is a series of Japanese
hack and slash
Hack and slash, also known as hack and slay (H&S or HnS) or slash 'em up, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat with melee-based weapons (such as swords or blades). They may also feature projectile-based weapons as well (such as ...
action video games created by
Omega Force
(stylised as ''ω-Force'') is a Japanese video game developer and a division of Koei Tecmo, founded in 1996 by Akihiro Suzuki and Kenichi Ogasawara, and is best known for the ''Dynasty Warriors'' video games.
History
Omega Force was founded ...
and
Koei (now
Koei Tecmo). The series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy ''
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' () is a 14th-century historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong. It is set in the turbulent years towards the end of the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history, starting in 184 AD and ...
'' series, based upon the
Chinese novel of the same name, which is a romanticised retelling of the Chinese
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...
period.
The first game in the series, titled ''
Dynasty Warriors'' in English and ''Sangokumusō'' in Japanese, was a
fighting game
The fighting game video game genre, genre involves combat between multiple characters, often (but not limited to) one-on-one battles. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappling, counter- ...
, a separate genre from the rest of the games in the series. Koei later created a new game as a
spin-off and added the word to the beginning of the title to differentiate it from its predecessor. When the game was
localized for the North American market, the name became ''Dynasty Warriors 2''. Since then, all English titles have been numbered one larger than their Japanese counterparts. Because the original ''Dynasty Warriors'' game belongs to a separate genre and has a different series title in Japan,
Koei Tecmo does not consider it a formal entry in the ''Dynasty Warriors'' series. This is evidenced by Koei-Tecmo's celebration of the series' 20th anniversary in 2020, two decades after the release of ''
Dynasty Warriors 2''.
In 2008, it was Koei's most successful franchise, and as of February 2020, the series has sold more than 21 million copies worldwide.
Main series
The first ''
Dynasty Warriors'' (''Sangokumusō'') is a traditional one-on-one
fighting game
The fighting game video game genre, genre involves combat between multiple characters, often (but not limited to) one-on-one battles. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappling, counter- ...
, released in 1997 for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
. Its gameplay style is reminiscent of ''
Samurai Shodown'', ''
The Last Blade'', ''
Virtua Fighter
is a series of fighting games created by Sega AM2 and designer Yu Suzuki. The original ''Virtua Fighter (video game), Virtua Fighter'' was released in December 1993 and has received four main sequels and several spin-offs. The highly influential ...
'' and ''
Soul Blade''.
The next game was released in Japan as ''Shin Sangokumusou''. This game was released in other countries as ''
Dynasty Warriors 2'', leading to the discrepancy in title numbers. From this game onwards, the player chooses a
playable character and plays a number of levels representing particular battles in the
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...
period, eventually defeating all other rival kingdoms and uniting China under a common ruler. In this game mode, known as "Musou Mode", the generals are usually chosen from one of the three kingdoms (
Wu,
Shu or
Wei; however, from ''Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends'' onwards, independent generals were given full stories as well). ''
Dynasty Warriors 3'' has two secret characters,
Nü Wa and
Fu Xi, that are not playable in Musou Mode.
''
Dynasty Warriors 2'', ''
Dynasty Warriors 3'', ''
Dynasty Warriors 5'' and ''
Dynasty Warriors 6'' have individual Musou Modes for each character. In ''
Dynasty Warriors 4'', ''
Dynasty Warriors 7'', and ''
Dynasty Warriors 8'', each of the Three Kingdoms has its own Musou Mode, which all characters from a particular kingdom would play. The stages are presented in a
third-person view, with the camera set behind the player as they engage the enemy forces. Each scenario can have different win/lose conditions, but the common losing conditions (defeat of the
commander-in-chief, health bar reaching zero and maximum time limit reached) still hold. As for the other characters not from either of the Three Kingdoms, their Musou story modes are purely fictional since in ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', most or all of them were eliminated until only the Three Kingdoms were left.
In ''Dynasty Warriors 5'', a relatively more realistic Musou Mode is introduced for each character. Instead of participating in the entire set of their kingdoms' events, the characters appear only in certain battles that they had fought in, as according to the novel or factual history. Therefore, characters will start at different points in time and they may never have opportunities to encounter some of the other characters (e.g.
