Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 30
  3. Negative: 3 out of 30
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. Digitally Downloaded
    Feb 25, 2015
    90
    It's hard to make a game that successfully melds genuine strategy and fast action together. There's always the risk that the strategy could be too simple, or the action would either overpower the strategy, rendering it redundant, or become irrelevant itself because the strategy side of things determines success or failure. Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires strikes that balance where both on-field performance and strategy equally determine success, and while it's a different flavour to the typical Warriors formula, it's wonderfully entertaining, and anyone who says the Warriors games "never change" should be sat in front of this until they learn otherwise.
  2. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    May 26, 2015
    80
    This would be a great deal if it was packed with a $4.25 happy meal, but at almost full retail it's a thieving shamburger. [May 2015, p76]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Eurogamer Italy
    Feb 24, 2015
    80
    Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires makes a few nice additions to the original formula: the marriage system and the possibility of having a child are nice touches, and the new strategies on the battlefield are both useful and interesting. If you like musou games but you’re put off by their boring action, this is the game for you.
  5. Digital Chumps
    Mar 3, 2015
    78
    Omega Force certainly takes the core gameplay of Dynasty Warriors and boosts it considerably. A wider and deeper landscape for networking, invading and scheming, and sometimes playing as a politician, helps to make this title more than just another hack and slash experience. This depth will overshadow the lack of visual upgrade for current generation hardware.
  6. IGN Italia
    Feb 26, 2015
    76
    Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires is a well balanced mix of turn-based strategy and hack 'n' slash gameplay in real time. The scenery graphics are still not on par with the attention to detail of the main characters, though.
  7. LaPS4
    Feb 25, 2015
    74
    This new Empire entry in the franchise enhances even more the possibilities of its predecessor, with new customization options. Unfortunately, there's room for graphics improvement and we miss spanish subtitles.
  8. Multiplayer.it
    Feb 25, 2015
    72
    Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires is one of the best entries in the saga: the combat system of the regular titles combined with some of the more strategy-like elements of the Empire series, and the ability to customize characters make this game a good title for the fans.
  9. NZGamer
    May 4, 2015
    70
    Empires is only a minor advancement in the franchise, but a must-buy for any series fan.
  10. games(TM)
    Apr 11, 2015
    70
    Yet another canny elaboration of what continues to be a deeply beloved series of videogames. [Issue#159, p.108]
  11. Atomix
    Mar 8, 2015
    70
    Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires satisfies a very small group of fans among the fans. It turns all the gameplay mechanics towards strategy and politics, leaving combat in a secondary place. Sadly, this makes battle feel generic and repetitive, abandoning the flavour of progress due to its tactical elements.
  12. PlayStation Universe
    Mar 2, 2015
    70
    Familiar fun for fans of the series with deep customisation options and an impressive Empire Mode, but the repetitive combat formula hasn't evolved.
  13. 3DJuegos
    Feb 26, 2015
    70
    Solid and complete "hack´n slash" action adventure game with a good amount of strategy-like new features. Unfortunately, the game needs graphics improvement. It's not very next-gen.
  14. Vandal
    Feb 24, 2015
    70
    If you're looking for the Empires experience with the visual upgrades seen in DW8, this is the right choice. If you're looking for a more traditional musou, then you have a look at Omega Force.
  15. Game Revolution
    Feb 24, 2015
    70
    If Dynasty Warriors is your guilty pleasure, then Empires would be your guilt trip.
  16. God is a Geek
    Feb 24, 2015
    70
    Deep but confusing strategy layered over classic Dynasty Warriors.
  17. Push Square
    Feb 24, 2015
    70
    Despite being a little overwhelming at first, Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires blossoms into an engrossing, addictive hack and slash adventure that fans won't want to miss. It's a shame that the game's bogged down by poor presentation and an unstable framerate, but along with the property's trademark combat, strategic elements add some variety to the mix, and the vast amount of customisation options and role-playing systems allow you to forge a legend that's more than worthy of the Three Kingdoms.
  18. IGN Spain
    Mar 3, 2015
    68
    A brawler with strategy elements that will work for people that like smashing buttons and can speak in English. It's not a huge leap forward on its franchise, but is still an enjoyably long run.
  19. Hobby Consolas
    Feb 24, 2015
    68
    The strategic options add some variety, but the Dynasty Warriors formula transforms the most wild action into monotony faster than we'd like.
  20. CGMagazine
    Mar 2, 2015
    65
    Koei doesn’t seem very interested in appealing to new customers because DW8 Empires assumes that you’re thoroughly familiar with not just the DW franchise, but the Empires spin-off.
  21. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Mar 1, 2015
    65
    With its poor character AI, bland environments, and underwhelming visuals, actually fighting in Empires gets repetitive and old pretty quickly.
  22. Everyeye.it
    Feb 28, 2015
    65
    The more strategic gameplay might please a part of the audience, but the basics remain the same of old, and that doesn't make for an overly interesting mix.
  23. DarkZero
    Mar 9, 2015
    60
    Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires feels eerily similar to Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires with all the characters from Dynasty Warriors 8, so if you played that game, then you can probably skip this unimaginative release.
  24. Hardcore Gamer
    Feb 27, 2015
    60
    Some may be content with more of the same, but there’s just simply not a lot here to carry the series forward.
  25. TheSixthAxis
    Feb 27, 2015
    60
    It fails to do anything that really pushes the series forward, borrowing heavily from previous games while adding a few extra bells and whistles.
  26. GameOver.gr
    Feb 26, 2015
    60
    It's much more of the same. Enjoyable, addictive and big in scale and scope, but more of the same all over again.
  27. GamesVillage.it
    Feb 26, 2015
    55
    The enormous amount of characters, weapons and costumes are just a facade that hides a pretty tedious hack'n'slash title. Dynasty Warriors is a huge saga, spanning hundreds of titles, but this is one you can definitely avoid.
  28. SpazioGames
    Feb 25, 2015
    55
    Dynasty Warriors 8 isn't the best musou game ever, not even the worst. Koei Tecmo Games still didn't change anything in their famous saga, but they should. Appreciated by longtime fans, the game shall attract ever more new gamers with something new, which could possibly entertain them with a brand new gameplay idea of mosou games, instead boring the players with something repetitive and sparkless.
  29. 4P.de
    Feb 27, 2015
    45
    They’re back. Again. And as usual, Koei didn’t change much. Well, close to nothing, if you take the extensive editor out of the equation. And on top of that the Warriors suffer from technical issues.
  30. Metro GameCentral
    Mar 2, 2015
    40
    Almost exactly the same features as Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires, and although it’s still more entertaining than the main game the lack of effort put in is downright insulting.
  31. The Jimquisition
    Feb 27, 2015
    30
    Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires is everything a Dynasty Warriors hater thinks about the series made real. It’s a contemptuously assembled recycling project, and I’m sick of it.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 71 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 71
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 71
  3. Negative: 14 out of 71
  1. Castian77
    Feb 25, 2015
    2
    Warning DO NOT BUY.
    As of now, the game is incomplete, lacking, bugged, badly programed and clearly not tested ONE MINUTE.
    Your CAWs have    Warning DO NOT BUY.
    As of now, the game is incomplete, lacking, bugged, badly programed and clearly not tested ONE MINUTE.

