Dynasty Warriors 4
Encyclopedia
is a hack and slash
video game and the fourth installment in the popular Dynasty Warriors
series. Dynasty Warriors 4 was developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game is available on PlayStation 2
(PS2) and Xbox
and is based on a series of books called Romance of the Three Kingdoms
, written by Luo Guanzhong
. As the series has progressed, it has strayed further from the actual plot of Romance of the Three Kingdoms but instead has given the user more input on how the storyline progresses. When it was released in Japan as Shin Sangokumusou 3, it topped the sales charts, sold over one million copies within nine days, and received an average of 78 out of 100 on Metacritics reviews.
Originally released on the PS2 in March 2003, it was later ported to the Xbox in September of the same year and, in 2005, ported to the PC under the name Dynasty Warriors 4 Hyper. Two expansions were released for the PS2 version of the game, Xtreme Legends and Empires. Whereas Xtreme Legends requires the player to use the original Dynasty Warriors 4 disc to access all of its features, Empires is a stand-alone game and can be played with all of its content without the use of the original disk. The game is the first in the Dynasty Warriors series to introduce an Empires expansion pack and the second to include an Xtreme Legends title. These expansions are not available for the Xbox version of the game.
The aim of most of the stages in Dynasty Warriors 4 is to defeat the enemy commander. The player must make their way through the stage, defeating enemy officers and troops while trying to keep their own commander alive. Some stages have secondary objectives for the player to complete to make the stage easier, unlock new features, or help in later stages. Each playable character has their own unique weapon and individual superhuman
abilities. The scope of each stage allows for each side to have thousands of soldiers in the battlefield. The game uses a fairly simple combination system so that players can chain attacks together; the highest possible attack combo being 10. And new character designs and attack moves are also updated in this hit game, leaving more damage and raising your characters skill up more easily.
Playable starting officers include Liu Bei
, Zhang Fei, and Guan Yu
for the Shu Kingdom; Xiahou Dun
, Xiahou Yuan
, and Cao Cao
for the Wei Kingdom; and Sun Shang Xiang, Huang Gai
, and Sun Jian
for the Wu Kingdom. It is possible to unlock new characters from other kingdoms as well as use a player created character in any of the campaigns. The new 'Edit Mode' allows players to create an officer from sets of different features, motions, and Huang Gai weapons to use in 'Kaiba Mode.' The characters stance and motion are affected by their gender and the weapon the player has selected them to carry and use. The motions for the weapons are taken from pre-existing officers as well as from two characters removed from Dynasty Warriors 4 that were in Dynasty Warriors 3
: Fu Xi and Nu Wa. Some characters are unlocked by fulfilling optional side-goals; most are unlocked by completing certain battles during gameplay. The maximum number of playable characters is 42, 46 with created characters.
Each playable character in the game has the ability to equip items. Weapons in the game, unlike its predecessors, are gained in levels. Some items are only found in certain stages, but is only obtainable if completing a goal. Sometimes the goal may be very simple, but some may be not that easy to figure out how to obtain the certain item. By defeating generals and lieutenants, the player's character is awarded experience scaled by the difficulty of each officer, and the amount of them defeated. This experience is allocated at the end of the level and allows the player to increase their attributes or obtain new forms. Each playable officer has 9 levels to achieve with their standard weapon, while a 10th level is accessible through special in-game requirements, and on the "Hard" difficulty, which is found to be frustrating like most games, the harder the difficulty the more eager you gain. Items can have a number of effects on the player such as increasing attack power, defense, and movement speed. You can also retrieve your health level to avoid getting killed and having "Game Over" by obtaining "Chinese Meatbuns" that at first, look like onions like in any other game in the so far successful Dynasty Warriors franchise. You can also obtain item boost that increase a certain skill by 2 for limited time only. You can also get packs of wine and packs of Chinese Meatbuns in certain stages in certain locations during gameplay. As said above, special items can also be unlocked by Vegeta objectives during gameplay. Special items will grant the player, along with a statistics boost, a unique ability or skill. For example, one of the special items in the game allow the player's character to mount a horse or an elephant. Some of the mounts like the Elephant have a special ability to attack by themselves. Unlike the horses, you attack with your weapon.
'Musou Mode,' the main campaign mode, has separate campaigns for each kingdom rather than a separate 'Musou Mode' for each character, as was featured in Dynasty Warriors 3, which made it more frustrating for the player to unlock their favorite characters. So, Dynasty Warriors 4 Mosou Modes are easier for the player to unlock their favorite characters. While the storyline is still linear, 'Musou Mode' is rather open-ended in the sense that depending on the user’s actions, different events will occur, such as unlocking new characters for use or new kingdoms. The unlockable kingdoms in the game include the Wu, Shu, and Wei Kingdoms, and unlockable characters include warlords who were defeated in the book that the game series is based on, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
In-game features include large battlefields, a large number of enemies and officers to defeat, and multiple outcomes for each stage. Certain levels make use of the siege engine (A new feature to the series) and introduce specialized siege equipment such as bridge layers, battering ram
s and catapult
s to the stage. Although it is not essential for the completion of stages, having a siege weapon will increase morale for the player's forces, and help the player succeed.
The morale system in the game is similar to previous Dynasty Warrior games. Morale is increased and decreased by performing a number of positive actions for the player’s army. Action that produce this effect include defeating enemies in multiples of fifty, defeating enemy officers, and completing special events such as ambushes, siege attacks, and finding enemy strongholds. Morale in the game has a strong effect on the player's forces, determining their strength and speed, as well as their ability to perform Berwald attacks. Morale will also effect on how the CPU characters move along through battle. Example: Ally Oxenstiernas are winning.
They are more likely to charge the enemy and destroy the enemies in the path. They may or may not stop if the charging armies morale drops to losing. More chances they'll stop and stay where they are, or they'll flee back to the ally side of the battlefield.
Occasionally, when the player confronts an enemy officer, the officer will challenge them to a one-on-one duel. If the player accepts, they will be transported to a small arena away from the main battlefield where a one-on-one fight with the officer will take place until either is victorious or time runs out. If the player declines, your morale will drop. If the player wins, their morale will rise and the enemy officer will be removed from the battlefield. But please note if you accept the officers challenge they DO get extremely more difficult in the duel. More likely they'll win if your character you're playing as is not trained enough.
era. The game begins at the fall of the Han Dynasty
, shortly after the death of Emperor Ling when the Yellow Turban Rebellion
led by Zhang Jiao
begun an uprising against the Empire. A number of elements in the game build on aspects of Chinese Mythology and there is a mix between fact and fiction as the game is built on the story of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Many of the locations, characters, and events in Dynasty Warriors 4 are reported to have happened in Chinese history although many have been exaggerated to make the game more appealing to the player. There are also some features that are historically inaccurate such as Zhou Tai
’s weapon, a Japanese tachi
, as there is no historical record of this kind of weapon being used in that era. The game features environments resembling that of ancient China and various items from the era. Common items throughout the game include Fairy Wine and Dim Sum
’s.
