KOEI and its Dynasty Warriors franchise have never been one for change. With every new version come only minor changes but the same design issues – uninspired environments and simplistic combat. Even more questionable, its PlayStation Portable releases have been nothing but ports; watered-down versions of their PlayStation 2 counterparts. However the latest addition Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, gave gamers a reason to be hopeful. Made exclusively for the PSP with a fresh approach to the franchise, enhanced combat, and a highlight on multiplayer, Strikeforce isn't at all like the other titles in the Dynasty Warriors family. KOEI has gotten to the basics of its franchise, stripping it down to its essentials and developing an entertaining title that addresses all its past issues and is far beyond anything you would expect from a Dynasty Warriors title. Change is good my fellow gamers, change is very good.



Strikeforce begins with three families to choose from. Each family has its own roster of warriors, each differing in size and weapon types. From there you are dropped into your quaint little village which acts as the hub of all your activity. From here you can talk to the locales, purchase new weapons and skills, and accept quests. Quests can be obtained from either the bulletin or the guard who stands ever so vigilantly by the village's entrance. The quests themselves range from locating a particular item to dealing with an unruly beast. But for the most part you will be tracking down scoundrels and ne'er do wells who have nothing better to do than cause trouble and be an overall pain in the bum.

The game supports one-four players and while you can just as well create a character and go solo, the game's difficulty, especially early on, will remind you that this sort of adventure is better played when you have a ragtag team of eager warriors to bring with you to the battlefield. As capable as you may think you are, enemies are unrelenting in number and off-screen turrets will bombard you with heavy fire at every possible chance. This is a team endeavor and if you really want to explore the full potential of Strikeforce, recruit a few friends and just have at it. 



Character customization is Strikeforce's bread and butter. In addition to the variety of weapons and sub-weapons you can acquire, you can also equip special items to give your character that extra oomph. For starters, power-up orbs can be used to increase your characters' basic stats, applying buffs to strength, defense, and so on. Chi skills can be equipped up to four at a time, one for each hand and foot. These skills are absolutely necessary if you expect to get through some of Strikeforce's later missions.

The combat is a lot better than you remember; it's actually enjoyable. It is a basic interface: Square is your main attack button while triangle is used to execute a heavy attack and a charge-up technique if the button is held down for a few seconds. X is reserved for jumping and circle is used to switch between your main and sub weapons. L is used to target your enemies and R to perform a quick dash. The traditional Musou system that fans are accustomed to has been retooled.  Instead of unleashing a single devastating attack, Strikeforce introduces a Fury Meter. Once the bar has filled, players can transform to enter Fury Mode – complete with a shiny new character model and damaging techniques. At any point during this überstate you can unleash your beloved Musou attack, draining whatever remaining Fury you have left and completely obliterating any foe that happens to be standing next to you.



Another big improvement is the environments. Gone are the flat, empty fields of Dynasty Warriors past. Strikeforce delivers battlefields with depth and plateaus which actually put that jump button of yours to good use. 

One of the pleasant surprises of Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce is the option to install the game on your memory card, minimizing those pesky loads times. The game will run at a much smoother pace and those with 300 MB to spare should definitely consider this feature. 

While Strikeforce is a great game, it does have a few problems which take away from the fun factor. The camera is a bit of pain and chooses some of the worst possible moments to get stuck in walls and obstruct your view.  The game's lock-on feature won't allow for any cycling of enemy troops; an absent option which really stands out when you are trying to target an enemy office in a sea of drones.  The game's material system is also a bit random in terms of item drops.  Trying to find the necessary ingredients to create that particular skill or weapon may take hours to obtain. While there is a Material Exchange you can visit in your starting village, there is still a random element to be found here as well as no guarantee you will receive the materials you require.


 
KOEI fans should not hesitate to run out and purchase this title. This is by far, the greatest Dynasty Warrior game ever developed and you couldn't have a better time than with this game's impressive amount of content and replayability. While it has minor kinks, it is an excellent title that should not be overlooked. 


Fun Factor: A Dynasty Warriors game that is actually really fun to play, who knew?

Game Length: While the quests are not long, there are many to undertake resulting in a more than sufficient amount of game time.

Difficulty: The AI won't sit around and wait for you to wail on them.  Strikeforce is a challenging title, so don't forget to bring a few friends.
 
On the Negative Side: Shoddy camera angles coupled with an unintuitive targeting system make for a few frowns in an otherwise enjoyable title. More map diversity couldn't have hurt either.

Bang for your Buck: With plenty of characters to choose from, experience to earn, and abilities and weapons to purchase, expect Strikeforce to stay in your PSP for a long time.