[PSP] Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce.cso

Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce

Quella di Dynasty Warriors è sempre stata, malgrado le puntuali vendite soddisfacenti (specie in Giappone), una serie restia al cambiamento, puntata sull’offerta dei medesimi contenuti, amalgamati nel tempo con variazioni quasi irrilevanti. StrikeForce sembrerebbe segnare un cambiamento sottocutaneo nel brand, tentando di accattivarsi le simpatie e l’attenzione dei giocatori meno avvezzi alla serie aprendosi a nuovi percorsi ludici ben utili a un salutare ricambio d’aria. Tanto coraggio da parte di Koei potrà essere giustamente ripagato? Scopriamolo subito.

Una storia sempre più esagerata

Le premesse per finire dentro alla mischia bellica e menare fendenti con la propria arma prediletta sono rimaste invariate. Il giocatore si trova catapultato un’ennesima volta nell’epoca cinese dei Tre Regni, scegliendo per quale fazione delle tre a sua disposizione combattere, selezionando uno dei trenta personaggi inseriti (fondamentalmente poi sempre gli stessi) coinvolti nella lotta civile. Cose queste che non rappresentano certo una novità, ma che si rivelano capaci di di mutare in maniera sensibile con la prima grossa nuova aggiunta apportata al brand: le trasformazioni. Ognuno dei valorosi combattenti presenti potrà chiamare a sé misteriosi poteri non meglio identificati per mutarsi in una versione esageratamente potente (un po’ come Dragon Ball): ecco allora capelli che si tingono dei colori più assurdi, auree variopinte che escono da ogni poro dermico, armature che assumono inedite sembianze e poteri arcani che sgorgano copiosamente. Inutile precisare quanto tutto questo vada a scapito (oltre la normale soglia di accettabilità per il franchise) di una qualche veridicità e attinenza storica, donando al prodotto un sapore più supereroistico e inconfondibilmente giapponese (nella sua accezione più stereotipata). Ma la nuova feature, per quanto possa potenzialmente stridere con il resto dell’insieme, lascia invero apprezzare il prodotto sotto un diverso punto di vista. Tali ultra poteri, manco a dirlo, vanno caricati in un’apposita barra attraverso l’uccisione di nemici o l’incassamento di colpi avversari. Questo indicatore poi, una volta attivato, incrementando enormemente i danni del proprio personaggio e servendo all’utente l’uso del Musou (ultra mosse dell’inaudito valore offensivo, attivabili opzionalmente solo a trasformazione compiuta), saprà svuotarsi assai rapidamente, regalando solo pochi attimi di saporito delirio d’onnipotenza.

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Commento Finale

Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce è un apprezzabile tentativo del franchise di cambiare, in parte, i propri connotati, e offrire un’esperienza diversa, più flessibile e puntata su influenze eterogenee. Gli elementi di stampo ruolistico inseriti donano una profondità nuova, mentre quelli più action una maggiore flessibilità negli scontri, contribuendo non poco ad aumentare il livello di longevità complessiva del prodotto, complici i molteplici personaggi presenti e un’esperienza multiplayer avvincente. Peccato solo che la lacunosa calibrazione della difficoltà, orientata tendenzialmente verso l’approccio cooperativo, finisca per inficiare a tratti il single player.