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang () (181September or October 234), also commonly known by his courtesy name Kongming, was a Chinese statesman, strategist, and inventor who lived through the End of the Han dynasty, end of the Eastern Han dynasty ( 184–220) and t ...
will never meet
Lü Bu
Lü Bu (; died 7 February 199), courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betrayed a ...
or
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo () (c. 140s – 22 May 192), courtesy name Zhongying, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. At the end of the reign of the Eastern Han, Dong Zhuo was a general and powerful ...
in his Musou Mode). In between stages there are some dramatic cutscenes, in which the character will express their thoughts on the situation, adding a more personal touch and keeping the player updated on the events. Besides, a character's Musou Mode may end before the unification of China at any point of time, stopping for most at their historical point of death. However, some characters such as the three founders (
Liu Bei
Liu Bei (, ; ; 161 – 10 June 223), courtesy name Xuande (), was a China, Chinese warlord in the late Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty who later became the founding Emperor of China, emperor of Shu Han, one of the Three Kingdoms of ...
,
Cao Cao
Cao Cao (; ; ; 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet who rose to power during the end of the Han dynasty (), ultimately taking effective control of the Han central government. He laid the foundation f ...
, and
Sun Jian
Sun Jian () () (155–191?), courtesy name Wentai, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He allied himself with Yuan Shu in 190 when warlords from eastern China formed a ...
) may continue to participate in battles that occurred after their deaths (e.g. Cao Cao appearing at the
Battle of Wuzhang Plains), representing an extended leadership under more successful circumstances.
In ''Dynasty Warriors 8'', an "if" route is added for each country. By fulfilling conditions in previous battles, the player can unlock a hypothetical route for each country where it manages to achieve what it failed to do in actual history. For example, the player can help Wei avoid defeat in the battle of Chibi and unite China with all Wei characters alive.
''Dynasty Warriors 9'' sought to introduce an "open world" style of gameplay.
''Xtreme Legends'' and ''Empires''
In 2002, an expansion was first released for the main games, beginning with ''Dynasty Warriors 3''. This expansion features new Musou Modes for the characters in the ''Other'' category as well as new stages, weapons, items, and modes. The ''Xtreme Legends'' expansion only have the new content, and so players would require the original game disc and use the "Mixjoy" option to access all features. The following games would continue the tradition by having ''Xtreme Legends'' expansion, save for ''Dynasty Warriors 6''. New characters were also added through the ''Xtreme Legends'' starting with ''Dynasty Warriors 7''.
Beginning in 2004, another expansion line, titled ''Empires'' was first released for ''Dynasty Warriors 4''. In ''Empires'', the game would combine the action gameplay of the regular series with strategical and tactical elements from Koei's earlier series ''
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' () is a 14th-century historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong. It is set in the turbulent years towards the end of the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history, starting in 184 AD and ...
''. Unlike the ''Xtreme Legends'', ''Empires'' did not require the original game disc to access all of its features as it is considered a unique game of its own. Again, the following games would continue having the ''Empires'' expansion, including ''Dynasty Warriors 6'', which did not receive an ''Xtreme Legends'' expansion.
Portable games
In 2004,
Koei created the first ''Dynasty Warriors'' title for portable game handhelds, ''
Dynasty Warriors'', on
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PA ...
, and in the following year, ''
Dynasty Warriors Advance'' for
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, and to international markets that June. It was later released in mainland China in 2004, under the name iQue Game Boy Advanc ...
. The sequel of the first PSP game, ''
Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2'' was released in 2006. In 2007, Koei released ''
Dynasty Warriors DS: Fighter's Battle'' for the
Nintendo DS
The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...
. Another PSP game based on ''Dynasty Warriors 6'', ''
Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce'' was released in 2009, which was followed up by a sequel, ''Shin Sangokumusō: Multi Raid 2'' in 2010. A
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, then in other international territories on February 22, 2012, and was produced ...
game, ''
Dynasty Warriors Next'', was released in 2011 as a launch title, and a
Nintendo 3DS game, ''Shin Sangokumusō VS'' (真・三國無双 VS), was released in April 2012. Another portable game was announced in September 2020 for iOS and Android, titled ''Shin Sangokumusō'' (真・三國無双).
