One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 (ワンピース海賊無双3, Wan Pīsu Kaizoku Musō Surī, lit. "One Piece: Pirates Unmatched 3") is the third entry in the One Piece: Pirate Warriors series and the first One Piece game for the PS4 and PC platforms. Its general concept is to cover the series's narrative with scenes from its beginnings to current arcs. On February 3, 2016, it was announced that the title sold one million units globally.

Hisashi Koinuma (Koei) and Kouji Nakajima (Bandai-Namco Games) return as producers for the game.

Players who buy the game new will receive a serial code to play Sabo early, a special costume for Luffy, and a code to unlock characters in ONE PIECE Treasure Cruise. Those who purchase the limited PS4 special edition receive an exclusive PS4 theme.

The Nintendo Switch port will include up to 40 different downloadable contents.

Gameplay

 * A handful of characters have had their movesets revamped or changed. Most characters have both pre-timeskip and post-timeskip versions as alternate costumes. The former makes use of their Pirate Warriors move list as a base, while the latter may or may not use their Pirate Warriors 2 move list.
 * "Kizuna/Bond Attacks", a new partner assist that occurs at the end of a player character's attack chain, has been added. Each assisting character has a different action, depending on whether the player character's ending attack is used with a normal attack button or charge attack button. Using Kizuna Attacks to finish off targets earn the player a special type of K.O. known as a !/Kizuna K.O., and count towards the player's direct K.O.s, despite it being assistance from another ally.
 * When an allied character maxes out their Kizuna Gauge, there is a random chance that they will activate their Hero Power, signified by the crown icon next to their portrait or the ally character's portrait by the player's KO count (as well as an extra magenta layer indicating another Kizuna gauge level); these temporary beneficial effects vary with each character. However, enemy major units can also activate their Hero Power when they are pushed to a certain HP threshold, but can instantly end if they are stunned during it.
 * A new limited-time powerup phase called "Kizuna/Bond Rush" can be initiated by two or more characters. It is activated by filling at least one support character's Kizuna Gauge to the maximum and pressing R2. The player character gains access to extra parts of their moveset during Kizuna Rush, which replaces the "Style" system from the previous title. Kizuna Attacks will be performed by every other character supporting the rush, where playable characters will use the string that corresponds with the player's input.
 * Players can do a special killing blow executed by the entire team called "Special Kizuna Attack" (tap during a Kizuna Rush). Doing this attack automatically drains the Kizuna Rush gauge and ends the Kizuna Rush prematurely. Each character's special during a Special Kizuna Attack often differs (in both hitbox range and hit effects).
 * Each playable character has two specific attributes that trigger when they partake in a Kizuna Rush. Players can check these traits within the character selection/information screen.
 * Defeating any enemies during a Kizuna Rush, both normal attacks and Special Attacks alike, will result in Beli being dropped. Defeating enemies in the said mode also contributes to the player's ! K.O. count.
 * Major enemy units on the other hand, will instantly activate their own unlimited-duration quasi-Kizuna Rush whenever they are near the player with theirs active or when they reach a certain HP threshold, and will last until they are stunned out of it.
 * However, should any of the allied characters directly involved in a Kizuna Rush are defeated, the Kizuna rush will instantly end and has to be activated manually once more. The player is completely disabled from using a Kizuna Rush when they have no allied characters to use it with.
 * Two specific character combinations can be used to activate special Kizuna Rush effects that can stack upon one another, depending on the relationships between the characters in the Kizuna Rush canon to the source material of One Piece:
 * Call You Call Me a Crew Mate?: Activated between two characters who are part of the same pirate crew and/or organization. Extends Kizuna Rush duration, and can stack upon one another to increase the extension if more related allies are added to the Kizuna Rush that provide the same effect.
 * Love Is Always a Hurricane: Activated between two characters that harbor romantic affiliations with each other in various forms. Allows the Kizuna Gauge gain one level at the end of each Kizuna Rush activation, allowing it to be filled up faster each time it's cancelled.
 * I'll Be Better Than You: Activated between two characters who have an intense rivalry. Increases the rate that an enemy unit's stun gauge fills up, allowing them to be stunned sooner.
 * Thanks for Everything!: Activated between two characters who have done each other great favors, mainly as close friends. Renders the player character completely invincible to all forms of damage during the Kizuna Rush.
 * You Are My Family: Activated between two characters who have any form of familial bond, blood-related or not. Slows down time all around the player character for the duration of the Kizuna Rush.
 * Coins are now an expendable resource to permanently upgrade character stats and unlock a character's secondary Special Attack. A maximum of 99 coins of each normal character coin can be held at a time. Coins are no longer found on the battlefield itself, and are instead earned through correlating with crew members during Kizuna Attack/Rush usage, or via defeating important characters as enemies. The coins are automatically collected once obtained.
 * Rare Coins have specific unlock conditions, and only need to be obtained once for the entire roster to utilize. Unlike bronze coins, Rare Coins are not consumable, and can be used as many times as needed. These coins are usually used to max characters' stats and break their level 50 limit. For some characters, other content from them can be unlocked through this method.
 * Beli can be used to purchase costumes that have been unlocked by Coins and to potentially level up characters to the same level of the highest leveled character; Beli leveling only works up to level 50. The max level cap is 100, as per the previous game.
 * Beli now also manually gravitates towards the player after a set time upon appearing.
 * Giant boss battles like Oars are present; boss battles may have enemy characters use NPC-specific attacks.
 * Maps in this game are built upon the prior installment's style with extra touches.
 * Special Attacks used with no longer have their viewpoint shifted if blocked by walls at certain angles, and instead zoom in closer on the character during their cinematics.
 * EXP bars and characters' intro scenes and victory scenes have been removed.
 * Downloadable content consists of extra stages and costumes.