Note: Fu Xi and Nu Wa
were removed in DW4.
in 189, He Jin
took control of the Empire’s army while Zhang Jiao led an uprising against the Empire. This period is known as The Yellow Turban Rebellion. He Jin fears that the rebellion will destroy the Empire and enlists the help of warlords from across China: Cao Cao
from Chang An, Sun Jian
from Jian Ye, and Liu Bei
with his volunteer forces. With the help of the warlords, the rebellion is destroyed and they return to their provinces.
Shortly after Zhang Jiao is defeated, Dong Zhuo
usurps the title of Emperor and causes disturbances throughout China. Lu Bu
, known as the strongest fighter at the time, follows Dong Zhuo and fights for him, protecting him. Seeing the unrest in the Imperial Court, the warlords of the time gather again and appoint Yuan Shao
as a temporary leader to rebel against Dong Zhuo. At the Battle of Hu Lao Gate, the rebelling forces enlist the help of a battering ram and destroy the entrance to the castle. Shortly after, Dong Zhuo is defeated and the warlords return to their own territory, eager to build up their own power.
All three major kingdoms share the Han/Allied Forces stages but depending on which kingdom the player chooses, the storyline will progress differently. Like for example: If you do Wei Musou Mode, you win a battle that you didn't in history; Chi Bi.
and tries to defeat Cao Cao but Cao Cao's superior officers overpower Lu Bu and he is defeated.
After the defeat of Lu Bu, Liu Bei leaves the ranks of Cao Cao with his oath brother, Zhang Fei, and joins with Yuan Shao’s forces. Guan Yu remains with Cao Cao, feeling that he has a debt to repay to Cao Cao for saving his life. With confidence after defeating Lu Bu and a strong wish to expand his territory, Cao Cao heads north and invades Guan Du
(Yuan Shao’s territory). During the battle, Guan Yu leads a frontal attack against Yuan Shao, defeating several of his major generals, but shortly after meets up with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei retreats with them from the battle field. With the loss of Liu Bei, Yuan Shao can't hold up against Wei, and is defeated.
With his forces substantially strengthened and the forces of Wu and Shu growing at the same time, Cao Cao chooses to declare war on Liu Bei. Liu Bei on the other hand is leading his troops through Chang Ban
and is surprised by the sudden attack by Cao Cao, and fearing that his forces aren't strong enough to take on Cao Cao, Liu Bei tries to flee to his naval fleet but before he can reach them, Cao Cao’s forces defeat him and halt his seaward retreat. Instead, Liu Bei flees and finds shelter with Wu. Still pursuing Liu Bei, Cao Cao decides to attack Wu as well and leads his naval fleet against Wu's. Even with support from Shu, Wu is defeated and retreats back into their territory.
Cao Cao quickly continues his attack against Wu, invading Fan Castle
, Shi Ting, and eventually moving towards He Fei
, the capital of Wu. During the battle of He Fei, Sun Quan leads a full frontal attack against Cao Cao with the remainder of his army but is defeated after a lengthy battle. With only two of the three kingdoms remaining, Cao Cao turns his attention to Shu. While Cao Cao's forces were concentrated on Wu, Liu Bei had been improving his forces to repel him. The battles at Wu Zhang Plains and Cheng Du were major strategic battles, fighting for China itself, but Cao Cao comes out triumphant.
. A notable character in Shu’s story line is Zhuge Liang
, the Shu tactical adviser, revered in the game as a cunning strategist. He joins Liu Bei after Liu Bei visits Zhuge Liang thrice, requesting his assistance. With help from Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao is defeated at Bo Wan Po and leaves Liu Bei free to escape to his naval fleet and some innocent peasants he happened to be guiding through Chang Ban. Cao Cao pursues Liu Bei but isn’t quick enough and Liu Bei escapes harm with help from his fleet and Zhang Fei's legendary blockade.
Liu Bei heads towards Wu and forms an alliance with Sun Quan, reinforcing their troops for the naval battle of Chi Bi. Zhuge Liang prepares a strategy to burn Cao Cao’s fleet using a combination of a fire attack, linked boats, and the wind. Shu’s infiltrator into Wei, Pang Tong
, successfully avoids detection and chains the boats together while Wu’s Huang Gai
launches the fire attack against Wei after a false surrender. Even escaping the Wu camp secretly with a plan with Zhou Yu. The wind blows and Zhuge Liang’s plan comes together, burning Cao Cao's so far set ambitions to the ground! Cao Cao flees and Zhou Yu is killed by Zhuge Liang's slick movements. Sun Shang Xiang will escape the Wu forces with Liu Bei in Zhou Yu's planned trap, and marry the King of Shu. Only to soon lead war between Wu and Shu, and put Liu Bei to rest.
After the end of this chapter, the player has the choice to go on to defeat the Nanman’s and Wu or to defeat Wei. Whichever is chosen first, the other will follow in the final chapter.
With the fear of a Nanman invasion from the south, Liu Bei (Before he is killed by the Wu ranks) turns his attention to the Nanman’s and their leader Meng Huo
who direct attacks Shu for no good reason. He sends Zhuge Liang to deal with the threat. Although he is in unfamiliar territory and dealing with strange animals; Elephants, and is in a deadly diseased land, Zhuge Liang leads his troops through the dense jungles to do battle with Meng Huo and his wife Zhu Rong, encountering poisonous swamps, armored troops, and elephants throughout the way to the enemy stronghold. After being beaten back several times, Meng Huo finally accepts defeat.
Once the Nanman threat had been dealt with, Liu Bei focuses his attention on Wu and begins the Battle of Yi Ling, During the long and bloody battle between Wu and Shu, Zhuge Liang uses a trap called the Stone Sentinel Maze
to confuse Wu’s forces in a maze that will take hours to get out of successfully and also deploys reinforcements to the watchtower to foil Wu’s fire attack. With Shu's leader murdered in war, and Wu's strategist Lu Xun
beat, neither of the forces come out victorious and both the kingdoms are one step closer to defeating each other. Zhuge Liang then leads the Shu troops into the Wu capital, Jian Ye, to finish the Sun family. Wu loses, but many Shu troops are killed and Wu has been forced out of the wars between Shu, Wei, and themselves. They still have lots of men, but not enough to recover. So they cannot fight again.
