Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers (PlayStation 4) Review

Ditching the Musou style of over-the-top, weapon-wielding, army-slaughtering mayhem, for a tactical strategy method of play, is a big change for a series known for its action. But thanks to some smart, simple design around that strategic element, as well as plenty of familiar characters (and a familiar story, Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers does a good job of shaking up the experience and providing something a little fresher than its usual offering.

Rather than the expected real-time, large-scale battles for control of specific points of a battlefield, Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers puts you in command of a handful of characters during turn-based fights, with an isometric top-down view on a strategic grid. It's a matter of moving the characters and attacking opponents with a set of selectable actions, therefore conquering an area and progressing with the more personal and contained story.

Indeed, it's a very different kind of Dynasty Warriors, but one that works fairy well. An excellent tutorial gradually teaches the strategic flow of battle, showing off its tactical options splendidly. It's also a very simple and intuitive thing to learn. On your turn you can move each of the cast of characters around the grid, choosing to attack with a range of different options that each drain differing amounts of action points from the character's total. These range nicely from quick, standard attacks, to ones that deal a heavier blow and maybe project through one set of troops on the grid to another behind them, or perhaps offer ranged options depending on the characters.

Beyond the standard attacks are some special alternatives. A Musou attack can be activated once a gauge is filled, dealing tremendous damage, and a synchronised attack with a pair from the party can also be unleashed, once another gauge is filled, to once again deal a devastating attack to enemies, but also offers the strategic advantage of allowing characters involved with the attack to move a second time. It's brilliantly simple, yet provides just enough tactical depth to make it interesting.

Interesting, at least initially, but unfortunately, battles tend to feel samey. Terrain changes with location, but enemy types are limited, making it easy to devise a set of tactics that will see players through the lengthy campaign with little issues. Boss encounters mix things up a little, but are infrequently sprinkled throughout the journey, and still fail to provide much of a challenge. However, the simplicity of it all does make this an attractive strategy title for those less acquainted with the genre, and the Dynasty Warrior setting is certainly something fans can enjoy regardless.

This title follows the same story as its brethren, with the unification of Japan, and along the way one will get to interact with the usual, vast cast of characters that fans are well-versed in. The primary differences between the previous titles and Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers is the focus on the perspective of series staple Zhao Yun and newcomer Lei Bin, and the introduction of god-like beings that feed on the battles. It's an intriguing new addition to the established storyline that doesn't compromised what's already there, something series aficionado are likely to appreciate.

Furthermore, with such a vast storyline and set of characters established in this series - of which most, although not all, do appear - there's a lot of optional quests that can be followed, which lead to a bounty of dialogue opportunities with other characters. For those looking 100% completion, there's a huge amount on offer here. Additionally, there's also a massive number of weapons to obtain throughout the journey, allowing some customisation and enhancing of characters beyond simply levelling up their stats through the expected skill-trees.

Of course, whilst this is one of the more accessible strategic titles on the market, it can't escape the issue of repetition. Much like its action-centric mainstay, this side project continues the tradition of copious amounts of battles that end up feeling like a chore to fight through. Certainly, the story does a fair job of driving the experience forwards, and it's compelling to experiment with the tactics a little, it ultimately feels like a refreshingly different way to play through the unification of Japan with these over-the-top characters, but not one that's consistently fun.