To start of Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires: the game was release in North America Feburary 24, 2015 and Europe Feburary 27, 2015. So we actually send in one of the writers to give in his review about the DLC weapons for reassign. Some of them may be agreeable and some may be disagree.
Wang Yi, “Grudge against Xi Liang Force”
Wang Yi was debut in Dynasty
Warriors 7 Xtreme Legend along with returning character, Pang De and Poll
Winner, Guo Jia. She wields twin trishula and serves under Wei, wanting to kill
Ma Chao more than everything. Wielding twin trishula, she is known for her
aggressive and two of her musous are grab attack and thus focusing on one enemy
(multiple if you want to count the surrounding). Despite about her interesting
move-set, her weapon was change in Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires, to Emei Pincers.
Consider her goal is to destroy all the
ma clans, including Ma Chao, I can somehow speculate what Koei are planning,
but at the same time, I felt that it doesn't work for unknown reason. My only
opinion is to let Wang Yi choose her weapon while have the old/new weapon
assign to new character.
Sun Quan, “The Emperor of Wu”
Sun Quan was once wield a
broadsword in PlayStation 2 (Dynasty Warriors 3-5), Pronged Sword (Dynasty
Warriors 6) and later wield Dao with generics (Dynasty Warriors 7 to 8).
Despite his generic Dao, his element flame attack and strong attack are strong
that knocks the enemy far away. When Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires was announcing,
he was switch to Flame Blade, known to be one of the Downloadable weapons in
Dynasty Warriors 8. Before trying it with his new ex and musou, I tested him
out from DLC download and my impression is positive. By the time the Empires
was release in Japan (follow by NA and EU few months later), my impression
stays the same, except even more positive. Despite few people response about no
liking it due to reverse grip or other reasons, his element and execution
attacks makes up for negative feedback.
Xiaoqiao, “Young Two Qiaos”
Xiaoqiao is one of the Twin Qiaos
that wields Twin Fans since their debut. However if changes when Dynasty
Warriors 7 when both of them wields Iron Fan, one of the generic weapons.
Things weren’t improvement then and later installment, Daqiao changed her
weapon to Twin wands (Strikeforce Weapon to DLC Weapons to DW7). Later on
Dynasty Warriors 8, Twin Fans was announced and she was assign with Twin Fans
in Dynasty Warriors Empires 8. The impression
was satisfied enough and begins to questioning that why Koei would change their
weapon when they should leave it since her debuted. Surprisingly, there are few
that doesn’t like having her take it and preferring choosing Daqiao to wield
it, although I have disagree that twin wands works really well.
Lianshi, “Empress of Wu”
Lianshi is Sun Quan’s concubine and
later an Empress of Wu due to Sun Quan’s decision after her death. Her first
choice of weapon was crossbow that attacks enemies with her crossbow and with
her charge attack, it increase her attack range. However, its immovable attack, but the whirlwind around her covers her close range combat. Until
Dynasty Warriors 8, the new weapon that was introduced as DLC is called
Mandarin Duck Horns. When they announced the weapon and image show Lianshi, I
was bit skeptical due to the fact that it changed her style. However, things
went from bad to worse reaction when Lianshi receive the weapon. Most were very
angry and they wanted her back to crossbow due to several reasons. However, I’m
actually liking it consider, that Zhenji and Xingcai were close range combat
and they fight with their husband and leader respectfully. With that kind of
close range and instructor to Sun Shangxiang, I don’t think I have problem
seeing it and I’m with those who supports it.
Liu Shan, “Emperor of Shu”
Liu Shan is the son of Liu Bei that
ended the kingdom due to defeat from Wei (later to Jin). His weapon is rapier
since his debuted in Dynasty Warriors 7 and using it until Empires 8. Similar
to his father, the word, “Emperor” requires swords or twin swords, which that
sounds correct to most of the kingdom. The only exception was Sima Yi (Jin) and
Sun Ce (Wu) due to their personality or Koei decide to change it. Despite the
worth of seeing his rapier for Liu Shan, it suddenly builds up more of
controversy for Shu Kingdom and the fans. When the bench (not chair) appears to
be as DLC, it shows Liu Shan, which causes an issue. At first, it was just DLC
weapons that will be exclusive; however, we were wrong because it was confirmed
that Liu Shan will be using the Bench for Empires 8. It cause not only some of
the fans in both eastern and western angry, there is a sign of demanding to
return the rapier to Liu Shan, while Bench to be given to new character.