The final battle between Shu and Wei takes place at the Wu Zhang Plains. A peaceful, large, magical field of grass and beautiful flowers. But soon to be bloody and ugly. Zhuge Liang sends the player's character to taunt Sima Yi from outside the castle walls, growing his anger. Shortly after, Zhuge Liang fakes his own death (But sadly and painfully, Zhuge Liang, didn't fake his death in history. He died of a deadly illness. And some say he had a heart attack when the illness hurt him and died) to lure the Wei army to charge and they are caught in his trap. Overwhelmed, Wei is defeated.
After stopping the revolt, Sun Quan moves onto defeating a small band of pirates with the help of Wu’s strategist, Zhou Yu
. By spotting explosives on the enemy’s fleet, he sets them alight and the boats quickly catch fire, leaving Sun Quan victorious. Soon after, he takes over a small area of the Nanman territory and then repels Cao Cao’s naval fleet at Chi Bi
with the help of Shu’s Zhuge Liang.
Depending on the result of the fire attack at Chi Bi, the player will either go on to defeat Shu then Wei or vice versa.
With their alliance, Wu and Shu go on to attack the Nan Territory, which is currently controlled by Wei. Although they worked towards a common goal, Shu tries to take the territory for themselves by attempting to defeat the Wei generals first, but Sun Quan’s forces reach the territory before them and take the Nan Territory for themselves. Realizing that Shu is gaining power the alliance breaks and each kingdom goes their own way. Sun Quan invades the Nanman Territory, defeats Meng Huo, and claims the land for his own. Shortly after, Shu and Wu go to war and battle at Yi Ling. Sun Quan’s forces successfully navigate through Zhuge Liang’s Stone Warrior Formation and avoid detection, setting fires throughout the Shu camp. With their plans foiled, Shu falls and Wu is victorious.
Now only two kingdoms remain and Sun Quan chooses to attack Fan Castle and lays siege upon it. Using siege ramps to bypass the castle walls, it is quickly overrun and Wu is victorious. Sun Quan moves towards Shi Ting, and with the use of a mole placed in the enemy forces, Wei's officers are led into a Wu trap and defeated. Wei’s strategist, Sima Yi, is forced to retreat and Wu claims Shi Ting. Wu then assaults He Fei Castle, both sides later bringing reinforcements. Sun Quan is led into a trap but pulls his forces together and leads an all out attack on the castle.
The final chapter of the Wu story is the battle between Wu and Wei at Xu Chang
. Wu lays on a full attack at the castle at Xu Chang and, even with Wei's assault weapons attacking the Wu troops, they press on and defeat Cao Cao and claim Wei’s territories.
, Steven Jay Blum and Richard Epcar
.
, using a mix of rock, metal, and heavy metal with undertones of traditional Chinese music. However, this does not detract from the fact that there are a large number of varied tracks throughout the game. The ending song of the game, "Cross Colors," is performed by Yuki Koyanagi
and the music was composed by Kazuhiro Hara. The song was performed in both Japanese and English by the same singer and was released for the US and Japanese versions of the game.
’s preview two months before the game was released. Although still very similar to previous titles in the series, the graphics engine had been tweaked and the gameplay been expanded, featuring more characters and stages.
After its release, it had high sales rates in Japan, selling over one million copies a short time after release. Its release in the US did not create as much hype as in Japan mainly because the market for the Dynasty Warriors series is smaller there, but it still sold fairly well and together with the Japanese sales, Dynasty Warriors 4 entered into the Greatest Hits charts. In its time Dynasty Warriors 4 has managed to become IGN
's 5th best co-operative game on the PS2 as well. The game is criticized for being very similar to older games in the series and retaining some of the features such as the fogging and repetitive gameplay. Even with these drawbacks, Koei went on to release two expansions for Dynasty Warriors 4 Xtreme Legends and Dynasty Warriors 4 Empires. It had also been ported to the Xbox and to the PC as a Hyper edition. Armchair Empire commented that when there is a lot happening on screen at once, the game tended to slow down
The English voice acting for the series, commonly criticized as being poor, has remained in DW4. The English voice-overs of Dynasty Warriors series uses straightforward English pronunciations for the romanized pinyin
names of characters and locations. The results tend to leave errors in the dialogue, with incorrect English pronunciations of originally Chinese text.
/Windows XP
.
Dynasty Warriors 4 expansion developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. This expansion was released in the United States on November 4, 2003. DW4XL, as it is sometimes abbreviated to, has slightly improved weather effects and character reflections within the overall graphics. The original DW4 game disc is needed if the player wishes to play external modes such as 'Musou Mode.'
The expansion adds new difficulty levels ('Beginner' and 'Chaos') and new modes of play ('Arena Challenge' and 'Legend' modes). In 'Arena Challenge Mode,' the player can engage one-on-one duels against various opponents, where they'll be rewarded if they win. The new 'Legend Mode' elaborates on the individual prowess of each individual warrior within Dynasty Warriors. Individual weapons are given the availability to have an 11th evolved state, increasing the weapon's stats further. Due to the great emphasis in the duelling system in this expansion, it is at times seen as its own individual game - separate from the original Dynasty Warriors 4.
In 'Empire Mode,' the player can choose a ruler for their forces, along with two main generals. Three minor lieutenants can also be chosen for support. In battle, the capture of enemy officers is possible by lowering their morale and defeating them. If, at the end of the battle, the player is victorious, it is possible to hire the captured officer or, alternatively, release them.
Before every battle, the player is given the choice of using 'Political Tactics,' such as increasing or decreasing time limit of battles or preventing enemy reinforcements from arriving during battles. The player can also secure alliances with other forces; these alliances can change how the game progresses, such as requesting reinforcements from the allied forces against opposing forces. However, these alliances only last for a set time decided by the tactic used. There's also an 'Archives Mode' that shows the motions and voices of the officers. A gallery of character artworks and game movies is also presented within the Archives Mode.
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
video game and the fourth installment in the popular Dynasty Warriors
Dynasty Warriors
is a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
series. Dynasty Warriors 4 was developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game is available on PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
(PS2) and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and is based on a series of books called Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, written by Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
. As the series has progressed, it has strayed further from the actual plot of Romance of the Three Kingdoms but instead has given the user more input on how the storyline progresses. When it was released in Japan as Shin Sangokumusou 3, it topped the sales charts, sold over one million copies within nine days, and received an average of 78 out of 100 on Metacritics reviews.
Originally released on the PS2 in March 2003, it was later ported to the Xbox in September of the same year and, in 2005, ported to the PC under the name Dynasty Warriors 4 Hyper. Two expansions were released for the PS2 version of the game, Xtreme Legends and Empires. Whereas Xtreme Legends requires the player to use the original Dynasty Warriors 4 disc to access all of its features, Empires is a stand-alone game and can be played with all of its content without the use of the original disk. The game is the first in the Dynasty Warriors series to introduce an Empires expansion pack and the second to include an Xtreme Legends title. These expansions are not available for the Xbox version of the game.
Gameplay
Dynasty Warriors 4 expands on its predecessors by adding new characters, new modes of play and a completely new 'Edit Mode.' Instead of having strict routines to follow during battle, officers, to some extent, will have a greater reaction to the events taking place on the battlefield in the game. And may react to things more often.The aim of most of the stages in Dynasty Warriors 4 is to defeat the enemy commander. The player must make their way through the stage, defeating enemy officers and troops while trying to keep their own commander alive. Some stages have secondary objectives for the player to complete to make the stage easier, unlock new features, or help in later stages. Each playable character has their own unique weapon and individual superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
abilities. The scope of each stage allows for each side to have thousands of soldiers in the battlefield. The game uses a fairly simple combination system so that players can chain attacks together; the highest possible attack combo being 10. And new character designs and attack moves are also updated in this hit game, leaving more damage and raising your characters skill up more easily.
Playable starting officers include Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
, Zhang Fei, and Guan Yu
Guan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
for the Shu Kingdom; Xiahou Dun
Xiahou Dun
Xiahou Dun was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father Cao Song was the adopted son of the eunuch Cao Teng, so Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao share blood relations...
, Xiahou Yuan
Xiahou Yuan
Xiahou Yuan was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was killed in the Battle of Mount Dingjun against Liu Bei's general Huang Zhong in 219, and was given the posthumous title of Marquis Min , literally meaning "sympathetic...
, and Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
for the Wei Kingdom; and Sun Shang Xiang, Huang Gai
Huang Gai
Huang Gai was a military general who served the warlord Sun family of Eastern Wu for three generations during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
, and Sun Jian
Sun Jian
Sun Jian was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He allied himself with Yuan Shu in 190 when warlords from eastern China formed a coalition to oust Dong Zhuo, a tyrannical warlord who held the puppet Emperor Xian in his power...
for the Wu Kingdom. It is possible to unlock new characters from other kingdoms as well as use a player created character in any of the campaigns. The new 'Edit Mode' allows players to create an officer from sets of different features, motions, and Huang Gai weapons to use in 'Kaiba Mode.' The characters stance and motion are affected by their gender and the weapon the player has selected them to carry and use. The motions for the weapons are taken from pre-existing officers as well as from two characters removed from Dynasty Warriors 4 that were in Dynasty Warriors 3
Dynasty Warriors 3
is a hack and slash video game developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. It is third in the Dynasty Warriors series in North America and the second in the Shin Sangokumusou series in Japan. It is a spin-off from the video game Romance of the Three Kingdoms and based around a series of books...
: Fu Xi and Nu Wa. Some characters are unlocked by fulfilling optional side-goals; most are unlocked by completing certain battles during gameplay. The maximum number of playable characters is 42, 46 with created characters.
Each playable character in the game has the ability to equip items. Weapons in the game, unlike its predecessors, are gained in levels. Some items are only found in certain stages, but is only obtainable if completing a goal. Sometimes the goal may be very simple, but some may be not that easy to figure out how to obtain the certain item. By defeating generals and lieutenants, the player's character is awarded experience scaled by the difficulty of each officer, and the amount of them defeated. This experience is allocated at the end of the level and allows the player to increase their attributes or obtain new forms. Each playable officer has 9 levels to achieve with their standard weapon, while a 10th level is accessible through special in-game requirements, and on the "Hard" difficulty, which is found to be frustrating like most games, the harder the difficulty the more eager you gain. Items can have a number of effects on the player such as increasing attack power, defense, and movement speed. You can also retrieve your health level to avoid getting killed and having "Game Over" by obtaining "Chinese Meatbuns" that at first, look like onions like in any other game in the so far successful Dynasty Warriors franchise. You can also obtain item boost that increase a certain skill by 2 for limited time only. You can also get packs of wine and packs of Chinese Meatbuns in certain stages in certain locations during gameplay. As said above, special items can also be unlocked by Vegeta objectives during gameplay. Special items will grant the player, along with a statistics boost, a unique ability or skill. For example, one of the special items in the game allow the player's character to mount a horse or an elephant. Some of the mounts like the Elephant have a special ability to attack by themselves. Unlike the horses, you attack with your weapon.
'Musou Mode,' the main campaign mode, has separate campaigns for each kingdom rather than a separate 'Musou Mode' for each character, as was featured in Dynasty Warriors 3, which made it more frustrating for the player to unlock their favorite characters. So, Dynasty Warriors 4 Mosou Modes are easier for the player to unlock their favorite characters. While the storyline is still linear, 'Musou Mode' is rather open-ended in the sense that depending on the user’s actions, different events will occur, such as unlocking new characters for use or new kingdoms. The unlockable kingdoms in the game include the Wu, Shu, and Wei Kingdoms, and unlockable characters include warlords who were defeated in the book that the game series is based on, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Battering ram
A battering ram is a siege engine originating in ancient times and designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates...
s and catapult
Catapult
A catapult is a device used to throw or hurl a projectile a great distance without the aid of explosive devices—particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. Although the catapult has been used since ancient times, it has proven to be one of the most effective mechanisms during...
s to the stage. Although it is not essential for the completion of stages, having a siege weapon will increase morale for the player's forces, and help the player succeed.
The morale system in the game is similar to previous Dynasty Warrior games. Morale is increased and decreased by performing a number of positive actions for the player’s army. Action that produce this effect include defeating enemies in multiples of fifty, defeating enemy officers, and completing special events such as ambushes, siege attacks, and finding enemy strongholds. Morale in the game has a strong effect on the player's forces, determining their strength and speed, as well as their ability to perform Berwald attacks. Morale will also effect on how the CPU characters move along through battle. Example: Ally Oxenstiernas are winning.
They are more likely to charge the enemy and destroy the enemies in the path. They may or may not stop if the charging armies morale drops to losing. More chances they'll stop and stay where they are, or they'll flee back to the ally side of the battlefield.
Occasionally, when the player confronts an enemy officer, the officer will challenge them to a one-on-one duel. If the player accepts, they will be transported to a small arena away from the main battlefield where a one-on-one fight with the officer will take place until either is victorious or time runs out. If the player declines, your morale will drop. If the player wins, their morale will rise and the enemy officer will be removed from the battlefield. But please note if you accept the officers challenge they DO get extremely more difficult in the duel. More likely they'll win if your character you're playing as is not trained enough.
