Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce

Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce (真・三國無双 MULTI RAID, Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid) is a spin-off game of Dynasty Warriors 6 that is available on the PSP, Xbox 360 and PS3. It promotes the multiplayer network as four players can make a four-man team for the same mission. The player can choose the characters from Dynasty Warriors 6 to act as their avatar.

Gameplay

 * See also: Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce/Tips

Players can now battle each other online in six special arenas, designed for different characters. In addition, instead of battles, the players now follow the Three Kingdoms story in over 200 quests. Some of these quests are named "Gaiden" and include almost quarter of the total quests. Using Chi, Orbs, Elements and weapons suited to the character, players can now build an officer to what they see fit. Players can also select from a range of costumes to customize their avatar. Using the RPG style of leveling up, there is now a stats system where the players level up to gain these stats. These stats come in two groups. Weapon stats where different classes of weapon have their own skill points (Max 1000). Then there's the health, defense, attack, speed, fury and a machine abilities where players level up gaining these stats (Max 500).

One of the main focuses of the game is the "Fury form", or the "Awakened mode" (or Shin Musou Kakusei in Japan). Characters will have a "Fury form" that will allow for increased stats and a new look. The game incorporates elements found in the Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2, in which players now have the ability to glide or fly and will face giant creatures on the field. Air combos are much more complex than before since Awakened characters can stay in the air longer. Activated Fury forms also sometimes temporarily modify the current moveset a player is using such as increased range and larger shockwaves. However, while in an Awakened state, a character's Musou gauge decreases. Characters can also be leveled up to level 50.

Ability statistics and weapons for characters have each been divided into six sub-groups. The weapon sub-groups are - Sword, Spear, Pike, Staff, Bow, and Tech. The Dynasty Warriors 6: Special movesets are obviously divided into each of these classes. The more complex and unique weapons like Xiao Qiao's fans and Sima Yi's claws are clustered together in the Tech category. The proficiency at which a character uses a specific type of weapon ranges on a scale from 1 to 1000, and the level is increased depending on how often the character uses a that type. The ability statistic sub-groups are - Life, Fury, Attack, Defense, Move, and Resist.

Each character has at least four weapons with some characters specializing in one area more so than others. Each character visually wields the same weapons as they do in Dynasty Warriors 6: Special but their weapons can be customized to the player's liking. Weapon types are essentially the same as Dynasty Warriors 6 and allows their selected character to mimic the original weapon's attacks. Unlike Dynasty Warriors 6 and the Special expansion, each weapon for characters with a cloned moveset is different in appearance. This totals up for more than 250 weapons in-game.

Stages are now separated into sections that require a short loading screen. On the other hand, they also have a greater emphasis on height as the game generally won't glitch when characters take to the sky. Strikeforce also boasts new mid-air movesets that have been incorporated into the various weapons, giving much more diversity to a character. Along with that, the ability to equip a secondary weapon for a battle also makes its first Warriors appearance. Equippable Chi and Orb items also lend to giving the game an RPG-styled feel to it. Chi items give numerous and unique abilities to a character's gameplay, to lending additional jumps, stronger attacks, Fury form usage reducing, to actual floating. Orbs give special bonuses to a weapon, and can increase attack power, range, and more.

Before a Mission begins, players have time to rest and prepare for their journey in a small marketplace. There are more than ten city locations in-game, each with their own academy, workshop, blacksmith, storehouse, and shrine. Players can also buy meat buns which are used to restore health. In a city, players can also perform various gestures and emotions, such as clapping, frowning, and jumping.

Downloadable content includes new stages for players to experience.

Characters
Every playable character from Dynasty Warriors 6 returns. In the next-gen port, Meng Huo, also joins the cast. These do not include characters from Dynasty Warriors 5 such as Zhu Rong or Jiang Wei.

Allusions

 * Warrior Orochi's Orochi, Da Ji, and Kiyomori Taira make special appearances in Missions. In the next-gen ports of the game, players can select a special mission to meet Ninja Gaiden Sigma II's Ryu Hayabusa, Ayane, and Momiji, and obtain their weapons in the Playstation 3 port. The Xbox 360 edition allows players to do the same with the Warriors Orochi 2's Fu Xi, Nu Wa, and Taigong Wang, obtaining their unique weapons and move sets.
 * Strikeforce has a special downloadable collaboration quest with Famitsu and has two special items in-game. The Famitsu magazine item can be dropped from various soldiers and officers, and it restores health and the Musou gauge to full power, similar to the All Recovery item. There is also a sword-type weapon with the signature Famitsu kanji is also available for gameplay. Other Japanese magazines participating in these events are Gemega, ITmedia + D Games, Game Watch, V Jump, and Dengeki Playstation.
 * One of V Jump's mascots cosplays as Xiahou Dun. This is a likely reference to the comic where one of the magazine's mascots was playing too much Dynasty Warriors 2 with the said character.