    Your CAWs have no voices on the in-game events/scenes
    .
    As of now the voices areall messed up, Ma chao talked like a strong woman, Dong Zhuo like a little girl and CAW use random voices every time.

    As every empire there are individual comand prompts for every of your officer, which in this game they completely ignore, you tell them to DEFEND X base or move to this point and the ignore it ,go rampaging a perfectly defended base and let themelves be captured in SECONDS.

    Ther is a new "grand scheme/strategy" now, which requires two of your officers choosen at RANDOM to leave the battlefield for a minute or more, which is, so far worthless as the strenght of such stratagems damage/usefullness, BUT the fu#$% AI, your subordinates decideto ABUSE these ass stratagems, and they CHOOSE to dissappear two of your officers twice or three times IN A ROW, making near impossible enjoy your command of battle, plus, making things harder and stupidier.

    This is the most quiet battlefields EVER, remember DW7 empires? cutscenes everywere you can see your CAW and others to chat, complimient each other, feast, battle and just chat, this time the battlefield is complete silence, no one is talking **** no one cares your 3k kills or base defence, no matter the strategy THERE ARE NO CUTSCENES for such plots, no cutscens of the amush, no cutscenes for being a ruler, no cutscenes for ANYTHING.

    there is this "fatigue" system where if you or one of your officers battle too much they start loosing stats, great if done well,saddly it does NOT.
    there is NO indicator for how much fatigued you are, you just randomly loose stats.
    The game says resting "cures" fatigue, but resting do not cures fatigue, it cures SOME fatigue, but ALAS there is no indicator of how much you are fatigued you cannot know when/how you will be OK.