Setting
Dynasty Warriors 4 is set in Ancient China during the time of the Three KingdomsThree Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
era. The game begins at the fall of the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, shortly after the death of Emperor Ling when the Yellow Turban Rebellion
Yellow Turban Rebellion
The Yellow Turban Rebellion, also translated as Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a peasant revolt that broke out in 184 AD in China during the reign of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty...
led by Zhang Jiao
Zhang Jiao
Zhang Jue was the leader of the Yellow Turban rebels during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was said to be a follower of Taoism and a sorcerer. His name is sometimes read as Zhang Jiao, since the Chinese character of Zhang's given name can be read as either "Jiao" or "Jue"...
begun an uprising against the Empire. A number of elements in the game build on aspects of Chinese Mythology and there is a mix between fact and fiction as the game is built on the story of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Many of the locations, characters, and events in Dynasty Warriors 4 are reported to have happened in Chinese history although many have been exaggerated to make the game more appealing to the player. There are also some features that are historically inaccurate such as Zhou Tai
Zhou Tai
Zhou Tai , style name Youping , was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Early life and career:...
’s weapon, a Japanese tachi
Tachi
The is one type of traditional Japanese sword worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan.-History and description:With a few exceptions katana and tachi can be distinguished from each other if signed, by the location of the signature on the tang...
, as there is no historical record of this kind of weapon being used in that era. The game features environments resembling that of ancient China and various items from the era. Common items throughout the game include Fairy Wine and Dim Sum
Dim sum
Dim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates...
’s.
Stages
Many of the stages are recreations of notable battles present historically or from the novel Romance of Three Kingdoms, while original creations became more common with the newer installments. Of course, the battlefields are not exact reproductions of the original locations, as newer establishments, buildings and othe facilities have been built on top of them. For example, He Fei, a key site in both the game and in the historical context, has been developed and expanded into an urbanised area, making an exact replication impossible. Instead, levels are designed to be vaguely accurate, focusing more on expression of mood and effects; these are not re-used in every game, but are instead updated in every Dynasty Warriors game, save the games' extension packages - in this case, Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends and Dynasty Warriors 4: EmpiresCharacters
* Denotes new characters to the series| Shu Shu Han Shu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu... | Wei Cao Wei Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid... | Wu Eastern Wu Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China... | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guan Yu Guan Yu Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the... |
Cao Cao Cao Cao Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled... |
Da Qiao Two Qiaos The Two Qiaos refer to two sisters who lived during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Their names were not recorded, so in later times they are referred to simply as Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao . They were from Wan County, Lujiang Commandery... |
Diao Chan Diaochan Diaochan was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have been born in 161 or 169 or 176, depending on the source. However, unlike the other three beauties, there is no known evidence that suggests her existence, therefore she is likely to be a fictional character.Diaochan... |
| Huang Zhong Huang Zhong Huang Zhong was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was most noted for his victory in the Battle of Mount Dingjun, in which his force routed that of Xiahou Yuan, who was slain during battle... |
Cao Ren Cao Ren Cao Ren was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He played a significant part in assisting Cao Cao in the civil wars leading to the end of the Han Dynasty... * |
Gan Ning Gan Ning Gan Ning was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was born in Linjiang, Ba Commandery .-Early life as a pirate:... |
Dong Zhuo Dong Zhuo Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by... |
| Jiang Wei Jiang Wei Jiang Wei was a military general and regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He originally served Shu's rival state, Cao Wei, as a middle-level military officer, but defected to the Shu strategist Zhuge Liang, leaving his mother in Wei. After that, Jiang... |
Dian Wei Dian Wei Dian Wei was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Famed for his enormous strength, Dian Wei excelled in wielding dual halberds, each of which was said to weigh 40 jin... |
Huang Gai Huang Gai Huang Gai was a military general who served the warlord Sun family of Eastern Wu for three generations during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history... |
Lu Bu Lü Bu Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"... |
| Liu Bei Liu Bei Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history... |
Sima Yi Sima Yi Sima Yi was a general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is perhaps best known for defending Wei from Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions... |
Lu Meng Lü Meng Lü Meng was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as the commanding general in the invasion of Jing Province that led to the death of Guan Yu.-Early life:Lü Meng was born in Fupo, Runan Commandery in 178... |
Meng Huo Meng Huo Meng Huo was popularly regarded as a local leader representing the gentries of the Nanzhong region during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history... |
| Ma Chao Ma Chao Ma Chao was the oldest son of Ma Teng and a military general during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he received the nickname "Ma Chao the Splendid" due to his elaborate armour and grand skill... |
Xiahou Dun Xiahou Dun Xiahou Dun was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father Cao Song was the adopted son of the eunuch Cao Teng, so Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao share blood relations... |
Lu Xun Lu Xun (Three Kingdoms) Lu Xun was a military general and politician of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is best known for defeating Liu Bei's forces at the Battle of Xiaoting in 222.-Early life:... |
Yuan Shao Yuan Shao Yuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era... |
| Pang Tong Pang Tong Pang Tong was an advisor to Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was nicknamed "Young Phoenix" by his uncle Pang Degong due to his ugly appearance but great capabilities and talent... |
Xiahou Yuan Xiahou Yuan Xiahou Yuan was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was killed in the Battle of Mount Dingjun against Liu Bei's general Huang Zhong in 219, and was given the posthumous title of Marquis Min , literally meaning "sympathetic... |
Sun Ce Sun Ce Sun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to... |
Zhang Jiao |
| Wei Yan Wei Yan Wei Yan was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He became a soldier of Liu Bei when the latter fled Jing Province and seek protection from the eastern warlord, Sun Quan, in 208. In 211, Wei had climbed up the ranks and become a general in Liu Bei's... |
Xu Huang Xu Huang Xu Huang was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He served the state of Cao Wei, founded by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, during the Three Kingdoms period... |
Sun Jian Sun Jian Sun Jian was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He allied himself with Yuan Shu in 190 when warlords from eastern China formed a coalition to oust Dong Zhuo, a tyrannical warlord who held the puppet Emperor Xian in his power... |
Zhu Rong Lady Zhurong Lady Zhurong, sometimes known as Madam Zhurong, is a fictional character in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. She was the wife of the Nanman chieftain Meng Huo, who controlled the lands in southern Shu Han. She claimed to be descended from the fire deity Zhu Rong, from... |
| Yue Ying Huang Yueying Huang Yueying is the fictional name of the wife of Zhuge Liang, the chancellor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Her personal name was not recorded in history.-In folklore:... * |
Xu Zhu Xu Chu Xu Chu was a warrior who lived during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He served as a bodyguard to the warlord Cao Cao. Gigantic and strong, yet simple-minded and honest, Xu Chu was referred to as "Dumb Tiger" by his fellow men... |
Sun Quan Sun Quan Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu.... |
|
| Zhang Fei | Zhang He Zhang He Zhang He was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He continued serving the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period until his death.... |
Sun Shang Xiang Lady Sun Lady Sun, known as Sun Shangxiang in Chinese opera and contemporary culture, was a noble lady in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was a daughter of Sun Jian and younger sister of the warlords Sun Ce and Sun Quan, who laid the foundation for the state of... |
|
| Zhao Yun Zhao Yun Zhao Yun was a military general who lived during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. For most of his career, Zhao served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of state of Shu Han... |
Zhang Liao Zhang Liao Zhang Liao was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He participated in many campaigns, including those against Yuan Shao's clan and the Wuhuan tribes... |
Taishi Ci Taishi Ci Taishi Ci was a military general during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served several warlords, including Kong Rong, Liu Yao, and Sun Ce.-Early life:... |
|
| Zhuge Liang Zhuge Liang Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era.... |
Zhen Ji | Xiao Qiao Two Qiaos The Two Qiaos refer to two sisters who lived during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Their names were not recorded, so in later times they are referred to simply as Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao . They were from Wan County, Lujiang Commandery... |
|
| Zhou Tai Zhou Tai Zhou Tai , style name Youping , was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Early life and career:... * |
|||
| Zhou Yu Zhou Yu Zhou Yu was a military general and strategist who served his close friend, the warlord Sun Ce, during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history... |
Note: Fu Xi and Nu Wa
Nüwa
Nüwa is a goddess in ancient Chinese mythology best known for creating mankind and repairing the wall of heaven.-Primary sources:...