Other than titles specifically made for handhelds, select main ''Dynasty Warriors'' titles have also been ported to handhelds, all of which are only available in Japan. The PS2 version of ''
Dynasty Warriors 6'', ''Dynasty Warriors 6: Special'' was also ported to the PSP, which was soon followed by the ''Empires'' expansion in 2010. A port of ''
Dynasty Warriors 7'', ''Shin Sangokumusou 6: Special'' was released in 2011 for PSP, based on the ''Xtreme Legends'' expansion but without including the three new characters added for the expansion. A PS Vita port of ''
Dynasty Warriors 8'' was released in 2013, which includes features from the ''Xtreme Legends'' expansion for that game. Later, in 2015, the ''Empires'' expansion of ''
Dynasty Warriors 8'' was also released on the PS Vita, notably also compatible with the PlayStation TV.
PC games
''
Dynasty Warriors 4: Hyper'' in 2005 is marked as the first ''DW'' game for the PC. Hyper was a port of ''Dynasty Warriors 4'' for the PS2, and had harder AI, more enemies on screen and smoother textures.
In 2006, ''
Dynasty Warriors BB'' (renamed ''Dynasty Warriors Online'' in 2007) was released as an
online game
An online game is a video game that is either partially or primarily played through the Internet or any other computer network available. Online games are ubiquitous on modern gaming platforms, including PCs, consoles and mobile devices, a ...
. As of January 10, 2014 Aeria Games shut down the servers for Dynasty Warriors Online in America. Next to ''
Dynasty Warriors 4: Hyper'', ''Dynasty Warriors 5 Special'' was released for PC in 2006, ''Dynasty Warriors 6'' was released for PC in 2008. Also ''
Samurai Warriors 2'' released in 2009. The PC port of ''Dynasty Warriors 7 with Extreme Legends'' was released on March 9, 2012.
* ''
Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends - Definitive Edition'' released on December 6, 2018.
* ''
Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends - Complete Edition'' released on May 13, 2014.
* ''
Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires'' released on February 27, 2015.
* ''
Dynasty Warriors 9'' released on February 13, 2018.
* ''
Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires'' was announced on September 27, 2020, and was released in Japan in December 2021 and the rest of the world in February 2022.
Characters
The ''Dynasty Warriors'' game series, although referenced to factual people, is known for changing the traditional ways of how some of the historical characters were depicted in ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' or in historical records. For example,
Zhang He appears to be more feminine while
Wei Yan becomes a bestial tribal warrior, while historical accounts depict both to be relatively normal generals with no outstanding characteristics such as these. Some of them also wield weapons that are
anachronistic
An anachronism (from the Greek , 'against' and , 'time') is a chronological inconsistency in some arrangement, especially a juxtaposition of people, events, objects, language terms and customs from different time periods. The most common typ ...
, such as
Ling Tong's
nunchaku and
Sun Ce
Sun Ce () () (175 – 5 May 200), courtesy name Bofu, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was the eldest child of Sun Jian, who was killed during the Battle of Xian ...
's
tonfas. A touch of mysticism is also added, as some characters such as
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang () (181September or October 234), also commonly known by his courtesy name Kongming, was a Chinese statesman, strategist, and inventor who lived through the End of the Han dynasty, end of the Eastern Han dynasty ( 184–220) and t ...
,
Sima Yi and
Zuo Ci have the ability to use magic in their attacks. Female characters (except
Zhurong and
Wang Yi) who did not participate in any battles in the novel or in history are depicted as fearsome
female warriors with exceptional fighting skills and weapons.
A total of 96 characters have been made playable at some point in the series (not counting spin-offs); however, only 94 currently make mainstay appearances as of ''Dynasty Warriors 9''. Each of these characters is armed with a weapon that may be a conventional historical one, an exotic martial arts weapon or a magical weapon that enhances their mystical powers. From ''Dynasty Warriors 3'' onward, each character can choose from a range of weapons with their own power-ups and ability enhancements, as well as higher-level weapons that extend their attack chain.
Spin-offs and licensed games
Following the success of ''Dynasty Warriors'', Koei released ''
Dynasty Tactics'' in 2002 and its sequel, ''
Dynasty Tactics 2'' in the following year, focusing on strategy and tactics in the same Three Kingdoms setting.
Probably the third most recognized franchise of Koei, ''
Samurai Warriors'' (''Sengoku Musou'' in Japan), was introduced in 2004. Instead of the Three Kingdoms era, the series uses Japan's
Sengoku period
The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...