    Koei sold Unit creator as a big improvement, but is lacking as hell.
    Creating a warhorse is ok if you somehow controlled who or when cavalry appears.
    Createa banner is awesome indeed.
    But man, create a soldier is lacking, you can only choosefrom the normal models:
    Peseant, 5 types of soldiers (the usual) and the mages, thats it.
    You can alter height, weight and colour palettes, done, no custom weapons, no increase strenght, no armor pieces or shields o fighting styles, just plain choose a clone.

    Battlefields are a mess, the pathlines from base to base are so opaque that is confusing if theres is a way/path or it's just the line.
    multiple objectives crowd and crample so tight, their flashing markings just get in the way and hide important parts of the map.

    On-screen allies cannot be more braindead and weak as fu$"#.
    On-screen allies seldom throw punches, and when they do they make for 1% of damage, they NEED 5 to 6 minutes for an officer to kill an archer and there are hundreds, THOUSANDS.

    The game could be fun, but for now are the WORST $50 dollars spend so far in the year.
    NOT RECOMENDED, not for new players, not for Veteran Warriors fans or Empires's.

    Koei not only needs to fix the unplayable voices.
    Koei need to make the game at least as DW7 with newer characters, bus as of now, new weapon schemes are NOT enough for making a new empire game.
    Koe need to fix thisBROKEN UNPLAYABLE hacked off version of a game.

    Good thing to remember DW7 Empires was abandoned and never patched, remember DW7 was left incomplete to it's luck, i made a terrible MISTAKE in buying this game as for now.    … Full Review »
  2. ManofMacedonia
    Mar 11, 2015
    8
    Pros:
    - Enhanced customization features for the CAWs
    - Ability to make your own flag - Ability to choose what your soldiers look like -    Pros:
    - Enhanced customization features for the CAWs
    - Ability to make your own flag
    - Ability to choose what your soldiers look like
    - Ability to create your own scenarios
    - The “Rock, Paper, Scissors” weapon element system (I liked it)
    - FREE MODE!
    - A better officer trait system (it is harder to abuse)
    - The ability to have children (still cool even though the children are ugly as sh*t)
    - Easier to make friends with multiple officers
    - A better progression system (you can’t object your ruler’s opinion unless you are a prefect)
    - Added DLC weapons from Dynasty Warriors 8
    - A cool weather system (EX: lightning stratagems work better in storms)
    - Lian shi no longer has a crossbow
    - The ability to use bonus points to unlock weapons
    - Improved item system
    - Quests and raids are now different things (the effects of both are also different)
    - Online multiplier
    - Completing battle objectives earns bonus points
    - More political options
    - A better weapon level system (each weapon forge adds a level)
    - A better item level system (each item shop adds a level)
    - A better stratagem level system (each academy adds a level)
    - Countries have only a certain number of soldiers (more can be recruited)

    Cons:
    - Scrolling through armor or other customization options is slow
    - Less cut scenes
    - AI seems “dumber”
    - Wang Yi’s new weapons doesn’t really match her character (my opinion)
    - Only a few new customization pieces
    - Defensive battles are too short (5 min)
    - Can’t unlock new armor
    - The stratagems are not as good
    - All AI controlled officers tend to act the same
    - Graphics are downgraded from Dynasty Warriors 8: XL
    - Frame rate drops like a cinder block when attacking archer towers
    - No slit screen

    Summary: This game makes a lot of improvements to the Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires formula. However, certain features from DW7: Empires have be downgraded or simplified in DW8: Empires. Improved customization options are greatly appreciated, but losing the ability to unlock more armor is disappointing. Some features of the game are stripped down into being almost useless mechanics. Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires does make a lot of great progress in expanding on the Empire formula, but these new mechanics need to be refined.

    Final Verdict: Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires is an extremely fun game despite its flaws. With the current status of Triple “A” games such as Destiny, Evolve, Titianfall, and The Order 1886. Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires is a great example of how games should add more content with every sequel and not spam the player with micro transactions. The game does suffer from frame rate drops and loading issues, but those issues can be easily patched. If Koei patches those issues, then the issues that bothered me will be gone. If you are a Dynasty Warriors fan, I highly suggest picking up this game. If you hate Dynasty Warriors, then why are you looking at reviews? If you are new to Dynasty Warriors, I suggest buying Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires for ten dollars on the PlayStation Store or Xbox Marketplace to see if you like this type of game.    … Full Review »
  3. MalistiX
    May 1, 2015
    10
    With more options than any empires entry I played so far this really shines if you like the gameplay. Get married, have children, recruits aWith more options than any empires entry I played so far this really shines if you like the gameplay. Get married, have children, recruits a huge army, build structures on a risk-like map and fight among your own empire or support one of the computers, increasing in rank, fame, skills and overall just having a lot of things to do. Recommend.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »