Let’s have some fun shall we? Find a group of so-called “hard core gamers,” walk up to them and say nothing but the following words: Dynasty Warriors. Chances are that unless they’re a masochist, they’re going to groan about redundant gameplay and forgettable sequels. In short – the once revered game series has become one of gaming’s biggest in-jokes.

So how does Koei and developer Omega Force change that? The answer sadly, is not Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce – not even close.  To its credit, the game does try to introduce a series of novel new gameplay mechanics, but they’re not nearly enough to combat the game’s boring button mash-centered combat, utterly broken camera and appalling visuals.

If you’ve been paying attention, this isn’t the first time you’ve seen Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce. Koei first introduced the game as a PSP title last year – and it shows.  Sure, the visuals have been beefed up a bit since its portable debut – but Strikeforce doesn’t look a PS3 game.  At times the visuals are so incredibly bad you’ll be hard pressed to find much of a difference between the two versions.  I’m not expecting a visual masterpiece here, but if you’re going to take the time to port a game over to a next generation system – at least make it worth my while.

"... the title has become synonymous with repetitive and boring gameplay."

You’ll start Strikeforce in a “central hub” where you’ll be able to choose just how you play through the title. Now, don’t get too excited; it’s still a pretty linear affair. Using this “central hub” you’ll be able to access missions, customize your character or pick up new items. This hub does a great job of keeping things organized and to tell you the truth I got a little wrapped up in using the officer’s cards to equip my characters with the best possible attributes and strategy.  You gain these cards during battle, and they can be used to fine tune each of your officer’s abilities. It’s an interesting level of strategy that is a welcome addition to the franchise.

You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned the title’s core gameplay yet – and that’s on purpose. If you’ve played a single minute of any past Dynasty Warriors game, you’ll know that the title has become synonymous with repetitive and boring gameplay. For those new to the series, you’re going to be hacking and slashing your way through an endless amount of similar looking enemies. Think of it as the modern day equivalent of Double Dragon –just not as cool. Yes, it gets old very quickly and yes you’re going to fall asleep.  There’s only a few maps and an even fewer playable characters (one more than the handheld version), so you’ll start to notice the repetition earlier than most games.

"...some of the worst collision detection I’ve seen this generation..."

So how does Koei attempt to make the title feel fresh? They add 4-player online gameplay. This feature was available through the PSP’s WiFi connection but it’s the first time a console Dynasty Warriors has featured an online suite. Using the same central hub city as you would in the game’s main campaign, you can pool up to three other players to take on the game’s 200+ missions. While some games are able to support rather large online parties with little lag, StrikeForce sadly suffers from a ton of technical issues that seem to become even more apparent when you’re playing online.  There’s horrid slowdown, some of the worst collision detection I’ve seen this generation and odd glitches to deal with. Unless you’re really looking for a Dynasty Warriors online experience, there are plenty of better games to take online.

The Dynasty Warriors team has made a number of additions to the Dynasty Warriors formula in an effort to revitalize the series. Sadly, it didn’t work. These new features merely serve as a distraction to the notoriously repetitive gameplay. The worst thing though is that the game itself feels broken at points and as a result Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce is nothing short of a dressed up port that only hardcore fans of the series…if there are any left, should play.