. As a result, the game's roster consists of characters from that era, while having gameplay similar to that of Dynasty Warriors. The game would be followed by ''
Samurai Warriors 2'' in 2006, ''
Samurai Warriors 3'' in 2009, ''
Samurai Warriors 4'' in 2014, and ''
Samurai Warriors 5'' in 2021. as well as numerous other spin-off titles. As with the original series, ''Samurai Warriors'' also has the ''Xtreme Legends'' and ''Empires'' expansions, with the former beginning on the first game and the latter on the second game.
A
tactical role-playing game
Tactical role-playing game (abbreviated TRPG), also known as strategy role-playing game or (both abbreviated SRPG), is a video game genre that combines core elements of role-playing video games with those of tactical (Turn-based tactics, turn-b ...
, ''Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers'' was announced on April 5, 2016, with a Japanese release date in 2016 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita. It will be the series' first strategy RPG, featuring a turn-based system and a world map. The game will also completely deviate from history by introducing a completely new story line involving fictitious mystical elements, with Zhao Yun as the main protagonist.
Other related titles include:
*''Dynasty Warriors Mahjong'' (''Jan Sangoku Musou'' in Japan), which is completely different from the rest of the series, as it has the same characters play the game of
mahjong, rather than having the gameplay of the original games.
*''
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam'' (''Gundam Musou'' in Japan) was released in 2007, combining the popular ''
Gundam
is a Japanese military science fiction media franchise. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks), the franchise features giant robots, or mecha, with the name "Gundam". The franchise began on April 7, 1979, with ...
'' franchise with ''Dynasty Warriors'' gameplay. The game would be followed by three more sequels: ''
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2'' released in 2008, ''
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3'' in 2010, and ' in 2013, which also serves as a remake of the entire series.
*''
Warriors Orochi
is a hack and slash video game for PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox se ...
'' (''Musou Orochi'' in Japan), released in 2007 crosses the ''Dynasty Warriors'' and ''Samurai Warriors'' series to create a fictional crossover. The game introduces the three-man team and have a modified gameplay from both series. The game was followed by a direct sequel ''
Warriors Orochi 2'' (called ''Musou Orochi: Mao Sairin'' in Japan) which reuses the same gameplay of the original game with the focus on adding new stories. A compilation of the two games, ''
Musou Orochi Z'' was released in 2009, thus far has not been brought overseas. The third game, ''
Warriors Orochi 3'', was released in 2011. The game had a different engine and gameplay than the first two games, and noticeably titled ''Musou Orochi 2'' in Japan (as the second game is considered as an expansion to the first game). The third game would have several ports and updates that would expand on the content, including a port for PlayStation Portable and Wii U in 2012, and an ''Ultimate'' update in 2013, which was re-released as a definitive edition including all downloadable content for the game in July 12, 2022 for Microsoft Windows. A fourth game titled ''
Warriors Orochi 4'' (released in Japan as ''Musou Orochi 3'') was released September 27, 2018.
*''
Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War'', a historical real-time tactics spinoff, released in 2007. The game is loosely based on the
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...
between the Kingdoms of England and France in the 14th and 15th centuries.
*''
Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage'' (''Hokuto Musou'' in Japan), a spin-off based on the manga and anime series ''
Fist of the North Star'', was released in 2010. It is the first game in the ''Warriors'' series to receive an M rating by the
ESRB, due to its faithful depiction of the manga's highly graphic and violent fight scenes. It was followed by a sequel, ''
Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2'' (''Shin Hokuto Musou'' in Japan) in 2012, which other than featuring a continuation of the first game's story with revamped gameplay, also serves as a remake of the first game. The sequel was made to celebrate the manga series' 30th anniversary.
*''
Warriors: Legends of Troy'' (''Troy Musou'' in Japan), the second game in the ''Warriors'' series to receive an M rating by the
ESRB, released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011.
*''
One Piece: Pirate Warriors'' (''One Piece Kaizoku Musou'' in Japan), a game inspired by the anime and manga series ''
One Piece
''One Piece'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as he explores the Grand Line in search of the myt ...
'' was released in 2012 for PlayStation 3. The game was followed by three sequels, ''
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2'', released the following year in 2013, which features an original story instead of a continuation of the series' canon, ''
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3'', released in 2015 for the
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
and
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, then in other international territories on February 22, 2012, and was produced ...
in addition to the PS3 and PC and ''
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4'' released for the PlayStation 4,
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
,
Nintendo Switch
The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...
and PC on March 27, 2020.
*''
Hyrule Warriors'' (''Zelda Musou'' in Japan), a game inspired by ''
The Legend of Zelda
is a media franchise, video game series created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo; some portable installments and re-releases have been outsourced to Flags ...
'' video game franchise owned by
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles.
The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...
. The game was originally released in 2014 exclusively for the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
. An enhanced port for Nintendo 3DS featuring additional characters and story content, ''Hyrule Warriors Legends'', was released in 2016, with the additional characters and future
downloadable content
content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can be added for no extra cost or as a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain ad ...
also releasing on the Wii U version. A third version for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...
, ''Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition'', was announced and released in 2018, with all the features and downloadable content from previous versions of the game.
*''
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend'' (''Arslan Senki x Musou'' in Japan), a game inspired by ''
The Heroic Legend of Arslan'' fantasy novel series by
Yoshiki Tanaka. It was based on the 2015 anime television adaptation sponsored by Koei Tecmo, which in turn is based on the
2013 manga adaptation by
Hiromu Arakawa. It was released on October 1, 2015, for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. An Xbox One version was released as well, but only in Europe and North America. Arslan was released February 10, 2016 for Microsoft Windows.
*''
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk'' (''Berserk Musou'' in Japan), a game inspired by the ''
Berserk'' manga series. It was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in Japan on October 27, 2016. The game is confirmed for a western release, which was revealed at ''
Tokyo Game Show
, commonly known as TGS, is a video game trade fair and convention held annually in September in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publication ...
'' 2016 as February 21, 2017. A European release date for February 24, 2017 was also announced. The PlayStation 3 version will not release outside Japan and a PC version is in development for a simultaneous release with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita versions on the western markets. It is the fourth ''Warriors'' title to be rated M.
*''
Warriors All-Stars'', a game based similar to the ''
Warriors Orochi
is a hack and slash video game for PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox se ...
'' series featuring characters from various Koei Tecmo franchises such as ''
Ninja Gaiden'', ''
Dead or Alive
A wanted poster (or wanted sign) is a poster distributed to let the public know of a person whom authorities wish to apprehend. They generally include a picture of the person, either a photograph when one is available or of a facial composite ...
'', ''
Toukiden'' and ''
Atelier''. The game was released in Japan on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita on March 30, 2017; an English release was released on August 29, 2017.
*''
Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers'', is a tactical game with new and old characters, that was released on February 1, 2017.
*''
Fire Emblem Warriors'' (''Fire Emblem Musou'' in Japan), a crossover between the ''Warriors'' franchise and Nintendo's ''
Fire Emblem
is a Video games in Japan, Japanese fantasy tactical role-playing game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. First produced and published for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990, the series currently con ...
'' series of tactical role-playing games, was released for the Nintendo Switch and
New Nintendo 3DS
The is a clamshell design dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo, originally released on October 11, 2014 in Japan and rolled out to all major global markets by September 25, 2015. It is the fourth system in the Nintendo 3DS fam ...
on September 27, 2017.
*''
Persona 5 Strikers'' (''Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers'' in Japan), a crossover between the series and
Atlus
is a Japanese video game developer, video game publisher, publisher, Arcade game, arcade manufacturer and distribution company based in Tokyo. A subsidiary of Sega, the company is known for the ''Megami Tensei'', ''Persona (series), Persona'' ...
's 2016 role-playing game ''
Persona 5'', takes place six months after the events of the original game. It was released in Japan for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on February 20, 2020, with a worldwide release on February 23, 2021. It is the fifth M-rated ''Warriors'' title.
*''
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity'' (''Zelda Musou: Calamity Apocalypse'' in Japan), a successor to ''Hyrule Warriors'' and an alternate-universe prequel to the events of the 2017 game ''
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'', was released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on November 20, 2020. Within its first four days, the game shipped over 3 million copies worldwide, making it the single best-selling game in the entire ''Warriors'' franchise.
*''
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes'', a successor to ''Fire Emblem Warriors'', was released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on June 24, 2022. The game features an alternate story set in the universe of the 2019 game ''
Fire Emblem: Three Houses'' and is likewise split amongst three different routes, each with their own unique playable characters, scenarios, and outcomes.