Although I’ll admit Liu Shan use lazy personality with bench makes sense, but I
think rapier does make more since due to being 2nd leader of Shu
Kingdom.
Huang Yueying, “Mechanic Prodigy”
Yueying is Zhuge Liang’s wife that
is debuted in Dynasty Warriors 4 with Dagger-Axe. Unlike some of the characters, she was one of
the characters that change her weapon at least three times to return her
Dagger-Axe. She use Crossblade (Crossbow attach with Blade) in Dynasty Warriors
6 and Bo Staff in Dynasty Warriors 7. When the DLC was Dagger-axe, she was
de-cloning to Dagger-Axe in Empires, thus sending Zhou Yu to have unique
weapon. When the problem was solved for a while, the crossblade return as DLC
weapons and it was announced that she will be wielding the weapon. Similar to
Liu Shan, there was outrage among the fans, consider that it went all that
trouble and now it goes back trouble. I personality think that Yueying deserve
to return Dagger-Axe because it doesn't really make sense that she use that
weapons more often than crossblade. I would like to see the crossblade to go
with new characters, despite about some approval of idea.
Guan Suo, “Guan’s Martial Artist”
Guan Suo is son of Guan Yu who
wields Nunchaku in Dynasty Warriors 7, along with Ling Tong. He was one of the
fictional characters that debute and known for his service before fall of Shu.
Most of the musou are kicks and unlike most of the weapons, it rarely uses
Nunchucks, even rage musou was insufficient. When Sabaton was announce as DLC
weapons for Dynasty Warriors 8, most fans were impress about it and wanted to
see him, while few percent disagree the idea due to de-cloning problem was
done. The argument ended with Guan Suo taking a Sabaton as his new weapons.
Although few continue to disagree with it, they slowly support by testing the
weapon out and they all support the idea, thus making Nunchaku to search for a
new character or discard. The result is currently undetermined, but
hopefully we get interesting result.
Deng Ai, “Co-Destroyer of Shu Kingdom”
Deng Ai is added along with several
Wei officers and forms a new Kingdom in Dynasty Warriors 7. They are known as
Jin Kingdom. Deng Ai debuted with his weapon, drill lance and known of ending
the Shu Kingdom and killed Zhuge Liang’s son, Zhuge Zhan. When Deng Ai uses his
attack, it does numerous of combos and his musou are including with bombs and
submissions. When Dynasty Warriors DLC was announcing, it reveal Rotating
Crossbow will be a new weapon that will be later to be Deng Ai’s new weapon. It
was mixed reaction from the fans, which some supports while some not. I’m
finding it difficult to accept because Deng Ai, being unique to the new weapon
defeats the purpose of changing to new weapon. Consider that the weapon is good
or bad, I don’t think it will be necessary of changing new weapon. The drill lance
should return to Deng Ai, while new weapon be given to new character.
Meng Huo, “King of Nanman”
The King of Nanman has arrived with
is fighting gloves and been using it since his debut in Dynasty Warriors 3.
However, he left in Dynasty Warriors 6 and did not appear until Dynasty
Warriors 6 Empires. This is where he changes his weapon to pillar, but return gloves
in Dynasty Warriors 7. Everything went well and has his own unique weapon until
Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires. He changed his weapon to pillar and most people are
supporting it. This was really surprising me because I never tried that weapon
and I did skip it. I’m not really fond of it because it’s hard for me to adjust
it and I think it should understandable if the gloves given to any Nanman. Surprising,
I actually like the weapon already and I think it should stay with Meng Huo and
give the Gloves to different Nanman officers.
Recap:
- Positive: Sun Quan, Xiaoqiao, Lianshi, Meng Huo
- Middle: Wang Yi, Guan Suo, Deng Ai,
- Negative: Yueying, Liu Shan
Everything
is written and expressed by Writer. Weapons, Characters, and images of Dynasty
Warriors are all copyrights to Koei.