever you like, rush through or enjoy the game and features, fishing, crafting, assisting other posts, and so much more.”
    • “Gameplay here is just superb, flashy & fluid compared to every other Warriors game.”
    • “Borderline unplayable - though to be fair, I only got 53 minutes into it, stopping every 0-2 seconds for the game to pause and flash up a tutorial dialog to explain some game mechanic, in a seemingly unending series of dialogs that were each quickly forgotten.”
    • “The shift to an open-world format, while ambitious, results in a lackluster and repetitive gameplay experience.”
    • “The gameplay is weak and pay-to-win is definitely a thing.”
  • graphics521 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the stunning environments and character models, while others criticize the overall optimization and performance issues. Many players noted that while the graphics can be impressive at times, they often suffer from glitches, pop-ins, and a lack of detail in the open world, leading to a perception of dated visuals compared to current AAA titles. Overall, the game is seen as a significant improvement over previous entries in the franchise, but still falls short of modern graphical standards.

    • “First of all, the graphics are stunning, with beautifully detailed environments and vibrant colors that create an immersive visual experience.”
    • “Positives: it is the best looking Dynasty game; believe me, it is on par with a heavily modded Skyrim, RDR2, and Witcher 3 on max graphics, and the open world really suits it.”
    • “I think the graphics look great, best in the series.”
    • “Outdated graphics, performance, quality of life, user experience, user interface, major lack of optimization.”
    • “The game is bad in terms of graphics (what is this, 2005?), combat (which is sad), movement, cut scenes (again, this is not 2005, don't hurt my eyes with those please) and the 'open world' is open, lul, just have nothing in it (like the universe, empty, void).”
    • “Numerous graphical issues are abound, with framerate drops, tons of pop-in, and textures not loading correctly or at all.”
  • optimization422 mentions

    The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frequent frame rate drops, long loading times, and various glitches. While some users with high-end systems experience smoother gameplay, others struggle to achieve playable frame rates even on recommended settings, indicating a lack of effective optimization across different hardware configurations. Overall, the game's performance remains a major concern, with many players advising potential buyers to wait for further patches before purchasing.

    • “Performance-wise, it's good if you have a recent PC system with a modern GPU, but if you have an older PC with an old GPU, you need to tweak the settings depending on your configuration.”
    • “You need to tweak the graphics options yourself if you wish to squeeze the most performance out of this game.”
    • “There is still a lot to improve and work on for Koei, namely the performance, but even in its current state, it's very playable if you're smart enough to work with its given settings.”
    • “The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to frequent frame rate drops, long loading times, and various glitches and bugs.”
    • “The optimization for this game is pure crap, couldn't recommend it now.”
    • “Despite all the negative reviews due to issues with performance and optimization and all, I would recommend this game.”
  • music134 mentions

    The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many praising its orchestral soundtrack and familiar remixes from previous titles in the Dynasty Warriors series. While some players noted a sense of recycling in the tracks, the overall atmosphere created by the music enhances the gameplay experience, making battles feel epic and providing a relaxing backdrop during exploration. However, a few critiques mentioned that certain sound effects and the absence of a music selection feature detracted from the overall audio experience.

    • “Plus, the sound design and soundtrack are excellent, perfectly complementing the atmosphere.”
    • “Music has always been one of the best parts of the Dynasty Warriors series, and this game is no exception.”
    • “The music is awesome as it usually is, power metal guitars.”
    • “Terrible animations and voice acting, poorly designed quests, no sense of urgency during missions, annoying soundtrack, battle interactions made by a 10-year-old with lines that made me want to vomit.”
    • “Full of bugs, combat is the worst of Dynasty 6 by far, even on the hardest difficulty there's no challenge or anything, the song is crappy compared to others, you can no longer choose your background music.”
    • “The sound is average, from swinging sword, cutting stuff, riding, music... nothing special.”
  • stability97 mentions

    The game's stability has improved since its buggy launch, with several patches addressing many issues, yet players still report frequent minor glitches, frame rate drops, and graphical problems. While some find the experience enjoyable despite these flaws, others criticize the game's optimization and persistent bugs, suggesting it feels unfinished. Overall, the game is considered playable but remains plagued by stability concerns that can detract from the experience.

    • “There's tons to do, the castle battles are great, and after disabling VSync, it runs smoothly.”
    • “It runs great.”
    • “I have the exact recommended specs for the game, and it runs perfectly.”
    • “The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to frequent frame rate drops, long loading times, and various glitches and bugs.”
    • “Textures refusing to load, horrible pop-ins, and other graphical glitches have plagued my game since day one and I have no idea when/if Koei is going to bother to fix them.”
    • “An empty, barren 'open world', a watered down combat system, barely any unique weapons, all characters feel the same, oh and it's a buggy mess to boot.”
  • grinding83 mentions

    Grinding in this game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, with players noting that the open-world structure disrupts pacing and turns engaging battles into monotonous tasks. While some appreciate the opportunity to complete side missions and gather materials, many find the overall experience frustrating due to repetitive quests and slow leveling. Despite the potential for achievements, the grind often overshadows enjoyment, leading to a sense of exhaustion rather than fulfillment.