Legend Mode
This is the main story mode of the game, which allows players to experience the story of One Piece from the story's beginnings and into the Dressrosa arc. At the time of the game's release, the current Dressrosa Arc had yet to be concluded in its original source material, so an original ending was created for this game. Two player co-op is available.

Players are encouraged to prioritize playing through this mode first, to unlock additional characters for other modes. Once the time-skip versions of the Straw Hats are unlocked, the player can use them in earlier stages in this mode. Completing this mode once unlocks the game's credits movie.

Legend Log includes Treasure Events and other conditions to obtain Rare Coins; players can view the conditions for unlocking them within the pause menu.

Free Log
This is essentially Free Mode using stages from Legend Mode. Characters who have been unlocked but have yet to become available in other modes can be used here.

Dream Log
This mode is similar to Conquest Mode from Dynasty Warriors 7 and Adventure Mode from Hyrule Warriors. It presents a series of challenge stages that can be completed with any character. Additional playable characters that cannot be unlocked through Legend Log can be unlocked here by defeating them on their respective islands. From then on they are available for use in every mode the first time the player starts this mode.

The format of this mode is depicted as a large chain of islands on a sunny ocean surface. The islands are connected to each other through different paths, and players unlock passage to other islands by beating the current island. After a mission is beaten, grades are assigned based on the players performance throughout the mission, which take into account the KO count and the amount of time it took for the mission to be completed, with the highest ranking being S.

Missions in Dream Log are all based around several themes, and the scenario and map is generated at random when selecting an island. Hypothetical dialogue can occur between characters here, even between those who have never canonically interacted before in the source material, leading to some potentially interesting conversations.

This mode encourages players to bond with characters that are unavailable during Legend Mode due to the Skill Posters assigned to every character. Complete the objectives listed within each Skill Poster to learn or boost character skills for battle. Skills can be equipped by any character once they are learned.

A bounty will have a chance to randomly generate after the player completes a stage. These characters are moving targets that carry Rare Coins which are mainly used for Level Breaking; if they are not defeated, they will disappear after a set period of time. Bounties can be forced to spawn by paying for their spawn in the Beli Shop.