were removed in DW4.
Story
Although Dynasty Warriors 4 does allow for some player input into how the story unfolds, the three main kingdoms' 'Musou Modes' follow the main events of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms story.Han and Allied Forces Story
After the death of the Han EmperorEmperor Ling of Han
Emperor Ling of Han, trad. ch. 漢靈帝;, sim. ch. 汉灵帝, py. hàn líng dì, wg. Han Ling-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He was a great-great-grandson of Emperor Zhang. The Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out during Emperor Ling's reign.Emperor Ling's reign saw yet another repetition of...
in 189, He Jin
He Jin
He Jin was the elder half-brother of Empress He, consort to Emperor Ling of the late Eastern Han Dynasty in China. He shared power with his sister as regents in 189, following the death of Emperor Ling. In the ensuing struggle with the influential eunuch faction for power, He Jin was assassinated...
took control of the Empire’s army while Zhang Jiao led an uprising against the Empire. This period is known as The Yellow Turban Rebellion. He Jin fears that the rebellion will destroy the Empire and enlists the help of warlords from across China: Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
from Chang An, Sun Jian
Sun Jian
Sun Jian was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He allied himself with Yuan Shu in 190 when warlords from eastern China formed a coalition to oust Dong Zhuo, a tyrannical warlord who held the puppet Emperor Xian in his power...
from Jian Ye, and Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
with his volunteer forces. With the help of the warlords, the rebellion is destroyed and they return to their provinces.
Shortly after Zhang Jiao is defeated, Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
usurps the title of Emperor and causes disturbances throughout China. Lu Bu
Lü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
, known as the strongest fighter at the time, follows Dong Zhuo and fights for him, protecting him. Seeing the unrest in the Imperial Court, the warlords of the time gather again and appoint Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
as a temporary leader to rebel against Dong Zhuo. At the Battle of Hu Lao Gate, the rebelling forces enlist the help of a battering ram and destroy the entrance to the castle. Shortly after, Dong Zhuo is defeated and the warlords return to their own territory, eager to build up their own power.
All three major kingdoms share the Han/Allied Forces stages but depending on which kingdom the player chooses, the storyline will progress differently. Like for example: If you do Wei Musou Mode, you win a battle that you didn't in history; Chi Bi.
Wei story
The Wei Kingdom's story begins with “The Rise of Cao Cao.” After the defeat of Dong Zhuo, Lu Bu flees north and establishes a force of his own with loyal generals. Lu Bu invades the Yan Territory causing Cao Cao to create a temporary alliance with Liu Bei to defeat him. Lu Bu’s officers desert him and with the odds against him, Lu Bu is defeated and retreats. Shortly after, Lu Bu attacks Wan CastleWancheng District
Wancheng District is a District in the center part of Nanyang City, southwestern Henan province, People's Republic of China....
and tries to defeat Cao Cao but Cao Cao's superior officers overpower Lu Bu and he is defeated.
After the defeat of Lu Bu, Liu Bei leaves the ranks of Cao Cao with his oath brother, Zhang Fei, and joins with Yuan Shao’s forces. Guan Yu remains with Cao Cao, feeling that he has a debt to repay to Cao Cao for saving his life. With confidence after defeating Lu Bu and a strong wish to expand his territory, Cao Cao heads north and invades Guan Du
Battle of Guandu
The Battle of Guandu was a military conflict between the warlords Cao Cao and Yuan Shao in 200 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle, which concluded with victory for Cao Cao, was a turning point in the war between the two warlords...
(Yuan Shao’s territory). During the battle, Guan Yu leads a frontal attack against Yuan Shao, defeating several of his major generals, but shortly after meets up with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei retreats with them from the battle field. With the loss of Liu Bei, Yuan Shao can't hold up against Wei, and is defeated.
With his forces substantially strengthened and the forces of Wu and Shu growing at the same time, Cao Cao chooses to declare war on Liu Bei. Liu Bei on the other hand is leading his troops through Chang Ban
Battle of Changban
The Battle of Changban was a battle fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Liu Bei in 208 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
and is surprised by the sudden attack by Cao Cao, and fearing that his forces aren't strong enough to take on Cao Cao, Liu Bei tries to flee to his naval fleet but before he can reach them, Cao Cao’s forces defeat him and halt his seaward retreat. Instead, Liu Bei flees and finds shelter with Wu. Still pursuing Liu Bei, Cao Cao decides to attack Wu as well and leads his naval fleet against Wu's. Even with support from Shu, Wu is defeated and retreats back into their territory.
Cao Cao quickly continues his attack against Wu, invading Fan Castle
Fancheng
Fancheng District is a district of Xiangfan, Hubei, China.-History:Fancheng was an ancient Chinese city in Hubei, situated on the northern side of the Han River, opposite Xiangyang on the southern side of the river...
, Shi Ting, and eventually moving towards He Fei
Hefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...
, the capital of Wu. During the battle of He Fei, Sun Quan leads a full frontal attack against Cao Cao with the remainder of his army but is defeated after a lengthy battle. With only two of the three kingdoms remaining, Cao Cao turns his attention to Shu. While Cao Cao's forces were concentrated on Wu, Liu Bei had been improving his forces to repel him. The battles at Wu Zhang Plains and Cheng Du were major strategic battles, fighting for China itself, but Cao Cao comes out triumphant.
Shu story
The main Shu story begins with Liu Bei leading his troops against Cao Cao at the Bo Wan PoBattle of Bowang
The Battle of Bowang, also known as the Battle of Bowang Slope, was a battle fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Liu Bei in 202 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.-Background:...
