Dynasty Warriors 9

Dynasty Warriors 9 (Shin Sangoku Musou 8 in Japan) is the next game in the Dynasty Warriors for the PS4 and Xbox One. As the 9th game in the series Tecmo Koei finally wanted to have a game where the whole story is finished. As such several characters we're added.

Gameplay
The gameplay hasn't changed that much from the previous game. With the same Earth. Heaven, and Man weapon system. One major difference is the fake difficulty has been removed. Not only will the higher difficulties increase enemy health and attack it will also allow certain officers and missions appear. Higher difficulties also increase enemy AI.

Another new addition is the locations of hidden areas where rare items and weapons are hidden.

The weapons have also been revamped. Each character has 10 weapons now. 5 can be found in stages but the other 5 have to be created by finding various items.

The story mode options have increased with the inclusion of a Bad Path. This path can be unlocked if too many missions are failed during the story.

Story Mode
Like the previous game you choose a kingdom and go through their story from their beginning to their end. Also includes What-If and Bad paths. Other character's groups receive short stories similar to their Dynasty Warriors 4 stories.

Free Mode
Same as previous installments. Allows you to play on certain sides not in the story mode.

Ambition Mode
Improved version of the previous games. Difficulty increases on its own depending on how well your camp is doing and how many allies you have.

Legends Mode
A series of unique what if battles for individual character. Each character get 2 to 3.

Rush Mode
A single player mode similar to Dynasty Warriors 5XL's Xtreme Mode.

Characters

 * represents new characters.

New Characters
Cao Ang- Cao Cao's eldest son. In DW he is quiet and intelligent but modest. His shining moment is when he gave his father his horse so he can escape from Fan Castle. Because of this he couldn't escape and was killed.

''Zhang Xiu, I won't allow you to go near my father! - ''Cao Ang

Xiahou Mao- Xiahou Dun's son. He's famous for being a playboy for his time. His DW reflects that in his flirtatious nature. Unlike his father he doesn't take his job seriously but still loves the field of battle. He serves Wei to the end.

Weapon: Sword and Gauntlet

Appearance: Younger and more handsome version of Xiahou Dun. He wears a similar blue jacket over silver armor.

''Father you're trying too hard. I know you know the enemy we're facing are pretty simple minded -'' Xiahou Mao

Banshi- Cao Cao's most famous wife and Cao Pi's mother. She's famous for her pacifistic and motherly nature. In DW she intentionally meets Cao Cao and the Yellow Turban Rebellion and decides to follow him. She continues to support her son after Cao Cao's death.

Weapon: Trishulas

Appearance: Similar to her Shin Sangoku Musou Blast appearance but more mature looking.

''Aren't you interesting Lord Cao Cao was it? - ''Bianshi

Wang Lang- Wang Yuanji's grandfather and one of the former rulers on Wujun. His DW counterpart is a warrior whois usually seen as a simple brute. However unbeknownst to most he's actually a great strategist. Despite his intellect he holds prejudice against Wu.

Weapon: Hammer

Appearance: An old muscular man covered head to toe in silver armour. Has gray hair and is one of the shorter male characters.

''I will do what I can to regain Wujun! ''- Wang Lang

Cao Zhang- Cao Cao's fourth son. Unlike his brother he's a large and loud man. He is generally nice and not very intelligent. His strength has given him the nickname Yellow Beard. He supports Wei till his end.

Weapon: Gauntlents

Appearance: Friendlier version of DW5 Warrior Lieutenant.

''Brother Pi please allow me to lead the march. -'' Cao Zhang

Man Chong- Strategist of Wei. His DW counterpart has be more of a yes man. He's always seen standing on the right side of someone. He doesn't serve Cao Cao because he's impressed he serves because he wants to examine where his ambition will take him. He rarely talks.

Weapon: Iron Fan

Appearance: Short man with messy black hair. Has an expressionless face and always has tired rings around his eyes. He wheres a white coat with blue accents.

''Where will it lead him now... - ''Man Chong

Jiang Gan- One of Zhou Yu's best friends. In DW he is a mischievous, delusional psychopath. He often screams at his men when they don't listen to his commands. Like his historical counterpart he tries desperately to get Zhou Yu to join Wei.

Weapon: Guillotine Blade

Appearance: A tan skinny man with unsettling eyes. He wears an outfit similar to Zhou Yu except it's blue and has armour on the arms, elbows, and chest. He also wear's a helmet with horns attached.

