Let me set the level of expectations up front. N3 is cut from the same mold as Dynasty Warriors, which means light on story and heavy on button pressing action. If you aren't a fan of what Dynasty Warriors has created with its massive battles where you're outnumbered 1000-to-1, then there's no hope for you here. There's nothing wrong with that. I admit it's not a taste that many are fond of, since it can be very repetitive.

If you've cleared that hurdle, then it's time to talk about all the things N3 does right in this genre. First and most noticeably, the graphics are awesome. Not only are the draw distances far and the shear number of enemies on screen at once tremendous, but it looks gorgeous to boot. Effects from all the different attacks are a sight to see. Weapon trails and special attacks are all unique and very flashy. This sure beats all other attempts I've played where enemies pop-in, are masked in heavy laden fog, or appear in much smaller numbers. The camera is also a breath of fresh air. You have complete control over the camera using the right stick, and you can choose from two levels of zoom.

If we're using Dynasty Warriors as a frame of reference, then there are a couple of other areas where N3 excels. Combo attacks are much more plentiful and way more varied, and equipment plays a bigger role and is more interesting. Your character in N3 levels up from 1 and maxes out at 9. Every level you'll learn new combo attacks. To say that all you have to do is press X repeatedly in this game is a great injustice. Your x,x,x,x combos don't usually do a great job at clearing crowds, and you definitely need to juggle bosses. Some combos are best used outside of a group where you won't be interrupted while other are great for escaping from inside a pile of enemies and still doing good damage.

The number of slots where you can wear equipment also increases with levels. Everything, from cloaks to boots to new weapons, drops from enemies or is found in chests. Most equipment increases stats, but there are others that grant abilities like an increased item drop rate or even penalize you. The items that have penalties associated with them are a part of a set, and they either do good things when worn as a set or allow you to find an item only available if wearing the set.

Not only do characters gain levels, but the stages do too. Each time you clear a stage with an A or better, the stage levels up for that character. This not only increases the difficulty but also makes the item drop rate better. So even after the completion of the story mode, there's a lot to do with item hunting. Plus, I always enjoy the slaughter of taking on enemies when I'm overpowered.

The story mode starts with only Inphyy and Aspharr available as selectable characters. As you complete their stories, more people will be unlocked. In the end, there are seven playable characters. They range from leaders of knights to mercenaries to opposing goblins and trolls. Each character plays and attacks uniquely. There's quite a bit of difference in play style between them. There's not a whole lot of meat to the story, but it's neat playing it from all the different perspectives. Between the character styles and changing storylines, each play through feels unlike the last.

Regardless of how much fun I've had with the game, it certainly has some areas that should be addressed. Slowdown rears its ugly head at times, you had to see that coming. What's weird is sometimes there are hundreds upon hundreds of people on the screen with all the effects going, and there's nary a hiccup. Other times that many people will slow the game down, and stranger still, there are times when there's not much going on at all when the game stutters. There are also some issues with attacks whiffing. It's not so much a collision detection issue as there are frames of animation where the enemy is invincible. This is most notable on bosses, but I've found that a well-placed juggle always wins the battle of priority. The last issue is the stupid save system. The game insists, without telling you as much, that you save each character in their own save slot. If you save over another character, you just erased all their progress.

That crappy port of Dynasty Warriors has exited stage right, and N3 will continue to fight for time on my 360. If this is a genre you like or have been tempted to try out, N3 is a fantastic addition.