Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends Release Date: (JP) Sept 15, 2005, (US) Nov 15, 2005 Official Site: JAPANESE || ENGLISH Player(s): One or Two Player(s) Platform: PlayStation 2 Reviewed by, Fayt

Description: For those that are not fully aware of Dynasty Warriors, it’s typically a hack n’ slash action fighting game, based on the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” historical story from around 180AD to 260 AD. DW5: Xtreme Legends is the third Xtreme Legends installment, and the first extension to Dynasty Warriors 5. It borrows heavily from the Dynasty Warriors 5 platform while adding a number of new modes to challenge you, including a mode to cater for you own Created Warriors!

Game Modes:
Destiny Mode: Probably the best mode available in the game. Here you create your own character and choose a Warrior to serve, you start as a mere soldier with few skills. By prove your value to your leader by achieving minimum & additional tasks will earn you trust and rewards by your leader. The main goal is to impress your leader and perform the tasks they ask of you, as well as self selected challenges to further prove your worth. This will gain you skill points, to eventually make yourself a formidable warrior! This is unfortunately a one player only mode, but a rather enjoyable one.

Legend Mode: This is a one stage scenario which features recommended officers to use, and a dramatised variation of what the story would/could have been. It’s basically a mode that opens the story wide open of what potentially happened in those battles, like with the brother’s oath in Zhang Fei’s backyard, full of peach blossoms. It looks fantastic and offers a nice alternate way to view various pieces of history/novel fiction. It’s also the only unique mode that offers the two player option in the Xtreme series, so if you have a friend you love playing the games with this will be the area for you.

Xtreme Mode: Basically an extended, more continuous Challenge Mode. Here you fight as many missions as you can, gain fellow officers, even work towards your own little empire. I find these modes rather boring, and more of a fight until you drop scenario, its initially one player only although it is possible to play as two players under certain conditions.

The notable absence however is no new characters/Musou modes like we have witnessed in some Xtreme installments in the past (particularly with SW); so in the end bar a few attempts at Destiny Mode and the Legend Mode’s moments there doesn’t seem to be that much on offer. Although Destiny Mode itself is worth checking out at the least if you want something different, which is a great way to develop as a soldier to a trusted warriors within the ranks of your army, and you can do it all with your own personal created character! 6.5/10

Story Review: Being a spin-off of DW5 the story clearly doesn’t shape up against Dynasty Warriors 5 with its massive story based Musou modes. However, the Legend mode in at times comes close. While it is only a one fight at a time scenario the “what could have being” style to it, it offers many cut scenes offer a great new way to look at the battles as they progress, definitely the best mode if you’re after a historical/novel style story. The Destiny Mode is not bad for story, but been basically a soldier of a somewhat created scenario based on missions in Dynasty Warriors 5 you don’t get to see that much; and then you’ll find there are really just 3 variations of the story for each army and that’s it. Destiny Mode is alright for a unique story mode, while legend move is good for great moments of the three kingdoms story; although lacks fluency been a one at a time format.

Another noticeable absence is the fact there are no new characters/nor Musou modes on offer. Considering that in many Xtreme Legends titles (particularly SW) of the past we have at been treated to additional characters/Musou modes it just leaves another hole in the game. 5/10

Difficulty: The difficulty can be quite tough on Destiny Mode in particular, if you don’t learn certain skills or simply don’t approach your mission seriously and move from your required path things can fall in a heap rapidly. You also now effectively have to protect two people at all times, the main army leader; as well as the officer you are a troop of. It’s a different type of challenge from DW5, and a very challenging one at that! Otherwise there are of course countless different challenge modes on offer to also push your limits with your favourite Warriors. 8.5/10

Replay Value: The Destiny Mode is really addictive, trying to complete as many goals as you can in battle is both challenging and will make you want to attempt it a few times, just as creating and developing a character is very addictive. However the story core quickly becomes repetitive – as you really have only 3 different variant stories, add that to the fact that 2 player co-op is basically non existent this doesn’t give this game the greatest of futures. 5.5/10

Final Thoughts: Destiny Mode is fantastic, different to what you would normally get in Dynasty Warriors; and the occasional Legend & Xtreme mode is fun to play as well. Although compared to the original Dynasty Warriors 5 & the Empires variations it comes last on the food chain in my opinion; and I find the want to continually replay the game just doesn’t exist like so often is the case with other Warriors titles.

Fans of the series will most likely enjoy it, although those new to it might want to rent this first to see if it suits you; as you may be disappointed. It’s a good game, particularly for a created Warrior, but outside of that it’s far from perfect & limited in many areas. I’d basically say it’s a victim of a “repetitive sequel syndrome”, if this was attached to either Empires or DW5 stand alone; or even just give (hold off) some Musou modes it would be so much greater…

Rating: 6/10

Packaging

CAW Clothing Guide

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Items

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Promotional Movie Size: 26.6 MB Length: 2 minutes 43 seconds DOWNLOAD HERE	CF Movie Size: 2.5 MB Length: 15 seconds DOWNLOAD HERE

Soundtrack

Wallpapers

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Winamp Skins

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