Clearing this mode once unlocks every playable character for every mode, a congratulations message for beating the game, and the credits movie again. If the player revisits this mode afterwards, Nightmare Log is unlocked. It is basically a higher-leveled, stronger version of Dream Log that is advised to be challenged by characters who have surpassed their level 50 caps.

Upon revisiting a completed version of either Dream Log or Nightmare Log, a random set of playable characters will inhabit the areas that the prior unlockable characters occupied (barring the player-selected character), and cannot be selected in Dream/Nightmare Log unless they are beaten again. The set of enemy characters will change each time the two of the final islands are completed per run.

Options
Manual saving and loading. Options to alter controls, sound, and so on.

Gallery
This shows a collection of player progress such as the Coins acquired, Skill Posters, and Treasure Events completed. Character data and One Piece terminology can be reviewed here for quick reference. Unlocked events, cutscenes, and music can be played again if the player has purchased them from the Beli Shop.

Completing Skill Posters and building Kizuna levels (ally with a character during stages and earn Kizuna ! K.O.s from Kizuna Attacks or Kizuna Rush) can additionally unlock a voice, portrait, and model viewer in the Crew Gallery.

Characters
The following playable characters make a return:
 * Monkey D. Luffy - playable
 * Roronoa Zoro - playable
 * Nami - playable
 * Usopp/Sogeking - playable
 * Sanji - playable
 * Tony Tony Chopper - playable
 * Nico Robin - playable
 * Franky - playable
 * Brook - playable
 * Dracule Mihawk - playable
 * Crocodile - playable
 * Blackbeard (either one or both Devil's Fruits depending on the player's choice) - playable
 * Bartholomew Kuma - playable
 * Jinbei - playable
 * Boa Hancock - playable
 * Trafalgar Law - playable
 * Buggy the Clown - playable
 * Akainu - playable
 * Aokiji - playable
 * Kizaru - playable
 * Monkey D. Garp - playable
 * Smoker - playable
 * Enel - playable
 * Perona - playable
 * Whitebeard - playable
 * Portgas D. Ace - playable

Rob Lucci, Magellan, Emporio Ivankov, and Gecko Moria are now playable. Characters debuting in this entry include:


 * Sabo - playable
 * Donquixote Doflamingo - playable
 * Fujitora - playable
 * Tashigi - playable
 * Shanks - playable
 * Caesar Clown - playable
 * Coby
 * Hody Jones
 * Morgan
 * Kuro
 * Alvida
 * Daz Bones
 * Bellamy
 * Burgess
 * Wiper
 * Oars
 * Vergo
 * Monet

Stages
The returning stages were redesigned while new stages are added.


 * Shells Town
 * Syrup Village
 * Loguetown
 * Mock Town
 * Fishman Island
 * Dressrosa

Related Media
The first teaser was revealed on stage by Bandai-Namco at Tokyo Game Show 2014 September 19. It was at the Bandai-Namco Games booth at Jump Festa '15. This title will be a part of the PlayStation 4 Day Caravan play test campaigns in Japan.

Koinuma and Nakajima presented Sabo gameplay footage, the fourth promotional trailer and new information live at Shinjiku Alta February 14~15. Attendees could have gazed upon a life-sized Ace and Whitebeard monument and received a clear file and a Meramera Fruit ticket. The producers presented the title again on the March 17, 2015 Retort Kiyo Ryouran no Game Jikkyou 876TV live broadcast.

It is one of the three One Piece games offered in the limited time One Piece Burning Blood release discount campaign.

Trivia

 * When an existing character is selected on certain maps in Free Log mode (e.g. Usopp selected on the Syrup Village stage), both allied and enemy alike, the game will consider them to be separate characters, thus causing a body-double effect. Same goes for Downloadable content stages.
 * This can also happen randomly on either a Dream Log or Nightmare Log stage for a recruit-able ally, where if two different events happen to occur with the said ally in question involved.
 * Many of the attack effectiveness of certain characters vary depending on the source material, such as Sanji being unable to inflict damage on female characters as a carry-over from the prior 2 games. Another major example is Luffy, Chopper, and Fujitora being immune to Hancock's petrification, all for different various reasons.