Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered Digital Deluxe Edition is a hack-and-slash action game that revives the 2001 classic for PS5. It combines the original title with its Xtreme Legends expansion, placing players in large-scale battles set during the Three Kingdoms period where a single officer takes on thousands of foes.
Gameplay
Combat centers on crowd control and officer duels across open battlefields. Players select from more than 40 officers and use standard attacks, charge moves, and powerful True Musou Attacks to clear waves of soldiers while targeting enemy commanders. The remaster adds Evasion to dodge strikes or pull back temporarily, with a perfectly timed dodge triggering a Just Evasion counterattack. Perfect Power Guard lets players deflect incoming blows to stun opponents and create openings for follow-up damage.
Weapon Fusion allows players to sacrifice unwanted gear and transfer elemental attributes or skills onto stronger weapons, building customized loadouts before each battle. Bodyguards accompany the player and can be equipped and leveled through morale management, enabling dual Musou Attacks when their bond strengthens. Controls support both modern refinements and a classic setting that disables newer mechanics for a closer match to the original feel. The game runs at 60 frames per second in 4K on PS5 with Unreal Engine 5 visuals that update the original environments and character models.
Game Modes
Musou Mode serves as the core campaign structure. Each officer follows a sequence of scenarios drawn from their historical perspective, with new unlockable scenarios added in the remaster that expand on the original story when specific conditions are met during play.
Free Mode removes story restrictions so players can select any unlocked officer and stage for open-ended battles. Growth items, equipment, and weapons obtained here carry over to other modes. Challenge Mode focuses on skill tests such as Time Attack for defeating 100 enemies quickly, Assault for maintaining combos within a time limit, and Endurance for surviving extended fights. VS Mode supports local split-screen competition with objectives that range from direct officer duels to soldier defeat counts.
Camp provides the hub for officer management, bodyguard customization, equipment setup, and Weapon Fusion before heading into battle. Offline two-player split-screen co-op works across Musou Mode, Free Mode, and VS Mode, allowing a second player to join on the same console.
Additional Features
The remaster includes Ziluan, the protagonist from Dynasty Warriors: Origins, as a playable officer alongside the classic roster. A free demo lets players sample the updated combat and several scenarios before purchase. Post-launch support includes a planned update for online two-player co-op. Options let players toggle between modern and classic combat settings to suit different preferences.
Is It Worth Playing?
The game suits players who enjoy methodical hack-and-slash combat against large enemy groups and appreciate the return of local split-screen co-op from the original release. Its blend of preserved classic systems with targeted additions like Weapon Fusion and Evasion gives veterans a familiar experience while offering newcomers accessible entry points. A demo is available on PS5, and the standard edition provides the full campaign and modes without requiring additional purchases for core content. Those who prefer fast-paced modern action games or online-focused multiplayer may find the deliberate pacing and local-only co-op at launch less appealing, but the remastered visuals and expanded scenarios deliver a solid revisit for fans of the series' foundational style.
