DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 XL Definitive Edition (Switch) Review

Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Omega Force
Publisher: KOEI TECMO Europe
Release: 27th December 2018
Price: 49.99

Dynasty Warriors 9 wasn´t a very good game, it really wasn´t. So, when it comes to porting games to the Switch, it was foreseeable, that both Japan and the West would get the previous, way better installment of the series first called DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 XL Definitive Edition. Naturally, this is pretty much everything you would expect.

At this point, do I even need to talk about the story? Similar to any other Dynasty Warriors game, DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 XL Definitive Edition centers around the same period with the same characters and story bumps. This time, most of the game doesn´t rely on stiff in-game cutscenes during dialogue but rather more normal 2D conversations, at least most of the time. Hence the story parts can easily skipped if one desires, simply concentrating on the rather cool cutscenes and well the gameplay.

The gameplay is also the heart of why this entry is so superior to pretty much anything else in this genre even. Instead of an open world with nothing to do, DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 XL Definitive Edition focuses on the linear levels. However, the reason why it even does this part better than any other one is the sheer size and variety of them. Since it was a main entry, most of the stages aren´t recycled and completely new, in addition to simply being huge even for today, featuring many bases, different paths and quite varied game feels and pacings as a result. Honestly, they still feel like the msot memorable of all recent games, partly because most of them were the foundation for the many recycled maps.

So, let´s talk about the main main reason why you should play this entry or at least own it: DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 XL Definitive Edition is packed with amazingly creative characters. While DW9 invented the Ball on a Chain meme, this one gives nearly no character the exact same feeling weapon and everyone has at least their own unique twist on them. Classic blades tend to look similar but often the animations, effects or moves differ between the fighters, leading to a super varied experience. On the other hand, there are a ton of super crazy stuff floating around as well, truly embracing the weirdness of this franchise, like warriors fighting by summoning fighters through their scrolls or

Grapically, the game naturally looks like a last gen Dyntasy Warriors game, though the differences are minimal most of the time. Especially the Switch can handle the game surprisingly well, with only minimal crashes or lags, what´s natural for a KOEI TECMO port. However, in exchange I got this experience on the go, without having to worry about the super tiny rendering distance or long loading times of the Vita versions.

Conclusion

So all in all, I like this port. Is it too expensive? Yes. Unless you´re a big fan of the series, I wouldn´t advise buying it right now, yet, when you see it for a price fitting for your budget, go for it by all means, especially when Dynasty Warriors 9 exists.

[A Review Code was provided by KOEI TECMO]