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Information Updated: 8/25/2005

In the world of gaming, having a good concept is key. Whether it has to do with the combo system in one of the various versions of Tekken or the fluid controls in Splinter Cell or the central concepts in year after year of Madden. Developers find something that works and they stick with it. The fans of these games are no less zealous when it comes to their personal favorites. Given this, I’m not surprised at all by the tenacity with which Koei has stuck to their Dynasty Warriors formula.

The most recent implementation of their franchise, Dynasty Warriors 5 has already been realized on the Playstation 2, but until now was unavailable on the Xbox. For all practical purposes, it is the exact same game as the PS2 version, though they did decide to add 5.1 surround sound and Japanese voice-overs. I can’t say how good they are because the only thing available on the preview copy was a menu that let you select the language. The only voices I experienced were the campy English ones that were the source of some negative criticism of the franchise. Having Japanese voices may greatly improve the game, but we’ll have to wait until the release to know for sure.

Like the many previous Dynasty Warriors titles and the frequent spin-offs, Dynasty Warriors 5 is based on the famed Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a 600-year-old epic based on the Han dynasty in second and third century China. In the video game, you play the roles of the many characters found throughout the book. Each character you play has a specific story line that, while incorporating elements of fiction, is based largely on historical fact. The game also includes an encyclopedia that gives an abridged summary of the events that take place in the epic to fill in any gaps left by the game’s storyline.

When it comes to games, though, I personally couldn’t give a crap about ancient China or any of its history. Sure it’s interesting and I’d enjoy a class on the subject, but I like to keep a clean delineation between my education and my gaming. Call it a personal preference, but I want my games to be fun. Well, coincidentally this game is fun. Like many other characters from epics, Achilles or Odysseus for example, those found in Dynasty Warrior 5 are larger than life, they are more than just men and women. They are epic heroes. To emphasize their demigod-like powers, instead of battling single enemies, you single handedly battle legions and legions of enemy combatants until you reach the similarly powerful general of the enemy forces. Once their army is defeated utterly, the story advances and the formula repeats.

In this way, to me, it is a lot like the story mode in a fighting game. You play through the game because of the game play not because of the storyline. The story is just a bonus. At its core, Dynasty Warrior 5 is a fun action game that never really ends. You find weapons and level up your abilities and are blessed with incredibly devastating Musou attacks that make you shoot lightning or burst into flames or some other cool effect. You have a sidekick/bodyguard that levels up with you and can help you perform dual Musou attacks to do even more damage. Both are fortunate considering the many officers and bosses that are roaming around the level in each campaign.

The game can be repetitive, but it’s not the kind of game that you play through to the end credits, and then promptly trade in. It’s the kind that you pick up from time to time to play a campaign or two and then when bored put back on the shelf. It’s also not the type of game that is necessary to stay up to date with in terms of sequels and spin offs. If you are new to the series, I strongly suggest checking this game out when released for the Xbox. If you have one of the earlier versions or one of the spin-offs, you may not feel there are enough differences to warrant shelling out for this upcoming release. At 50 bucks a pop, I don’t think anyone could blame you.

In the game’s new “Destiny Mode,” players will begin as a foot soldier, and work their way up the ranks by completing a series of combat missions. Now, players will have a previously unheard of level of control over their character’s destiny by choosing which officer they will serve and to which kingdom they will pledge allegiance. Additional features include two tough new “Challenge” courses, and the new “Blacksmith” system that allows players to upgrade their characters and weapons using special items.

“With heavy interest from consumers and retailers, the Dynasty Warriors series continues to be an overwhelming success as the company’s premier franchise,” said Amos Ip, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for KOEI Corporation. “Powered by this generation’s patented and most advanced melee combat technology, Dynasty Warriors 5 Xtreme Legends includes game modes that make it exciting as a standalone title or when used as an expansion to the original Dynasty Warriors 5.”

DW5XL can be used as an expansion pack to the original Dynasty Warriors 5 (sold separately), and it can also be played without the original Dynasty Warriors 5 disc.