Sometimes you just need a game where you kill things. Maybe even all the things. The appeal of the Dynasty Warriors series has always been decimating wave after wave of endless sword fodder. As the mountain of corpses rack up, so does the power of your character to kill things with brutal efficiency.
Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper is painfully obvious fan-service. For a game about being a one-person-army you amass a small army of playable characters. The fan-service extends into every facet of the game, a design philosophy that makes this game almost impossible for new players to adapt to. This game throws you onto the battlefield like seeds to soil and expects you to grow, with no tutorial to speak of. Those with experience in Musou-style games will find plenty to love here, even if you don’t know the characters.
As with any long-running series, there’s a bit more of the same, though Wo3H adds some spice to the melting pot. Duel Mode is a nice break from the norm, though nothing earth-shattering. You use Strategy Cards to change the flow of battle in a far more intimate 3-vs.-3 match. You can also recruit people online to play a mission with you, something I found this to be a plus when the other person managed not be distracted by continually spawning hordes. There’s also a Musou Battlefield mode, where you can create and share levels.
The Nintendo Wii U gamepad is normally utilized to display whatever is happening on your TV. While I found this great when I’d have to turn off my telly, I wish there was a way to turn it off as well. While my set was on the gamepad screen only served as a distraction and a way to drain the controllers life even faster. There is a way to have it display a map during gameplay, but it’s hidden behind a questionable option called “Partial Sync”.
Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper isn’t breaking any boundries, but you can tell some TLC went into this game. This isn’t a game to convert the non-believers, but it’s ok to sing to the choir every once in a while. Be sure to check out some of my original gameplay on the Nintendo Wii U of Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper!