Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition - PS4 and PS Vita Review

Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition - PS4 and PS VitaOriginally Published and Copyrighted by Blast Away the Game Review on 3/30/2014Review by Dustin Murphy

Note: For a review with images, please visit Blast Away the Game Review over on Facebook.

Pros:
-Graphics that noticeably have a refined polish that earlier entries did not.
-A bit smoother frame rate than Dynasty Warriors 8 thanks to the more powerful hardware to support the game itself.
-Controls still remain fluid like, easy to use, and haven't seen a whole lot of polish since previous entries. This is a non-occurring thing for the better.
-New characters add in a fresh breath of air for each of the games kingdoms; Wu, Shu, Wei, and a Lu Bu's own new campaign.
-New in-depth weapon system allows for an enhanced experience with weapon swapping and tactics needed to bring down enemies.
-Beautiful scenery sets an amazing world come to life out of the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms, with unique takes on old tile sets.

Cons:
-Sometimes severe frame rate drops can cause some players to find themselves turned off from this title.
-Difficulty with Ambition mode to some once at Ultimate may be a turn off. This is only truly for the challenge accepting people.
-Tutorials seem a bit bland for those freshly coming into the series.

Final Verdict: 8 out of 10

Final Thoughts: Dynasty Warriors 8 XL CE takes me back to the days of when I was a youth. Playing Dynasty Warriors days on end with seemingly no stop. With this version we see the world of Dynasty Warriors expand with new characters, levels, stories, and even content such as the additions to Ambition Mode, Free Play, and even the campaign for Lu Bu. Lets not forget the Ultimate Difficulty, which will leave some players banging their head on walls wondering why they even tried without a decently leveled character.

 Many people will tell you that Dynasty Warriors has not changed since the first few installments, which makes me want to hit my head against the wall, and weep. Having skipped a few entries since Dynasty Warriors Next on the PS Vita launched, I'm able to see a lot of changes. In Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends I got to experience several new things that peaked my interest as an avid Dynasty Warriors fan. The first and foremost was the expansion of the things to do away from what we are normally used to with modes such as Free Mode, for me the new Ambition Mode, and of course the ever fun challenge mode that pitted me against some at times almost impossible goals to complete in order to beat the mission I was on. In turn such difficulty came with a high reward of accomplishment as I would pursue each one.

 Dynasty Warriors is a franchise that has kept itself unique in many ways. Many will see it as a hack 'n slash, beat 'em up, RPG. and strategy game combined into one. Doing this has made the franchise unique in the means that players can up the difficulty in order for it to scale with their characters and weapons. The difficulty alone will bring on new challenges as players will take on new unit leaders, rewards, and of course in some instances; new characters to play. Completing each mission also will allow players to enjoy a new feature - what if missions. These what if missions provide an alternative to what could have happened depending on the choices made and the end results.

 The newest thing I did take note of is the feared Lu Bu campaign. This story arch provided an insight to how the villainous and feared warmonger would be. As a character I remember once running from more than once across snowy fields in Dynasty Warriors 4 Xtreme Legends finally became on I did not have to fear. Taking the reigns as him I found myself eagerly and deliberately wiping out throngs of enemies without a second thought. Using some of them even as impact points for his combo's that easily allowed for me to pick up high damage numbers for combo chain's as well as my K.O. chain. With his story we also get to experience something new, at least it was for me, cut scenes that smoothly cut in and out of missions while in them. These cut scenes do not seem to interrupt the campaign in the slightest and gives it a rather fluid feel as we go through all of it. With it we get to see everything from Lu Bu's fame, fear, and fortune only to witness his pieces are moving across the chess board in place for complete rule and power.

