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''Warriors Orochi 3'', originally released as in Japan, is a 2011
hack and slash Hack and slash, also known as hack and slay (H&S or HnS) or slash 'em up, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat with melee-based weapons (such as swords or blades). They may also feature projectile-based weapons as well (such as ...
video game developed by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force for the
PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
and
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. This is the fourth installment of the crossover series '' Warriors Orochi'', a combination of the ''
Dynasty Warriors is a series of Japanese hack and slash action video games created by Omega Force and Koei (now is Koei Tecmo). The series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy '' Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' series, based upon the Chinese novel of ...
'' and '' Samurai Warriors'' series. This installment serves as a sequel to ''
Warriors Orochi 2 ''Warriors Orochi 2'', known in Japan as , is a 2008 video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to ''Warriors Orochi'', a crossover video game of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' and ''Samurai Warriors'' series. ...
''. The game was released in Japan in 2011, in Europe in 2012, and in North America in 2012 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360). There are two ports of the game: ''Musou Orochi 2: Special'' (), released in 2012 for PlayStation Portable exclusively in Japan, and ''Warriors Orochi 3: Hyper'' (), which was released as a launch title for the Wii U for Japan, North America, and Europe. An updated version, ''Warriors Orochi 3: Ultimate'' (), was released for the
PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
and
PlayStation Vita The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
in Japan in 2013 with
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
and
Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
ports released in 2014. The four versions were also released in North America and Europe in 2014. An additional port for the
Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
was released exclusively in Japan in 2017. A definitive edition of the game ''Warriors Orochi 3: Ultimate Definitive Edition'' was released worldwide for
Microsoft Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
Steam in 12 July 2022. Unlike previous titles, ''Warriors Orochi 3'' only features Japanese voices.


Gameplay

The gameplay of ''Warriors Orochi 3'' is similar to that of the two titles that the ''Warriors Orochi 3'' takes its characters from: namely '' Dynasty Warriors 7'' (specifically, ''
Dynasty Warriors Next ''Dynasty Warriors Next'' is a hack and slash video game and a spin-off title of the Dynasty Warriors series of video games. Developed by Omega Force and published by Koei, it was released for the PlayStation Vita. Similar to the other games i ...
'') and ''
Samurai Warriors 3 is the third installment in the ''Samurai Warriors'' series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, in Europe on May 28, 2010, in Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 28 ...
''. Characters from either of these series play similar to how they play in their respective source games, but with a number of changes to unify the two different games together, including: * ''Dynasty Warriors'' characters are solely armed with one weapon, and cannot switch to another one; however, the weapon given to each character is their EX weapon from the series. Characters who have changed their EX weapons in ''Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires'' (which was released after ''Warriors Orochi 3'', but before ''Ultimate'') retain their older EX weapons in ''Ultimate'' instead of changing to their new EX weapons. * ''Dynasty Warriors'' characters are restricted to one Musou attack. Characters with a ground and aerial Musou attack in ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' retain their ground Musou attack, while characters having two ground Musou attacks may retain either of theirs as their Musou attack. * As movesets are determined by weapon in ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' rather than by character, characters sharing the same weapon in ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' have altered charge attacks to differentiate them from each other. * ''Samurai Warriors'' characters perform their Ultimate Musou attack in situations where the True Musou attack is available, to compensate for the lack of the Spirit Gauge. * ''Samurai Warriors'' characters gain new Switch attacks, akin to weapon switching in ''Dynasty Warriors 7'', for their use in Switch Combos. For characters who are from neither of the two series, whether or not the character is of Japanese origin determines whether their Musou attack corresponds to that of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' or the ''Samurai Warriors'' cast. Characters new to ''Warriors Orochi'' also have movesets based on their overall character type in this regard: for example, some of non-Japanese origin characters like Nemea, whose moveset is based on a ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' weapon unused by anyone in that roster, have an EX attack like ''Dynasty Warriors'' characters, while some of Japanese-origin characters like Kaguya has the longer, standard attack chain reminiscent of a character from the ''Samurai Warriors'' roster. Gameplay takes place on modified versions of stages taken primarily from ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' or ''Samurai Warriors 3'' (in addition, some downloadable content and story elements in ''Ultimate'' take place in stages taken from ''Warriors Orochi 2''); a select number of stages relevant to the story are new stages. Each of the new "collaboration characters" (Ryu Hayabusa, Ayane, Joan of Arc, Nemea, Achilles, Rachel, Momiji, Kasumi, Sterkenburg, and Sophitia) is also associated with a stage taken from either ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' or ''Samurai Warriors 3'', with graphical modifications