''Lord Zhou Yu? Where...where did you go! -'' Jiang Gan

Zhang Hong- One of the Two Zhangs. In DW he and Zhang Zhao are two of Sun Quan's most trusted advisers. Unlike most strategist he and his brother are rather humorous and relaxed. He is much more cruel and sadistic compared to his brother. He calls himself the Harbiture of Death. When he dies he gives all his titles to his ZHao.

Weapon: Scythe

Appearance: A tall hansome man with long black hair. He wears a coat that is red with black accents.

''All you fools beware. I am Zhang Hong the Harbiture of Death! - ''Zhang Hong

Zhang Zhao- The younger of the Two Zhangs. In DW he is very similar to his Hong but is far more kind and friendly. He often gives off a child like vibe, but ironically has a tendency to treat Sun Quan like a child. Also like Hong he enjoys annoying Lianshi. He serves Wu to the very end.

Weapon: Thin Sword (DW6)

Appearance: Wears an outfit just like his brother except instead of black he has white accents. Like his brother he has long black hair and a handsome but younger face.

''Lord Sun Quan don't tire yourself. - ''Zhang Zhao

Cheng Pu- An extremely serious and well known Wu officer. His DW counterpart reflects this in his brave and straight forward personality. He doesn't usually socialize and rarely speaks in emotion. He has a friendly rivalry with Han Dang.

Weapon: Anchor

Appearance: Shin Sangoku Musou Blast appearance.

''Han Dang will you wipe off that stuid smile. - ''Cheng Pu

Zu Mao- Sun Jian's best friend. In DW he acts as a grandfather like figure to Sun Jian's children. He follows his friend into battle and is the first person to join his army. Like his historical counterpart he sacrifices himself in order to make sure his friend can escape.

Weapon: Sword of War and Sheath

Appearance: Similar to Zhu Zhi's Shin Sangoku Musou Blast appearance.

''My friend you have to escape. Don't worry I'll hold off these rats. - ''Zu Mao

Zhu Zhi- Zhu Ran's adoptive father. DW depicts him as a very harsh father and never really has any compliments to give his son. He's a harsh a monotone warrior. Like his son he has an obsession fire. He is friends with his fellow Wu elders.

Weapon: Flame Halberd

Appearance: Shin Sangoku Musou Blast Appearance.

''Zhu Ran...fight harder! - ''Zhu Zhi

Sun Lang- One of Sun Jian's sons. Unlike the others he has a different mother and often feels left out. In DW he is shy and quiet. His main contribution is the first sign of proof Wu was becoming more tyrannical due to his unjust execution.

Weapon: Ji (similar to Zhang Liao in DW5)

Appearance: A younger looking version of the DW Hero Lieutenant.

''I...I'm the son of the Tiger of Jiangdong! And I will not allow you to bring Wu to further tyranny! - ''Sun Lang

Dong Xi- A brave and loyal man. DW depicts him as a man who's really well liked and friendly. However he tends to get overly excited and jumpy during a battle. He often has contest between his fellow officers in battle. He is noticeably a giant man. He serves Wu during Sun Ce and Sun Quan's time.

Weapon: Rod and Shield (DW5)

Appearance: Taller more muscular version of Jiang Qin's Shin Sangoku Musou Blast design.

''Hey Zhu Ran, Gan Ning, I bet I can bag more enemies than you two combined. - ''Dong Xi

Sun Chen- Strategist during Wu's later period. He's known for his cruel and deceptive nature. His DW interpretation reflects that. He abuses his troops and will turn on those who refuse to obey him. Like his historical counterpart he deposes Sun Liang in favor of Sun Xiu. He only fights in Wu's late battles.

Weapon: Dual Sickles

Appearance: He wears black and red armor. His arms are exposed and he has tan skin. His hair is black and spikey. Most of the time he has a cynical smile.

''Sun Liang, It has come to my attention you don't deserve your spot as emporer. I will have to ask ou to step down. - ''Sun Chen

Liao Hua- A former Yellow Turban known for serving Shu from beginning to the end. In DW he is a gruff and strong warrior. Intentionally he's rather nervous around his fellow Shu officers but soon warm up to them. Being a former Yellow Turban he also appears to possess magical abilities. He serves Shu from the beginning up until Jiang Wei's and Zhong Hui's Rebellion where he dies.

Weapon: Dual Double-Sided Lances

Appearance: Younger version of his Shin Sangoku Musou Blast design with brown hair and more armor.

''Lord Liu Bei, from this day forward I will serve you. - ''Liao Hua

Shamoke- A barbarian chief whom Liu Bei defeats early on. His DW incarnation reflects his barbaric history by having him be rather rude and uneducated. He only serves Liu Bei intentionally because he conquered his land. Eventually however he grows attached to Shu. In Yiling he kills Gan Ning but is killed by Zhou Tai soon after.