 After having spent quite a bit of time with Lu Bu's campaign, it was time to slowly migrate away from it and visit the Ambition Mode. Ambition mode out of all them is what grabbed my attention. The trick here? It's almost never ending so it seems. With around thirty hours into it and a little under that in the campaign, I found myself more constantly returning to the Ambition mode. In it players will find each mission in progress timed. Their time can be regained by defeating enemy officers and doing specialized objectives that can be found in the mission info portion of the pause menu. By completing missions, defeating enemy officers (named enemy officers), players will gain more allies for their forces. Players will also be able to take on missions that will have in their info, what special enemies may be there, and this is definitely something worth going for. Why? It'll allow players to have MORE playable characters to choose from versus the one they started out with.

 In addition to Ambition Mode, players will also get to choose the Ultimate Difficulty, which will definitely make them go in for a challenge. Note that these enemies are very hard, will not be forgiving, and will easily kill a player that is not prepared. This is not for the faint of heart by any means necessary.

 Another addition is several new characters, each unique in their own fighting styles and weapon choices. The one I spent the most time with? Chen Gong, who controls "spirits" to fight for him. As ludicrous as it sounds, it fits the tone perfectly. It also gives a perfect accent to do what I felt was proper. The thing that many will find enchanting is Lu Bu's daughter - Lu Lingqi. Much like her father she is a force to be reckoned with that will very quickly dispatch the entire enemy front-line within a blink of an eye.

 Fa Zheng was one to grab my attention when I was digging through the Shu officers only to find a teenage like man who carried a magic carpet like cloth. Why did this catch my attention? The fact he has a magic cloth that can easily attack large groups of enemies and be combo'd into his Musou attack. In rage mode? He'll just clear out the battlefield with it very quickly, making the favors go in his direction rather quickly.

 The next one that caught my attention was Yu Jin out of the new characters who serves the Wei faction underneath leader Cao Cao. The most amazing thing about him is his finesse with Hook weapons. Why do you ask? The fact they are fast, devestating and can easily clear out a few enemies while stunning others only to leave them open for an undeniably painful combo. Doing this also leaves his ultimate open for a dizzying whirlwind of dispatched enemies and blur. Though when surrounded this is very useful, and will allow for players to quickly escape combat in order to heal if needed be.

 Last, but not least is Zhu Rhan of the Wu faction. I found myself quickly emptying out enemies from a distance with his bow. Why? Because it's extremely useful when trying to avoid the hordes of enemies or even possible frame rate lag, which has been experienced with this title as mentioned before. Though I didn't spend as much time as I wanted with him, he is definitely one many players will take a liking to, especially with his attitude, cunning, and quick use of the battlefield.

 Overall, Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition is by far one of the best versions of Dynasty Warriors I've ever played since 2001 when I was first introduced to the series by a reluctant stop at the local Hastings movie, books, and games store. Why? Because it's a series I've come to love and with the vast improvements as well as push to make the game even longer. I can't go without saying that I thoroughly enjoy a once in a while brawler that won't require me to shout orders to friends or random players. Instead? I control the battlefield and the outcomes. Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition is one that will not let any players down. Instead they will find themselves thoroughly enjoying the game as time passes through. They will also find themselves not regretting a moment of it either.

 Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition is now available on the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation Vita handheld. Prices may vary and should hold players over while those waiting for a Samurai Warriors installment get their fulfillment in proper fashion.

Graphics: One of the best looking Dynasty Warriors games I have played since Dynasty Warriors 6. The graphical details from armor shines to detailed clothing, facial movement, and even hair has lead me to see the game has a bright future ahead with Omega Force at the reigns.

Sound: Much like previous installments, many of the old sound files, voice overs, and even weapon sounds have returned. With a bit more detailed use of environmental sounds, players will feel as if the detail is beginning to truly shine through.

Controls: On both the PS4 and Vita Versions, I was able to find myself enjoying the game regardless of how the controls worked. However we would like to see a bit more use of the back touch pad and button combo's in order to bring forth new attacks on the PS Vita. Aside from that, this game runs smooth, controls are easy, and players will not be disappointed in the very few changes made.

For More Information About Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition please visit the provided page below.

http://www.tecmokoeiamerica.com/dw8xl/