> Si ringrazia per la recensione www.spaziogames.it <

As the "Default Dynasty Warriors Reviewer" here at IGN, I've been spending time with a good number of KOEI's well-known button-mashers, including the recently released Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2. Although minor details change from one iteration of the franchise to the next, most of my qualms with the series remain the same: the games have overly-simple combat, bland environments and feel unrewarding. Imagine my surprise, then, when I got my hands on Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, the latest Dynasty Warriors title developed exclusively for Sony's portable. I've played several KOEI games on the PSP before, but Strikeforce isn't just a watered-down port -- this is a multiplayer-focused affair that actually fixes several issues I have with the franchise as a whole. Although a few smaller problems spring up thanks to the new design, I'm still confident in stating that Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce is one of the best KOEI games I've ever played and goes far beyond developer Omega Force's previous efforts. Strikeforce, like its predecessors, is set in the Three Kingdoms era of ancient China, when proud warriors fought over the divided lands. The game is far from historical, however, as the characters use magic and perform impossible feats on a daily basis. Strikeforce is once again confusing for those that aren't familiar with the Dynasty Warriors series or gamers not knowledgeable of the Three Kingdoms era, but Strikeforce isn't as story-driven as the other members of the franchise, so it won't be too bothersome. This portable action game is all about mission-based multiplayer, though there are obviously single-player options to enjoy if your friends are PSP-less. After selecting one of the three factions and picking a character from that faction, you're dropped into a small hub town that serves as your headquarters for selecting missions, buying equipment, learning skills and more. Each kingdom has about five chapters of "story missions" to play through, which are complemented by "at-your-leisure" side missions for the necessary soiree into level-grinding and loot-gathering. When you actually enter battle, your character can move around, jump and attack like any other Dynasty Warriors game, but there are a few important differences. You can switch between a main weapon and a sub weapon with a quick push of the Circle button. The sub weapons don't have to be specific to a character -- virtually anyone can equip anything, making this a much more customizable experience. Furthermore, the age-old Dynasty Warriors combo system (where you end any string of normal attacks with a charge attack) has been replaced with a slightly different mechanic. Now, the charge attacks -- executed with the Triangle button -- are much more independent from normal attacks and are handy for breaking enemy guards. Most surprising, though, is the absence of the traditional Musou system. Instead of building up your Musou gauge and unleashing one massive attack all at once, Strikeforce players will be filling up a Fury gauge, which sits directly under the health bar. When the Fury gauge is filled, your character can transform into his or her Fury Mode, which involves a completely new character model. Most Fury transformations include lots of glowing armor, intense hair styles and the occasional pair of wings. The transformations are pretty neat and make you a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Once in Fury Mode, your character can then perform a Musou attack which is specific to the weapon type they have equipped. This attack will drain whatever remains out of the Fury gauge and revert your character back into his or her normal mode. The great thing about the combat in Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce is that it's much harder and more engaging than other KOEI titles. Soldiers do not stand around and watch as you kill them. Even the lowliest of opponents will fight back freely and enemy officers are serious fighters (you often have to fight three or four at a time). Because you can lock-on to enemies and dash around with the R Trigger, combat is also faster paced and more invigorating. You have to move around constantly or you're toast. Equally refreshing are the environments, which are no longer boring, flat plains. There are plenty of vertical elements to the maps now, way more than the meager castles and ladders in Dynasty Warriors 6. In fact, using Chi augmentations -- which I'll explain shortly -- your characters can jump insanely high, which adds to the sense of freedom and movement that has previously never existed in the recent Dynasty Warriors games. In regards to character customization, there's plenty to do. Not only are there the aforementioned main weapons and sub weapons to sort through, but players can also add power-up Orbs to weapons, which gives you such buffs as increased attack power or boosted defense. Chi skills also add another layer onto the gameplay experience, as four skills can be equipped at one time -- one for each hand and foot. These skills can give you extremely helpful abilities, like enabling double/triple jumps and giving you extra dashes. Of course, there are also plenty of items to buy at the Market, which helps when you need to restore some health mid-battle or cure nasty status ailments.

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Closing Comments

Even though Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce isn't the complete franchise reboot I want to see, I'm very impressed with it -- at least in comparison to other Dynasty Warriors games. It's far from perfect, thanks to the muddy visuals, troublesome lock-on and single-player difficulty, but it's definitely a step in the right direction for the developer. The multiplayer functionality, mixed in with the tougher, fast-paced combat gives Strikeforce a serious edge over its predecessors. I'm sure KOEI just wants to capitalize on the rabidly popular Monster Hunter movement in Japan, but Strikeforce is still a fine action game with plenty of RPG elements to enjoy. Just make sure you convince a friend to buy a copy with you... or get them an early birthday present.

> English review by www.ign.com <

Dimensione/Size: 1.05 GB

Lingue/Languages: English

Genere/Genre: Azione

Sviluppato da/Developed By: Omega Force

Data d'uscita/Release Date: 01.05.2009

Testato su CF 5.50 Prometheus-3

Tested on a PSP with CF 5.50 Prometheus-3

Istruzioni per l'installazione: Copiare il file .cso nella Cartella ISO

How To Install: Copy the .cso file in the ISO folder.

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