Weapon: Giant Hammer

Appearance: Similar to his Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI design.

''I will serve you but only because you rule my homeland. - ''Shamoke

Jiang Wan- One of Zhuge Liang's best students. In DW he is a kind and mellow young man with a positive attitude. He's always smiling and refers to everyone including his enemies "my friend". He is loyal and helps Shu in many campaigns. He's also acts as a son to Zhuge Liang and treats Jiang Wei as a brother.

Weapon: Dagger Axe

Appearance: A friendlier looking version of the DW5 Sorcerer bodyguard without the hat.

''Calm down my friend. Why must you be filled with such rage? - ''Jiang Wan

Ma Yunlu- Fictional sister of Ma Chao and wife of Zhao Yun. In DW she starts off serving her father Ma Teng but when he dies she follows her brothers to Liu Zhang and then finally to Liu Bei. There she meets Zhao Yun and sparks a connection. Eventually the two get married. She is very similar to her brother but smarter and less serious.

Weapon: Fork and Shield (DW5)

Appearance: A pretty young women with long white hair ike her brothers. She wears a green top and shorts with silver armor on the outer part.

''Brother, Cousin why do we have to serve this Liu Zhang guy? He doesn't seem so "just". - ''Ma Yunlu

Jian Yong- One of Liu Bei's first generals who grew up in the same home village. In DW he's a childhood friend who joins his friend after hearing about how he helped a peasant village. From this point on he serves Shu till near the end. He's a lazy man who enjoys joking around with his men.

Weapon: Dragon Column (Liu Shan receives the Rapier once again)

Appearance: His Shin Sangoku Musou Blast design.

''(Yawn) This Zhang Jiao guy, I'm not sure if everything is screwed correctly up there. - ''Jian Yong

Chen Tai- A warrior during the SIma's reign famous for always missing the days of Wei's power. His DW appearance has him be an old man who misses the past but understands that he should work for the future. His timid nature gets him insulted often by Zhong Hui. He serves till the rise of the Jin Dynasty.

Weapon: Pickaxe

Appearance: A short older man with a helmet that covers most of his head. He wears silver armor with cloth that's a color closer to that of Wei's. He has gruff black hair and a shaky disposition.

''I will always miss Wei...but I most work for a better future. - ''Chen Tai

Yang Huiyu- Wife of Sima Shi and Yang Hu's sister. In DW she's a beautiful young with a kind and energetic personality apposed to JIn's usual rough characters. She is close with her brother but often ignores his commands. She's intentionally interested in Sima Shi due to his quiet nature and decides to help him in battle. Also being Cai Wenji's niece she loves music.

Weapon: Twin Maces (DW5)

Appearance: A short young woman with a long brown ponytail. She's seen as pretty and wears a cyan dress like top with a black coat over it and white shorts.

''Brother...tell me more about Lord Sima Shi. - ''Yang Huiyu

Yang Hu- Officer during late Wei, Yang Huiyu's older brother, and Du Yu's master. DW depicts him as a middle aged man with a friendly disposition to most. He's really close to his sister and treats Du Yu like a son. Like his historical self when the final battle for Wu starts he refuses to march and lets Du Yu lead the charge due to him not wanting to fight because he has friends in Wu. Like his sister and aunt he loves music. Also it appears Yang Hu is a composite character for both the historic Yang Hu and his older brother Yang Cheng due to the fact despite historically being younger than Yang Huiyu in DW he's older.

Weapon: Lance

Appearance: Similar to Ji Ling's Shin Sangoku Musou Blast design except with a cyan and black color scheme. Also appears older with brown hair.

''Du Yu you will be the hero who will the lead the charge bringing the land to peace! - ''Yang Hu

Du Yu- A young officer during late Wei. In DW he is a loyal and son-like student to Yang Hu. He serves the SIma clan because he feels they are the only ones good enough to rule. Despite his fun loving personality he could be quiet serious at times. He is famous for leading the charge that would end the chaos for a time. Also he has a crush on Yang Huiyu but she's either oblivious or doesn't care.

Weapon: Nunchucks

Appearance: A tall and strong looking young man. He has short black hair and wears an outfit similar to Xu Sheng's Shin Sangoku Musou Blast outfit but with a cyan and white color scheme instead.

''Lord Yang Hu are you sure I could finish this? - ''Du Yu

Pang Hui- Pang De's son who was known for taking his father's brave personality. In DW it reflects that by having him appear to act and look like his father. He's very serious like his father. He was very close to his dad and like his historical self he avenges his father at the Conquest of Chengdu by killing Guan Xing, Guan Suo, and Guan Yinping. He serves the Sima Clan to the end.