*''
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment'' (''Zelda Musou: Chronicle of the Sealing War'' in Japan), the third ''Hyrule Warriors'' game and a prequel to the events of the 2023 game ''
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom'', will be released in Q4 2025 for the
Nintendo Switch 2
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo, released in most regions on June5, 2025. Like the original Nintendo Switch, Switch, it can be used as a Handheld game console, handheld, as a Tablet computer, tablet, or connected via ...
.
Future
In January 2018, the president of Koei Tecmo, Hisashi Koinuma, said that he wanted to make a Dynasty Warriors spin-off using characters and settings from the ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' franchise from
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company founded by filmmaker George Lucas in December 10, 1971 in San Rafael, California, and later moved to San Francisco in 2005. It is best known for creating and producing th ...
after they managed to be successful with ''
Nioh'' and ''
Fire Emblem Warriors''. Koinuma chose ''Star Wars'' to be able to make a
Science fiction
Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
Warriors series. However, as
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by former Apple Inc., Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry ...
owns the game rights to the ''Star Wars'' franchise, it would be a difficult collaboration to achieve, and is more of a future goal. As of 2021, EA have lost the exclusivity rights in developing ''Star Wars'' games and in the development of their other projects such as ''Samurai Warriors 5'', Koinuma reiterated that both ''Super Mario'' and ''Star Wars'' in a ''Dynasty Warriors'' format are projects he personally wanted to do it in the future.
Film adaptation
On 15 March 2016, Suzuki Akihiro and the Hong Kong-based company HMV Digital China announced at the 20th Hong Kong International Film and TV Market that they will be making a live-action film adaptation of ''Dynasty Warriors''. The film will be directed by Roy Chow, produced and written by Christine To, and to be released in 2017. On 8 July 2017, HMV Digital China's executive chairman Stephen Shiu Jr. revealed on his
weibo that the film will start shooting on 11 July. He also revealed that he had approached Koei Tecmo four years ago and secured the rights to adapt the ''Dynasty Warriors'' franchise into a movie. On 11 July, Shiu announced that
Han Geng
Han Geng (born February 9, 1984) is a Chinese Mandopop singer and actor. He started his career in 2001, when he was chosen by S.M. Entertainment to become a member of South Korean boy band Super Junior, which debuted in 2005. He later became ...
,
Wang Kai,
Louis Koo
Louis Koo Tin-lok ( zh, t=古天樂; born 21 October 1970) is a Hong Kong people, Hong Kong actor, singer, and film producer. He began his professional career as an actor in local television series, receiving recognition for his roles in ''The C ...
,
Tony Yang and
Gulnazar are part of the main cast. On 28 September 2017, director Roy Chow announced that after 63 days of filming in mainland China, the team will be moving to New Zealand in November 2017 to shoot the background scenes.
Shooting for ''Dynasty Warriors'' wrapped up on 28 November 2017. The pre-production phase took eight months, the
principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
phase lasted five months, and the post-production phase was expected to take up to a year. A trailer for the film was released in 2018, stating a release was planned for 2019. The film was released on April 29, 2021, in Hong Kong, and in China on April 30, 2021. The film was made available via Netflix in the UK in June 2021 and other regions in July 2021.
Stages
Many of the stages are recreations of notable battles in the late
Han dynasty
The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...
and Three Kingdoms periods, that are usually depicted in ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''. There are also some original creations in the newer installments that are also historical, such as the battle between the
Nanman and
Wu.
Music
The music for the ''Dynasty Warriors'' game series is a mixture of
traditional Chinese instrumentals,
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
and
heavy metal. Most stages have their own exclusive music tracks played and the tracks change according to the battle situation or events. In licensed titles, the music falls between mixing metal instrumentalisation with compositions from the source material along with original songs made in the same vein as those from the licensed IP. There are notable cases where compositions deviate completely from the hard rock roots of most Dynasty Warriors titles and simply intensify the original musical style from the IP, an example is ''
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity'', which forewent the heavy metal remixes that ''
Hyrule Warriors'' used, and instead reprised the more subdued compositions from ''
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'' with stronger, and more bombastic orchestral tracks.
Notes
References
External links
Official website of Koei
{{Authority control
Dynasty Warriors
Koei Tecmo franchises
Hack and slash games
Hack and slash games by series
Multiplayer online games
Action role-playing video games by series
Fighting games
Wuxia video games
Video game franchises introduced in 1997
Warriors (video game series)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (video game series)
Video games based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Video games adapted into films