Be Careful What You Wish for
It’s one thing to fondly remember something from years ago but quite another to experience it again today.
I was curious as to why Dynasty Warriors 3, in particular, was deemed worthy of receiving the remaster treatment in 2026. After a little research, I discovered that, according to Tomohiko Sho, head of developer Omega Force, it was the most requested remaster by fans.
But why?
Originally released in 2001 in Japan and 2002 on the PS2 in the UK, Dynasty Warriors 3 was arguably where the franchise first hit its stride, introducing gameplay mechanics that remain staples of the series today. True Musou attacks, two-player co-op, and officer development all made their mark here.
It was also the first major commercial success for the franchise, becoming the first Dynasty Warriors title to surpass one million copies sold.
Throw in a sizeable helping of nostalgia and the franchise’s 25th anniversary, and the decision to revisit this particular entry starts to make sense. A case of why the hell not?
So, with the benefits of modern technology, what exactly are we getting?
Quite a lot, actually.
The package includes the complete original Dynasty Warriors 3, alongside its Xtreme Legends expansion, which was originally sold separately on the PS2. There are over 40 playable officers, additional storylines and scenarios, new weapons, bodyguard customisation, and four challenge modes.
The remaster also introduces updated controls, new dodge and counterattack mechanics, weapon fusion, and two-player local co-op and versus modes. Visually, the game has been rebuilt using Unreal Engine 5.
At £32.99 for the standard edition, you’re certainly getting plenty of content for your money. There’s also additional purchasable DLC featuring cosmetics, weapons, and various stat-boosting items.
For those wanting the all-singing, all-dancing Digital Deluxe Edition, that’ll set you back £57.99, an additional £25. Some of the bonuses offer gameplay advantages, although comparable stat boosts can be obtained through normal play.
So, plenty of bang for your buck. But is all that content actually worth revisiting?
Unfortunately, for me, this is where things start to unravel.
As much as Omega Force has tried to polish this 24-year-old game, it still shows its age. And not always gracefully.
I’m a huge fan of Koei Tecmo’s Samurai Warriors series, having played numerous entries over the years. I’ve also dabbled in Dynasty Warriors, most recently completing and thoroughly enjoying Dynasty Warriors: Origins.
Consequently, I’m very familiar with the series’ controls and gameplay mechanics. However, returning to this much older title simply didn’t deliver the same excitement as its modern-day counterparts.
One of my favourite aspects of the Warriors games is their gloriously over-the-top combat. There’s something ridiculously satisfying about building up your Musou gauge before unleashing an outrageously flashy special attack, accompanied by spectacular visual effects, to send hundreds of enemies flying.
It’s intoxicating. It’s exhilarating. And, frankly, it’s what I play these games for.
Unfortunately, Dynasty Warriors 3 offers very little of that spectacle. Musou attacks are comparatively understated, delivering what feels like little more than a slightly more powerful assault.
The dramatic payoff I’ve come to love is conspicuously absent.
Without that visual excitement, the combat becomes noticeably more repetitive, both mechanically and visually. And let’s face it, the Warriors formula is already built around an inherently repetitive gameplay loop!
When you remove the exhilarating payoff, what’s left can start to feel like an awful lot of button-mashing.
Then there’s the difficulty.
I thoroughly enjoy the whole one-versus-a-thousand premise. I love carving through enormous armies, strategically managing the battlefield, building my Musou gauge and deciding when to unleash it against a particularly troublesome enemy officer.
I generally play these games on Easy. Not because I can’t handle anything more demanding but because I want to switch off, relax, and enjoy the glorious on-screen carnage.
However, even on Easy, Dynasty Warriors 3 demanded far more concentration than I was expecting.
For perhaps the first time in my extensive Warriors experience, I found myself having to do something rather unfamiliar.
Retreat.
Yes, actually back away from a fight to avoid getting my backside handed to me!
Things came to a head a few levels in when I encountered the first genuinely challenging boss fight. Despite playing on Easy, I was soundly defeated.
Twenty minutes of button-mashing and absolutely nothing to show for it.
Wonderful.
So, swallowing my considerable Warriors pride, I lowered the difficulty to its absolute minimum: Beginner.
Yes, Beginner. Despite being a veteran of these games.
Surely, now I could get back to enjoying myself?
