Dynasty Warriors: Online

Dynasty Warriors: Online (真・三國無双 Online) is a massively multiplayer online installment in the Dynasty Warriors series. The game was out for the public on November 2007 and it's currently only available in Japan, China, Thailand, and Korea, while it is to be released to North America some time into the future. The game was made available in Japan for the PS3 on February 18, 2010. Aeria Games began it's closed beta for the North American version October 14, 2010.

Online plays like its earlier predecessor, Dynasty Warriors BB, an online game that was discontinued on November 1, 2006. The main difference between the two is that Online requires slightly less demanding hardware specs than BB. Both games feature a quasi-RPG element in which the player can run around the world and chat with various characters. The graphics and battle mechanics for the game use Dynasty Warriors 5 as its base.

Gameplay
Players are allowed to create one character per account. Characters can be customized by their name, sex, figure, face type, hair type, voice, and standard colors. There are four different body types, eight different faces, ten hairstyles, seven voices for the men, and nine voices for the ladies. Colors can be chosen by a color picker. Once a character is created, they can choose which faction they wish to serve in the Dynasty Warriors universe. They may switch allegiance after their registration.

Each player is given a tutorial to complete from a general from the kingdom they wish to serve, which determines the age and intimacy level with their commander. Tweaking these stats will affect cutscenes and their familiarity with other officers. If they're seen favorably, they maybe addressed by name.

Levels are not set as they are determined by how well the player does in battle (recruit ~ great general). Stats can be adjusted by the weapon and equipment that the character have equipped. Equipment is mainly the clothing that the character wears, which alters stats such as speed, power, and defense.

Most weapons in the game mimic the actions for the series' characters. For example, equipping a giant pole axe will make the character fight like Xu Huang and a short sword will mimic Sun Quan's moveset. Original weapons for the online game include a bo staff, two cymbals, and a sectioned staff that can be used as a whip. Alternately, players can chat with other players through text and animated emoticons or participate in PvP events.

In more recent updates, the players are limited to C1~C5 of the original moveset. Equipping elements allows players to gain a unique charge attack and the ability to use C6. While most of these attacks are new, combinations may sometimes mimic the motions for the weapon's original C6 or the R1 abilities in the Warriors Orochi series. Unlike the original adaption, there are five different revolutions (versions) for each weapon online. All of the character weapons from the previous patch, Revolution 4, was released by October 20, 2009.

Each player can choose to participate in a story scenario with their army. Each scenario features several mini-battles that the player can either watch on a map or personally take part in. Various endings can be seen based on the character's stats. Currently, the known story scenarios are as follows:
 * Anti-Dong Zhuo Union (November 1, 2006 ~ November 25, 2007)
 * Surrounding Lu Bu (November 28, 2007 ~ July 13, 2008)
 * Battle of Guandu (July 15, 2008 ~ March 15, 2009)
 * Battle of Chi Bi ~ Shisho Ranbu (March 17, 2009 ~ present)

The expansion, Souten Ranbu, will be out in stores on November 11, 2010.

To tie in with the release of the movie series, Red Cliff, special outfits and scenarios are unlocked for both this game and the Romance of the Three Kingdoms MMO. These outfits and story bits are created as an homage to the film version of certain characters. More extras are said to be unlocked when Part II is out in Japanese theaters on April 10, 2009. To celebrate the two franchises, a special interview with the film's director, John Woo, and Koei's Kou Shibusawa was posted on Online's website. Starting in July, the game also staged a crossover event with the TV anime, Souten Kōro. Players can collect a scroll with the anime Cao Cao.

Image Songs

 * Fuun Musouden
 * Performed by Hironobu Kageyama
 * * used for BB only


 * Musou
 * Performed by Jay Chou
 * * used for Online only