Weapon: Hand Mace

Appearance: A younger looking version of Pang De. He wears armor similar to Pang De's DW5 look except it's black.

''Children of War stop crying! You're not the only ones who lost someone... - ''Pang Hui

Wen Hu- Wen Yang's younger brother. In DW Wen Hu is depicted as a fun loving young man opposed to his brother's serious nature. He joins his father in his earlier rebellion and continues to rebel the Sima clan even when his brother joins them. Eventually his brother his brother convinces him to join them. He helps till the end. He and his brother have a love hate relationship and he also has a rivalry with Du Yu.

Weapon: Twin Daggers (DW6)

Appearance: A handsome youngman with hair similar to his brother. Instead of armor he wears a cyan coat over a white shirt and white pants. His most notable thing is his cyan scarf.

''Well brother if you need it I guess I'll help you. - ''Wen Hu

Sima Yan- Sima Zhao and Wang Yuanji's son. DW depicts him as a sheepish young man who fears the standards he must live up to. Eventually however he grows comfortable in his role as leader and soon becomes the first emperor of the Jin Dynasty. He only fights in the later battles.

Weapon: Jian (Fights like Cao Cao, Sun Quan, and Liu Bei from DW5)

Appearance: A handsome youngman with hair similar to his dad's except it's blonde. He's medium height and wears a stratagist like coat with a cyan and white color scheme. When he becomes emperor in the cutscene he wears the same coat except it has gold instead of white and wears the emperor's hat.

''Jia Chong. do you think I can live up to my relatives? - ''Sima Yan

Hua Xiong- Loyal and brave general of Dong Zhao's army. His DW has his loyalty be much ore fanatical. He serves Dong Zhao as a god and is the only one in his forces brave enough to argue with Lu Bu. He dies at Hulao Gate by either Guan Yu or Sun Jian depending on story.

Weapon: Dual Great Swords

Appearance: A burly man with short black hair. He has dark skin and a twisted smile. He wears black and silver armor with a purple hood.

''How dare you insult Lord Dong Zhao! God of War. Tiger of Jiangdong I'll shut you up for good! - ''Hua Xiong

Huche'er- Zhang Xiu's best and most famous general. DW depicts him as a ninja like thief. He isn't very loyal and often moves on from lord to lord until his disappearance. He also take enjoyment in other's pain. Like his historical counterpart it's implied he isn't originally from China.

Weapon: Curved Dagger

Appearance: Similar to his unique design but has a much sleeker figure and longer hair. He wears a full black colored suit.

''The great Dian Wei's dead body bows before me (laughs). - ''Huche'er

King Wutugu- One of the Nanaman chiefs. He's a giant and harsh man with a very stubborn personality. He's the first to resist Meng Huo and the last to except him as king. Like the other Nanman men he hates outsiders and takes him awhile to except Shu.

Weapon: Club and Axe

Appearance: Similar to Meng Huo's DW6 look.

''If you want me to bow to you you've got anothing thing coming! -'' King Wutugu

Yuan Shu- Cruel and calculating younger half brother of Yuan Shao. He's cruel and enjoy's lying to others. He often tricks Yuan Shao, the Wujun leaders, and Sun Ce. He's very controlling and is prone to snapping against those who disobey him. In his death he claims he regrets nothing.

Weapon: Sword Whip

Appearance: A short man who wears a golden and purple cloak that covers most of his body. His face is young and has long brown hair.

''Sun Ce, why are you fighting me! You ungrrateful swine I'm pratically your father!'' - Yuan Shu

Gongsun Zan-A friendly general and Zhao Yun's former lord. In DW he's a friendly and virtuous man at first. He's extremely proud of his army's cavalry known as the White Riders. However over time Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu destroy most of his army and kills his family driving him to depression and eventually suicide.

Weapon: Jockey Whip

Appearance: A tall muscular man with tan skin and a short bead. He wears silver armor and a white coat.

''These are the White Riders! The greatest cavalry in the land!'' - Gongzun Zan

Nyotengu- A unknown demonic woman. She is a guest character from Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate. Although she might look beautiful, she has a good side and a bad side. She is annoying and weird, but intelligent. Sometimes, she licks her tongue. She was killed by Lu Bu, but was resurrected by an unknown figure. She fights her way through anyone who gets in her way to get revenge on Lu Bu. She serves for others at the end.

Weapon: Crystal Petal Fan

''Shut up, move you, fools! I have to get to Lu Bu! - ''Nyotengu

Spin-Off
Dynasty Warriors The Eight Princes