Dynasty Warriors (PSP)

Dynasty Warriors (真・三國無双 PSP, Shin Sangoku Musou PSP) is a portable version of Dynasty Warriors 4 with tactical elements that differentiate it from Empires. It was one of the first games to be released during the handheld console's launch.

Gameplay
While gameplay mechanics and controls are largely the same, battlefields are segmented into small, separate squares due to the PSP's limitations. Unlike the mainstream titles, characters do not retain stat growth and weapon levels after each fight. Instead, their stats are derived from the officers serving under them. Musou Mode is completely straightforward with 5 stages per faction, though the choice of battles varies between unaffiliated characters.

Entering a hostile square means fighting enemy troops until their morale or fighting spirit (which can span up to 8 gauges) gradually wears down; the process can be hastened by eliminating as many enemies as possible or utilizing certain skills. Likewise, the player's fighting spirit dwindles if they lose allies or remain idle. Should it plummet completely, the battle will end in failure and all deployed officers will be lost. The arrival of reinforcements is essential to keep morale high enough for the player to survive, especially in higher difficulty settings.

When taking a square from an enemy officer, the player must dwindle the opposing side's morale to a specific amount before they can appear; if their subordinates have been defeated beforehand, they will respawn together with the officer leading them. This rule does not apply to officers invading the player's squares as they will always be present during the attack. Defeated officers spawn in forts periodically which may help or hinder the player depending on how much territory they currently have.

Time limit is determined by the amount of supplies on hand. These increase by taking enemy supply depots scattered throughout the map. But due to the game's more aggressive AI (as they actively will strafe less often around obstacles and focus more on running up to the player to attack them whenever, even if they knocked down onto the ground), it is recommended to clear nearby areas first and ensure that no other enemy officers are present. If the player recuperates in a depot or the main camp, supplies will decrease in proportion to the amount of damage sustained.

Fighting raises the player's levels which in turn provide stat boosts and better weapons. Using charge attacks to critically wound dying foes earns experience points for leveling up; chaining 10 or more hits together yields additional experience. Additionally, enemy officers after the player has performed enough high-morale-feats will choose to pursue the player to end their spree, causing them to drop weapon boxes which will raise a character's level by 1. Reaching Level 10 allows the player to reach their full potential and perform a True Musou attack regardless of their current health. Since levels always reset to 1 per battle, claiming enemy territory will often be a top priority before attacking the main camp. If defeated in combat, players will still gain points earned but lose their current party as a result.

Allusions

 * Portraits for NPC officers are taken directly from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms games.
 * The Samurai Warriors cast appear as bodyguard officers in this title.