Well, not quite.
Even after upgrading my equipment as much as possible, I only narrowly defeated the same boss, finishing the encounter with roughly a quarter of my health remaining.
I didn’t lower the difficulty to Beginner because I wanted a challenge. I came here to relax!
And therein lies what is, for me, the game’s biggest problem.
Dynasty Warriors 3 simply failed to make me feel like the unstoppable battlefield badass I’ve become accustomed to being in more recent entries.
Instead, I found myself working considerably harder for my victories, and frankly, I wasn’t particularly enjoying the experience.
That’s not to say there’s anything inherently wrong with more demanding gameplay. Some players will undoubtedly welcome the greater challenge and more tactical approach.
But for somebody who loves the outrageous power fantasy of the modern games, it feels like a significant step backwards.
Visually, things are acceptable, although they do little to improve matters.
Omega Force has clearly put considerable effort into bringing such an old title up to a standard that makes it eminently playable for a modern audience. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it compares favourably with today’s offerings.
Animations remain rather stiff, the screen can become cluttered with NPCs, and at times, it’s surprisingly difficult to distinguish your character amid the sea of soldiers.
And, as I’ve already mentioned, the combat lacks the spectacular visual flair I absolutely adore in more recent entries.
On a more positive note, the cutscenes look particularly impressive, and performance on the Nintendo Switch 2 was excellent throughout my time with the game.
Even with large numbers of characters filling the screen, I experienced no noticeable slowdowns or technical hiccups. Everything ran smoothly, which is certainly to the game’s credit.
Unfortunately, my other major gripe concerns the writing.
Or, more accurately, the apparent absence of anything resembling decent writing.
Once again, I can’t help comparing it to the sister Samurai Warriors series.
One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about those games, aside from the ridiculously entertaining combat, is the storytelling. The excellent cutscenes and character development help bring the historical protagonists to life.
At times, playing Samurai Warriors feels like watching an engaging historical mini-series, interspersed with enormous amounts of gloriously over-the-top violence.
It’s an excellent combination.
In Dynasty Warriors 3, however, characters are frequently introduced with what can only be described as the absolute bare minimum of narrative effort.
For example, one new character appeared on-screen and announced:
“You’re in good hands. My hands. Hahaha.”
And that was it.
Seriously?
A five-year-old could probably have come up with something more interesting.
Another defeated officer was treated to the wonderfully insightful farewell:
“I’m defeated… ahhhh.”
Extraordinary stuff.
Now, I appreciate that some of this dialogue will undoubtedly hold considerable nostalgic charm for those who played the original. Perhaps its occasionally laughable writing is even part of what makes the game so endearing to longtime fans.
But approaching it without those rose-tinted memories, I found much of the dialogue painfully simplistic and the storytelling disappointingly shallow.
And that’s really the issue running throughout my entire experience with Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered.
Nostalgia can be a wonderful thing, but it doesn’t necessarily make something as enjoyable today as it was 24 years ago.
Don’t get me wrong. I can absolutely see the appeal for those who spent countless hours playing the original back on the PS2.
For those players, revisiting these familiar battlefields, characters, and mechanics with updated visuals and modern improvements may be a genuinely wonderful experience. It might rekindle fond memories and deliver exactly the kind of nostalgic trip they were hoping for.
And I sincerely hope it does.
But for someone like me who wasn’t properly introduced to the Warriors franchise until the beginning of the PS4 era, going backwards has proved considerably less enjoyable than I’d anticipated.
The remaster is technically accomplished, reasonably priced, and absolutely bursting with content. There’s no denying the effort that has gone into reviving such an important entry in the franchise.
Unfortunately, beneath all that modern polish remains a game whose age is impossible to ignore.
The combat lacks spectacle, the animations feel dated, the writing is often laughably poor, and the challenge frequently gets in the way of the mindless battlefield mayhem I love so much.
Ultimately, whether or not you enjoy Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered will probably depend on what you’re bringing to the battlefield: fond memories of the original or expectations shaped by the newer games.
For those fans who wished for this remaster, I genuinely hope it’s everything you remembered.
For me, though, sometimes the past is best left exactly where it belongs — in our fond memories
Developer: Omega Force
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Release Date: 1st October 2026
Gaming Respawn’s copy of Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered was provided by the publisher.
