Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce

"...Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce is an entertaining title that lovers of the Dynasty Warriors genre will thoroughly enjoy.  Andrew Bistak, ImpulseGamer.com
"One of the best Dynasty games out there.  Dan Pearson, WonderwallWeb.com
"Strikeforce is guaranteed to win over the hearts of naysayers.  Chris Carter, GamerLimit.com

IGN.com 7 of 10
As the "Default Dynasty Warriors Reviewer" here at IGN, I've been spending time with a good number of KOEI's well-known button-mashers, including the recently released Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2. Although minor details change from one iteration of the franchise to the next, most of my qualms with the series remain the same: the games have overly-simple combat, bland environments and feel unrewarding...Imagine my surprise, then, when I got my hands on Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, the latest Dynasty Warriors title developed exclusively for Sony's portable. I've played several KOEI games on the PSP before, but Strikeforce isn't just a watered-down port -- this is a multiplayer-focused affair that actually fixes several issues I have with the franchise as a whole. Although a few smaller problems spring up thanks to the new design, I'm still confident in stating that Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce is one of the best KOEI games I've ever played and goes far beyond developer Omega Force's previous efforts...In regards to character customization, there's plenty to do. Not only are there the aforementioned main weapons and sub weapons to sort through, but players can also add power-up Orbs to weapons, which gives you such buffs as increased attack power or boosted defense. Chi skills also add another layer onto the gameplay experience, as four skills can be equipped at one time -- one for each hand and foot. These skills can give you extremely helpful abilities, like enabling double/triple jumps and giving you extra dashes...Even though Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce isn't the complete franchise reboot I want to see, I'm very impressed with it -- at least in comparison to other Dynasty Warriors games. It's far from perfect, thanks to the muddy visuals, troublesome lock-on and single-player difficulty, but it's definitely a step in the right direction for the developer. The multiplayer functionality, mixed in with the tougher, fast-paced combat gives Strikeforce a serious edge over its predecessors...I'm sure KOEI just wants to capitalize on the rabidly popular Monster Hunter movement in Japan, but Strikeforce is still a fine action game with plenty of RPG elements to enjoy. Just make sure you convince a friend to buy a copy with you... or get them an early birthday present. - Ryan Clements