made to resemble their game of origin. Much of the stage music is taken from earlier ''Dynasty Warriors'', ''Samurai Warriors'', or ''Warriors Orochi'' games; each of the collaboration characters is also associated with a unique theme. New mechanics for the ''Warriors Orochi'' series include: * In addition to Power, Speed, and Technique, a new character attack type, "Wonder", is available. * Like ''Dynasty Warriors 7'', there is a central base from which characters organize their missions. The base initially contains a weapons dealer and a network assistant for multiplayer play, but can be expanded to include a teahouse. * A modified version of the Bond system from ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' is introduced. Bonds between two characters are formed through being allied in battle, being opponents in battle, being teammates in battle, or by completing a mission set forth by an ally in battle (however, failure to complete a mission weakens the bond between two characters). As new chapters are unlocked, bonds between characters may be raised by paying gems at the teahouse. * Each character is associated with a number of other characters considered to be "special relationships"; as the bond between the two characters increase, new support conversations may appear whenever the player controls either character in the central base. Special relationships span many different types, including family, adversarial, based on earlier ''Warriors Orochi'' series titles, or based on events in Story Mode. * As with ''Dynasty Warriors 7'', the morale gauge is no longer present. * As with ''Samurai Warriors 3'', each character is associated with four levels of weapons; a fifth level of weapon is available in ''Ultimate'' by fulfilling certain stage conditions on hard, as with past ''Warriors'' games. * Players may switch characters as they are attacking. This technique, known as a "Switch Combo", allows the combo counter of the outgoing character to be transferred to the incoming character, who performs a special switch attack when they are switched in. This, however, consumes a portion of the incoming character's Musou gauge. There is also a variation called the "Triple Rush" attack which is only available in the ''Ultimate'' update. A team of 3 specific characters will also result in creating a unique attack within the "Triple Rush" feature. * Characters may perform new attacks such as "Break Guard" and "Dash Chain". * A new gauge has been introduced, the True Triple Attack gauge, which fills as a player deals damage to enemies. For a short period of time after the True Triple Attack is initiated, all enemies will move in slow motion. The strength of the True Triple Attack is determined by the overall bond between the three characters. * Two-player co-op is available with both players permitted to use different teams. For ''Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper'', the Wii U Gamepad may be used for one of the players, allowing the other player to play in full-screen. * A new mode, "Musou Battlefield", allows the modification of existing stages and sharing of modifications online. Players have a limited number of "edit points", where they may replace characters, add more aggressive enemy behaviour, and alter game audio. ''Ultimate'' removes the need for edit points to alter the changes and the players can also customize the battle quotes and combat notifications in-game. * ''Hyper'' has a new Duel Mode, allowing players to battle each other in three-on-three battles. Players must choose in addition four Strategy Cards, which may be activated over the course of a duel: each Strategy Card costs a number of Battle Points (gained over time during a battle) per use. Each character has two Strategy Cards available for use; one is made available by unlocking the character, while the second is made available through other means. * ''Ultimate'' adds a new Gauntlet Mode, where players can set a party of five characters instead of three. *
Downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
, allowing for new character costumes, scenarios, weapons, and music, is available for all platforms. Downloadable content from ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' and ''Samurai Warriors 3'' cannot be used in ''Warriors Orochi 3''; the same content must be repurchased for specific use by this game.


Characters

All characters from ''
Warriors Orochi 2 ''Warriors Orochi 2'', known in Japan as , is a 2008 video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to ''Warriors Orochi'', a crossover video game of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' and ''Samurai Warriors'' series. ...
'' and ''
Musou Orochi Z , is a 2009 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows. ''Z'' is the third installment of the ''Warriors Orochi'' series, a crossover video game of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' and ''S ...
'' return in this game. Unlike the first two games (which the costumes for the characters from Dynasty Warriors 5 and Samurai Warriors 2 are used), the costumes for the characters are taken from '' Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends'' and '' Sengoku Musou 3 Z''. Characters not present in either game use visuals from the last game in which they appeared. Four new characters were initially available in the original PlayStation 3 version. An additional seven were added through various expansions of the game: * Kaguya (かぐや) (Technique); A graceful and elegant young mystic who descends to the dimensional world following the chaos wrought upon by the Hydra. Armed with the miraculous ability to traverse time, she helps the three remaining heroes to save their comrades from certain death and to fight back against the bewitched serpent beast. Throughout the game, she begins to develop a sense of friendship with humanity, which helps against her initially repressive side. Wields
sakaki ''Cleyera japonica'' (sakaki) is a flowering evergreen tree native to warm areas of Japan, Taiwan, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and northern India (Min and Bartholomew 2015). It can reach a height of 10 m. The leaves are 6–10 cm long, smooth, ...
