For many fans of the so-called ‘Musou game’ (at least those of a certain generation), their love probably started with Dynasty Warriors 3 on the PlayStation 2 back in 2001. The action hack-and-slash franchise across the key battlefields of the Three Kingdoms era of China started its life as a Tekken-style fighter on PS1, before Koei’s initial dipping of their toes into the format with Dynasty Warriors 2.
However, it was Dynasty Warriors 3 that defined what was to come across dozens of future titles and a whole series of spin-offs to different IPs which continues to this day. From iconic dialogue and voice lines to surprisingly deep combat systems and expansive maps, Dynasty Warriors 3 always has a special place in the hearts of fans. Therefore, it seemed like a no brainer that Koei announced a remastered version of the title for modern consoles and PC. Initially delayed from its original March release date for what the developers said was the chance to improve the overall quality, Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered lands on October 1st.
For anyone jumping into Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered for the first time – having more experience with the most recent Dynasty Warriors Origins, for example – the immediate feeling will be one of purity. This is a Dynasty Warriors that strips away all the bloat (both good and bad additions) of the many sequels that followed over more than two decades. No, there aren’t hundreds of characters, instead giving a core 42 officers who all come with their own unique move sets and unique weapons. Nor does the story faithfully chart every single moment from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms book.
There are a ton of liberties taken here in regard to historical figures who take part in battles in the game who simply shouldn’t be there. That’s aside from the ridiculously cheesy dialogue and voice acting that has become some of the internet’s favourite memes over the years. Equally, maps are also more structured for the player to chart their own path, as opposed to the more cinematic linear structure later games adopted.
This means that while there are plenty of cutscenes that react to the player’s actions, more often than not battles are simply about the journey of reaching the enemies’ main camp and eliminating their leader with sometimes very few frills beyond the simple joy of cutting down hundreds of enemies. However, at its core Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered is such a faithful recreation of its original that it was impossible not be taken back to the days of putting in that old DVD disc.
It’s incredible just how quickly the nostalgia hits after booting up the Yellow Turban Rebellion as Zhao Yun and getting to work. All the original modes are back from both the base game and the later Xtreme Legends expansion. There’s free mode, of course, which lets the player pick their officer in any map unlocked. Alongside that are all the challenge modes which are great fun for some distraction from the bread-and-butter maps. Each character has their own tailored Musou mode, which unlocks new characters and maps to play on.
Additionally, of course, split screen returns, with Dynasty Warriors 3 always having the most spectacular fun to kick back with a friend on the sofa and just have some action-packed gameplay. Special mention as well to the music which returns intact and as good as ever. So many fan-favourite tracks originate from Dynasty Warriors 3, and the music really gives so much personality to the experience. While there is so much nostalgia on show, it’s great that there is a detailed suite of accessibility options.
Those more accustomed to the modern Dynasty Warriors titles will be able to tailor their controls; for example, to select between the authentic 2001 controls and the option to play something more akin to Origins. There are even some gameplay additions that mean, while this is a love-letter to the older game, the inclusion of special parry moves, for example, gives an extra dimension to combat that wasn’t in the original. All that said, is this the perfect remaster, then? Well, not quite… and that comes down to the graphics and performance, which unfortunately take a significant hit on Switch 2.
Omega Force’s producer Tomohiko Sho revealed the development team adjusted the game so that it can handle the same number of characters on-screen as the other versions when displaying the large-scale battles. However, this scale on the platform comes at a cost, with a variable frame rate of 30fps to 60. This can vary widely moment to moment and there is absolutely no doubt it is a noticeable distraction to enjoying the gameplay. Even a consistent 30 would be preferable.
Equally, on the visuals side of things, the developers said that in the Switch 2 version, players can expect the title to display at 2560 x 1440p docked, while in portable mode the experience will be an upscaled 1920 x 1080 image. This isn’t disastrous by any means, but add in the lower graphical fidelity generally on the Switch 2 and it sometimes makes the experience feel a bit too familiar to the 2001 original when it comes to resolution and texture quality.
There’s work to be done in trying to get a visual presentation that is up to par for 2026 while ironing out the significant periods of slowdown. Omega Force said the team is considering adding graphics-priority and performance-priority modes as a future update to the game. This would be much appreciated.
Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered is an excellent recreation of an iconic game. Loading up and playing Hu Lao Gate to battle Lu Bu or fighting Cao Cao at Chi Bi and hearing the iconic lines and triggering the same fantastic cutscenes never fails to bring a smile to the face of those who loved the early noughties original. From a content point of view there are no complaints. Where this remaster stumbles a little – at least on Switch 2 – is in the presentation and performance.
