Dynasty Warriors 9

COGConnectedMario Brash

80/100

We are several generations into this franchise, and Koei Tecmo and Omega Force decided to try something new with Dynasty Warriors 9. In their latest iteration of the Three Kingdoms Epic, the developers opted for an open-world adventure where players can explore ancient China and partake in key battles and lay witness to the era’s pivotal moments. But how does the open-world formula translate to the typical hack and slash adventure? To find out, but also review the game properly, I had to distance myself from previous installments.

DualShockersGiuseppe Nelva

7.5/10

While combat remains exhilarating and fun in a way that will feel familiar to veterans of the series, Dynasty Warriors 9 isn't just one versus a thousand anymore. We're part of a war that unfolds all around us, with plenty of allies in need of help and enemies begging for a healthy beating. It's a bold step in the right direction, and while Omega Force may have overextended in certain aspects, the fun outweighs the jank and the experience remains one that I am eager to return to and to see improved and further evolved in Dynasty Warriors 10 or Samurai Warriors 5.

Press StartJames Berich

7/10

Dynasty Warriors 9 attempts to expand the scope of what a Dynasty Warriors game is with varying effects. The new open world helps to break up the monotony of just playing battles repeatedly, while introducing issues of its own. These are just growing pains though, and Dynasty Warriors fans will appreciate how Koei Tecmo have successfully reinvented their franchise and what the future holds.

GameSpotJames Swinbanks

7/10

Let the bodies hit the floor.

Capsule ComputersDustin Spencer

6.5/10

An Old Franchise Gets on a New Horse

GameSpewRichard Seagrave

6/10

As it is though, Dynasty Warriors 9 is a game that’s just too sparse and too easy for its own good. But what’s worse is that it’s perhaps the worst performing game I’ve played on the Xbox One X. I can cope with janky gameplay and stupid AI during the pursuit of fun, but screen-tearing and troublesome framerate drops are a no-no. So, Dynasty Warriors 9 does take the series into new territory, but in doing so it breaks the tight-knit, smooth, action-packed gameplay that we’ve come to know and love.

Worth PlayingCody Medellin

5/10

Dynasty Warriors 9 unifies the classic, time-tested “one versus thousands” action iconic to the series with a variety of new features, characters and content in an expansive open world environment.

Nintendo LifePJ O'Reilly

4/10

Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires is a poor Switch port of a disappointing entry in the long-running spin-off series. This is a hugely downgraded version of the game, with seriously dialled-back visuals failing to put a stop to consistent frame rate issues during the heat of battle. With a lack of gameplay modes, zero multiplayer options, terrible AI and cosmetic customisation options gone AWOL at launch — Koei Tecmo choosing instead to go the DLC route — this is a truly lacklustre package, a bargain bin affair with a premium price tag, and a Dynasty Warriors game you can feel quite comfortable skip...

Metro GameCentralGameCentral

4/10

Dynasty Warriors finally gets the overhaul it’s long been waiting for… and while it addresses a few old problems it creates just as many new ones.

GameWatcherAron Gerencser

4/10

Dynasty Warriors 9 suffers from a lot of issues, most stemming from the terribly implemented open-world. Assets are reused, it’s buggy, repetitive, bloated, empty and bland. These shortcomings are made all the more painful by the obvious potential this game had, and how fun the base combat can be once players waded through all the other nonsense.

GameGrinAlex Hamilton

3.5/10

Everything about this game seems completely rushed. To jump onto the open world bandwagon three or four years too late and still deliver such a pile of garbage isn’t just embarrassing, it’s insulting.

The OuterHavenClinton Bowman-Christie

Dare I say it...Dynasty Warriors 9 might be the single worst Dynasty Warriors game that I have ever played. It's vastly uninspiring, boring and repetitive. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.