    • “Thanks to the fast travel mechanic, travel isn't too tedious either.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The RPG system kinda works, but you spend the entire early game grinding for experience before you get overpowered real fast.”
    • “Pacing problems: the transition to an open-world structure disrupts the pacing of the game, turning once-epic battles into tedious traversal, diminishing the sense of urgency and excitement.”
  • humor44 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding the English dub's poor quality amusing, though it can also be frustrating. Instances of unintentional comedy arise from awkward voice acting and game bugs, leading to moments that are both funny and annoying. Overall, while some aspects of the humor are endearing, the inconsistent voice performances and glitches contribute to a comedic experience that can feel broken at times.

    • “Watching Lu Bu with a fan is hilarious.”
    • “Be prepared to burst out laughing the first time Zhang Jiao speaks!”
    • “I like a lot of new costumes, I like the puddles after rain and especially taking Daqiao in her pretty dress, rolling in these puddles and seeing how it gets dirty... you think I'm joking, but no, I actually spent a good 15 minutes just rolling in the puddles and grinning like an idiot, because it looked funny.”
  • character development33 mentions

    Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the unique backstories and abilities that add depth, others criticize the narrative for being disjointed and lacking emotional engagement. The character designs are consistently praised for their quality and improvement over previous iterations, but the overall execution of character development leaves many feeling detached from the story.

    • “The character development is also impressive, with each character having a unique backstory and abilities, adding depth to the overall experience.”
    • “By implementing the open world building design and character development aspect in the storyline, I think this has the best Dynasty Warriors story mode ever.”
    • “The good part are the character designs and how they go deep with the story, I loved that!”
    • “The narrative feels disjointed and poorly paced, lacking the depth and character development that fans of the series have come to expect.”
    • “Lack of depth in character development: the narrative fails to provide depth in character development, resulting in a sense of detachment from the unfolding events and a missed opportunity to engage players emotionally.”
    • “It had some semblance of character development.”
  • emotional20 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating the beautiful design and immersive open world but criticizing the lack of emotional expression and depth in character development. Many feel detached from the narrative due to superficial interactions and missed opportunities to explore meaningful relationships, leading to a sense of disappointment despite some moments of beauty and nostalgia. Overall, while the game evokes some emotional responses, it ultimately falls short in fostering deeper connections with its characters and story.

    • “The open world approach made me feel in ancient China, and for the first time, I cared about almost everything, like characters, castles, events, and natural wonders.”
    • “Every time I see this game in my library, I want to cry.”
    • “Crisp, energizing, epic, even beautiful and emotional at times.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its expansive open world, diverse character perspectives, and various side missions, which enhance the overall experience. However, some players noted that repeating chapters with different characters can lead to redundancy in storytelling, slightly diminishing the replay value. Overall, while there are performance issues, the multitude of characters and combat mechanics provide ample reasons to revisit the game.

    • “This game is actually a lot of fun if you like Dynasty Warriors games. It's much larger than normal DW games, and the open world is a really cool idea. There’s a ton of replayability with so many different stories, though if you play two characters from the same team that have the same chapters, you're going to see a lot of repeat stuff.”
    • “Crafting, hideouts, and side missions add more to the game, and replayability.”
    • “We don't set expectations high, but we expect to enjoy it regardless because hack and slash with a multitude of weapons and characters gives immense replayability and depth to the core mechanic of combat.”
    • “When replayed at the same level as another officer, often their model is just added to dialogue-based cutscenes instead of telling the same story from a different perspective, which lowers the replayability factor very significantly.”
    • “This game is actually a lot of fun if you like Dynasty Warriors games. It's much larger than normal DW games, and the open world is a really cool idea. It can be kind of bland in some areas, but it's their first attempt at an open world game. There’s a ton of replayability with so many different stories, though if you play two characters from the same team that have the same chapters, you're going to see a lot of repeat stuff.”
    • “Yes, there are performance issues (they can be fixed down the road with patches), but it's enjoyable to play. The open world is vast with a lot of stuff to do and get sidetracked on. It has a lot of replay value since each character will have different perspectives in the story, but even then there are small differences in the story.”
  • monetization12 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been heavily criticized for being excessively focused on cash grabs, with players expressing frustration over the reliance on microtransactions and DLC purchases to unlock characters. Many feel that the game is essentially a free trial, as the core content is locked behind paywalls, leading to disappointment and a sense of false advertising regarding its features. Overall, the monetization approach has left a negative impression on users, overshadowing the game's potential.

    • “I stopped giving my opinion on DLC monetization since every single company is doing it; you will have to pick and choose the one you want.”
    • “I think the main complaint is the insane cash grabbing, which it totally is.”
    • “Do not get this game ever. You cannot buy the game; it is a free trial. The only way to unlock any characters is to buy them as DLC (this comes directly from Koei; I emailed them about this). It is pathetic that microtransactions are the only way they can run now.”
    • “I somewhat feel that this was just a cash grab for them.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its excellent sound design and soundtrack, which effectively enhance the overall experience. While the graphics are considered suitable and contribute to the ambiance, they fall short of the highest standards seen in other titles. Overall, the gameplay is described as fluid and atmospheric, though some users note a need for graphical optimization.

    • “Plus, the sound design and soundtrack are excellent, perfectly complementing the atmosphere.”
    • “The music is great and atmospheric, the graphics are good enough, and the gameplay itself is fluent.”
    • “Graphics are suitable and atmospheric, but it's never going to be, say, a Far Cry 5 or GTA V in the graphics department.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

61% average critic score

Buy DYNASTY WARRIORS 9

Play time

15hMedian play time
116hAverage play time
5-46hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 38 analyzed playthroughs

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