Game publisher Koei Tecmo is as much a dependable content factory as a thoughtful video game company. They have a stable of totally okay franchises and they make games in those franchises with a haste not often replicated by their competitors.
The Dynasty Warriors series has so many core installments, spin-offs, and licensed IP tie-in games at this point that it’s one of the most prolific canons in the entire world of gaming. It was a great gaming comfort food for me personally, and the frequent release schedule meant I didn’t have to wait too long between meals. Its hack-and-slash action had an almost cozy vibe, with a rhythm of simple button mashing blended with basic tactical strategy that induced a brain flow state quite unlike most other action games.
In the last few years, the series took an extended break — even though Koei didn’t. They’ve continued to work on their other franchises. Their early 2024 open world Dark Souls-inspired Rise of the Ronin remains one of my favorite games on the PS5, and its flashes of Dynasty Warriors design elements had me hopeful for the future.
Well, that future is here. Kind of. Only it’s very trend-obsessed and dressed in the wrong size of clothing. Dynasty…