. A notable character in Shu’s story line is Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
, the Shu tactical adviser, revered in the game as a cunning strategist. He joins Liu Bei after Liu Bei visits Zhuge Liang thrice, requesting his assistance. With help from Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao is defeated at Bo Wan Po and leaves Liu Bei free to escape to his naval fleet and some innocent peasants he happened to be guiding through Chang Ban. Cao Cao pursues Liu Bei but isn’t quick enough and Liu Bei escapes harm with help from his fleet and Zhang Fei's legendary blockade.
Liu Bei heads towards Wu and forms an alliance with Sun Quan, reinforcing their troops for the naval battle of Chi Bi. Zhuge Liang prepares a strategy to burn Cao Cao’s fleet using a combination of a fire attack, linked boats, and the wind. Shu’s infiltrator into Wei, Pang Tong
Pang Tong
Pang Tong was an advisor to Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was nicknamed "Young Phoenix" by his uncle Pang Degong due to his ugly appearance but great capabilities and talent...
, successfully avoids detection and chains the boats together while Wu’s Huang Gai
Huang Gai
Huang Gai was a military general who served the warlord Sun family of Eastern Wu for three generations during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
launches the fire attack against Wei after a false surrender. Even escaping the Wu camp secretly with a plan with Zhou Yu. The wind blows and Zhuge Liang’s plan comes together, burning Cao Cao's so far set ambitions to the ground! Cao Cao flees and Zhou Yu is killed by Zhuge Liang's slick movements. Sun Shang Xiang will escape the Wu forces with Liu Bei in Zhou Yu's planned trap, and marry the King of Shu. Only to soon lead war between Wu and Shu, and put Liu Bei to rest.
After the end of this chapter, the player has the choice to go on to defeat the Nanman’s and Wu or to defeat Wei. Whichever is chosen first, the other will follow in the final chapter.
With the fear of a Nanman invasion from the south, Liu Bei (Before he is killed by the Wu ranks) turns his attention to the Nanman’s and their leader Meng Huo
Meng Huo
Meng Huo was popularly regarded as a local leader representing the gentries of the Nanzhong region during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
who direct attacks Shu for no good reason. He sends Zhuge Liang to deal with the threat. Although he is in unfamiliar territory and dealing with strange animals; Elephants, and is in a deadly diseased land, Zhuge Liang leads his troops through the dense jungles to do battle with Meng Huo and his wife Zhu Rong, encountering poisonous swamps, armored troops, and elephants throughout the way to the enemy stronghold. After being beaten back several times, Meng Huo finally accepts defeat.
Once the Nanman threat had been dealt with, Liu Bei focuses his attention on Wu and begins the Battle of Yi Ling, During the long and bloody battle between Wu and Shu, Zhuge Liang uses a trap called the Stone Sentinel Maze
Stone Sentinel Maze
The Stone Sentinel Maze was an array of rocks and boulders thought to be conjured by the Three Kingdoms period strategist Zhuge Liang using the concept of the bagua. The formation was located on Yufu Shore by the Yangtze River near present-day Baidicheng, Chongqing, China, where supposed ruins of...
to confuse Wu’s forces in a maze that will take hours to get out of successfully and also deploys reinforcements to the watchtower to foil Wu’s fire attack. With Shu's leader murdered in war, and Wu's strategist Lu Xun
Lu Xun
Lu Xun or Lu Hsün , was the pen name of Zhou Shuren , one of the major Chinese writers of the 20th century. Considered by many to be the leading figure of modern Chinese literature, he wrote in baihua as well as classical Chinese...
beat, neither of the forces come out victorious and both the kingdoms are one step closer to defeating each other. Zhuge Liang then leads the Shu troops into the Wu capital, Jian Ye, to finish the Sun family. Wu loses, but many Shu troops are killed and Wu has been forced out of the wars between Shu, Wei, and themselves. They still have lots of men, but not enough to recover. So they cannot fight again.
The final battle between Shu and Wei takes place at the Wu Zhang Plains. A peaceful, large, magical field of grass and beautiful flowers. But soon to be bloody and ugly. Zhuge Liang sends the player's character to taunt Sima Yi from outside the castle walls, growing his anger. Shortly after, Zhuge Liang fakes his own death (But sadly and painfully, Zhuge Liang, didn't fake his death in history. He died of a deadly illness. And some say he had a heart attack when the illness hurt him and died) to lure the Wei army to charge and they are caught in his trap. Overwhelmed, Wei is defeated.
Wu story
After defeating Dong Zhuo, Wu has troubles in its own territory, with a small uprising that has started in the Jiang Dong district that poses an internal threat to Wu. Sun Jian orders his forces to deal with the offending generals and takes back the territory and most of Jiang Dong.After stopping the revolt, Sun Quan moves onto defeating a small band of pirates with the help of Wu’s strategist, Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu was a military general and strategist who served his close friend, the warlord Sun Ce, during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
. By spotting explosives on the enemy’s fleet, he sets them alight and the boats quickly catch fire, leaving Sun Quan victorious. Soon after, he takes over a small area of the Nanman territory and then repels Cao Cao’s naval fleet at Chi Bi
Battle of Red Cliffs
The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...
with the help of Shu’s Zhuge Liang.
Depending on the result of the fire attack at Chi Bi, the player will either go on to defeat Shu then Wei or vice versa.
With their alliance, Wu and Shu go on to attack the Nan Territory, which is currently controlled by Wei. Although they worked towards a common goal, Shu tries to take the territory for themselves by attempting to defeat the Wei generals first, but Sun Quan’s forces reach the territory before them and take the Nan Territory for themselves. Realizing that Shu is gaining power the alliance breaks and each kingdom goes their own way. Sun Quan invades the Nanman Territory, defeats Meng Huo, and claims the land for his own. Shortly after, Shu and Wu go to war and battle at Yi Ling. Sun Quan’s forces successfully navigate through Zhuge Liang’s Stone Warrior Formation and avoid detection, setting fires throughout the Shu camp. With their plans foiled, Shu falls and Wu is victorious.
Now only two kingdoms remain and Sun Quan chooses to attack Fan Castle and lays siege upon it. Using siege ramps to bypass the castle walls, it is quickly overrun and Wu is victorious. Sun Quan moves towards Shi Ting, and with the use of a mole placed in the enemy forces, Wei's officers are led into a Wu trap and defeated. Wei’s strategist, Sima Yi, is forced to retreat and Wu claims Shi Ting. Wu then assaults He Fei Castle, both sides later bringing reinforcements. Sun Quan is led into a trap but pulls his forces together and leads an all out attack on the castle.
The final chapter of the Wu story is the battle between Wu and Wei at Xu Chang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
. Wu lays on a full attack at the castle at Xu Chang and, even with Wei's assault weapons attacking the Wu troops, they press on and defeat Cao Cao and claim Wei’s territories.
Development
Due to the success of Dynasty Warriors 3, Omega Force began development on the sequel, Dynasty Warriors 4, and its expansions. The fourth game in the series was the first to introduce an Empires expansion, but it wasn’t designed by the same person who designed Dynasty Warriors 4, Tomohiko Sho. Although he was not the designer for all of the Dynasty Warriors games he was involved in the production for them, usually as the planner. Omega Force works under Koei as an internal development team and have mainly concentrated on the Dynasty Warriors series and the Samurai Warriors series. Similarities have been pointed out between the two series, such as the Xtreme Legends and Empires expansions, as well as a similar voice cast that has been used throughout a number of the games from each series. Repeated voices between games include Beau BillingsleaBeau Billingslea
Beau M. Billingslea is an American actor and voice actor. He is best known as the voice of Jet Black from the popular anime Cowboy Bebop. In addition to voice acting, Billingslea has appeared in many popular TV series as a prolific guest actor...
, Steven Jay Blum and Richard Epcar
Richard Epcar
Richard Epcar is an American actor voice actor / director, mostly specializing in the field of voice acting in games, animation and anime. He is the husband of voice actress Ellyn Stern, with whom he owns and operates Epcar Entertainment, Inc., a voiceover production service company based in Los...
.
Audio
The Dynasty Warriors series has never used the musical style commonly made in the era that the games are set in. Dynasty Warriors 4 is no different and features a similar style of music to Dynasty Warriors 3Dynasty Warriors 3
is a hack and slash video game developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. It is third in the Dynasty Warriors series in North America and the second in the Shin Sangokumusou series in Japan. It is a spin-off from the video game Romance of the Three Kingdoms and based around a series of books...
, using a mix of rock, metal, and heavy metal with undertones of traditional Chinese music. However, this does not detract from the fact that there are a large number of varied tracks throughout the game. The ending song of the game, "Cross Colors," is performed by Yuki Koyanagi
Yuki Koyanagi
, is a Japanese pop singer. She released her first single, 'Anata no kisu o kazoemashô - You Were Mine' on September 15, 1999. This song was a huge hit in Japan and made the 17-year-old a sensation overnight. Her second album 'EXPANSION', sold over 1.3 million copies. She has done several albums ...
and the music was composed by Kazuhiro Hara. The song was performed in both Japanese and English by the same singer and was released for the US and Japanese versions of the game.
Voice Cast
- Terrence StoneTerrence StoneTerrence Stone is an Irish-American voice actor who is also known as Terry Stone.-Anime Roles:* Ah! My Goddess as Photographer* Apocalypse Zero as Kagenari...
- Taishi Ci, Zhao Yun - Crispin FreemanCrispin FreemanCrispin McDougal Freeman is an American voice actor, and Mythology scholar. His roles have included Alucard from Hellsing, Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Karasu from Noein, Togusa from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as Holland Novak from Eureka Seven, Touga Kiriyu in...
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Reception
Before its main release, Dynasty Warriors 4 was already looking promising after GameSpot UKGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
’s preview two months before the game was released. Although still very similar to previous titles in the series, the graphics engine had been tweaked and the gameplay been expanded, featuring more characters and stages.
After its release, it had high sales rates in Japan, selling over one million copies a short time after release. Its release in the US did not create as much hype as in Japan mainly because the market for the Dynasty Warriors series is smaller there, but it still sold fairly well and together with the Japanese sales, Dynasty Warriors 4 entered into the Greatest Hits charts. In its time Dynasty Warriors 4 has managed to become IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's 5th best co-operative game on the PS2 as well. The game is criticized for being very similar to older games in the series and retaining some of the features such as the fogging and repetitive gameplay. Even with these drawbacks, Koei went on to release two expansions for Dynasty Warriors 4 Xtreme Legends and Dynasty Warriors 4 Empires. It had also been ported to the Xbox and to the PC as a Hyper edition. Armchair Empire commented that when there is a lot happening on screen at once, the game tended to slow down
The English voice acting for the series, commonly criticized as being poor, has remained in DW4. The English voice-overs of Dynasty Warriors series uses straightforward English pronunciations for the romanized pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
names of characters and locations. The results tend to leave errors in the dialogue, with incorrect English pronunciations of originally Chinese text.
Versions and expansions
Dynasty Warriors 4 has had two expansions and a re-release. The first was Dynasty Warriors 4 Xtreme Legends and added new gameplay options and modes. The second was Dynasty Warriors 4 Empires, which added a strategy mode of gameplay to the original. It has also been re-released as in Japan. Hyper is a port of Dynasty Warriors 4 to Windows 2000Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
/Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
.
Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends
is a PlayStation 2PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
Dynasty Warriors 4 expansion developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. This expansion was released in the United States on November 4, 2003. DW4XL, as it is sometimes abbreviated to, has slightly improved weather effects and character reflections within the overall graphics. The original DW4 game disc is needed if the player wishes to play external modes such as 'Musou Mode.'
The expansion adds new difficulty levels ('Beginner' and 'Chaos') and new modes of play ('Arena Challenge' and 'Legend' modes). In 'Arena Challenge Mode,' the player can engage one-on-one duels against various opponents, where they'll be rewarded if they win. The new 'Legend Mode' elaborates on the individual prowess of each individual warrior within Dynasty Warriors. Individual weapons are given the availability to have an 11th evolved state, increasing the weapon's stats further. Due to the great emphasis in the duelling system in this expansion, it is at times seen as its own individual game - separate from the original Dynasty Warriors 4.
Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires
Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires (真・三國無双3 Empires (Shin Sangokumusou 3 Empires) in Japan) is the second expansion of Dynasty Warriors 4, released exclusively for the PlayStation 2 on August 31, 2004 in the United States. The game adds a new strategy mode called 'Empire Mode' which is based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series. However, the gameplay during attacking or defending against opposing forces is exactly the same as the original Dynasty Warriors 4. The main goal in Empire Mode is to conquer the land in order to beat the game, by invading and conquering all areas and territories of China. In addition, the Japanese voices were added into the PS2 version of Dynasty Warriors 4 Empires for the American version.In 'Empire Mode,' the player can choose a ruler for their forces, along with two main generals. Three minor lieutenants can also be chosen for support. In battle, the capture of enemy officers is possible by lowering their morale and defeating them. If, at the end of the battle, the player is victorious, it is possible to hire the captured officer or, alternatively, release them.
Before every battle, the player is given the choice of using 'Political Tactics,' such as increasing or decreasing time limit of battles or preventing enemy reinforcements from arriving during battles. The player can also secure alliances with other forces; these alliances can change how the game progresses, such as requesting reinforcements from the allied forces against opposing forces. However, these alliances only last for a set time decided by the tactic used. There's also an 'Archives Mode' that shows the motions and voices of the officers. A gallery of character artworks and game movies is also presented within the Archives Mode.