and mirrors. * Shuten Dōji (酒呑童子) (Wonder); A mighty warrior of strength and intimidating presence. The two horns extending from the top of his head suggest something superhuman about him, but he himself knows nothing of his own identity, save for his name. Driven by the desire to understand who he is, he takes to the battlefield. Eventually, it is revealed that he is actually a part of Orochi's soul, separated from him when he was reborn as the Hydra, and thus is vital for the Coalition to fight back the serpent beast. Wields a giant gourd. * Nezha (哪咤) (Speed); A young mystic born between the human and mystic realms. After initially being killed in an earlier battle, he is resurrected by the high mystic Susano'o as his aide, helping him to capture Da Ji, although his ways of finding becomes some sort of terror against humanity. The prequel chapter reveals that he was actually killed by Orochi. Wields four discs known as Elephant Rings (bladed rings attached to the wrists and ankles). In his human form, only available in the ''Ultimate'' update, he wields the Fire Tip Lance. * Susano'o (素戔嗚) (Power); The leader of the Mystic Army who has finally deigned to make an appearance in this land of turmoil. He has unwavering confidence in his own strength, and the complete trust of his subordinates. This leads, however, to a contemptuous attitude towards human beings. He is pursuing Da Ji in order to thwart her plans to resurrect Orochi, although his apathetic and militaristic attitude to find her becomes a sort of amusement to the mystics. Wields the Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi. * Seimei Abe (安倍清明) (Wonder) ; A member of the aristocratic Abe clan, a clan which has ties to the Japanese imperial throne. Disgusted by humanity and their vanity, he willingly entered the dimensional realm through time distortion. Wields a wood folding fan and a white fox spirit. (''Available in Special, Hyper, and Ultimate only'') * Shennong (神農) (Wonder); One of the
Three Sovereigns The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were two groups of mythological rulers in ancient north China. The Three Sovereigns supposedly lived long before The Five Emperors, who have been assigned dates in a period from 3162 BC to 2070 BC. Today ...
who is renowned for having taught China not only the practice of
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
, but also the use of herbal drugs. He was content to stay in the mystic realm until he notices the humanity's struggle in the dimensional realm. He decides to descend with the other mystics to provide help for humanity. Wields Zhebian (Red Whip). (''Available in Hyper and Ultimate only'') * Mae Tamamo (玉藻前) (Wonder); A legendary kitsune who is said to be the most beautiful and intelligent woman in Japan. After the Hydra had been defeated, she appears in the dimensional world in rock form, which is eventually found by the Orochi Army. Armed with scrolls and the mysterious sacred mirror, she enjoys toying the warriors before allying herself with Da Ji and the resurrected Orochi, while hiding her own personal agenda. Mae's true form is actually the mythical nine-tailed fox, Kyūbi no Kitsune. (''Available in Ultimate only'') *
Yinglong Yinglong () is a winged dragon and rain deity in ancient Chinese mythology. Name This legendary creature's name combines ''yìng'' "respond; correspond; answer; reply; agree; comply; consent; promise; adapt; apply" and ''lóng'' "Chinese dra ...
(応龍) (Power); A powerful mystic entrusted with exterminating demons in the mystic realm. He appears in the "Tale of the Former Day" prequel chapter, set long before the events of the series starts. Following an event in which he rebelled against the
Tiandi Chinese theology, which comes in different interpretations according to the classic texts and the common religion, and specifically Confucian, Taoist and other philosophical formulations, is fundamentally monistic, that is to say it sees the w ...
and broke his sacred mirror, he was transformed into Orochi, who would become the main antagonist of the series. Wields Twin Dragon Sword. (''Available in Ultimate only'') * Kyūbi no Kitsune (九尾の狐) (Wonder); The mythical nine-tailed fox, in actuality the true form of a fox spirit, Mae Tamamo. Wields her nine
tail The tail is the section at the rear end of certain kinds of animals’ bodies; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, r ...
s and robes. (''Available in Ultimate only'') *
Hundun Hundun () is both a "legendary faceless being" in Chinese mythology and the "primordial and central chaos" in Chinese cosmogony, comparable with the world egg. Linguistics ''Hundun'' was semantically extended from a mythic "primordial chaos; ...
(渾沌) (Power); One of the Four Fiends, considered the source of primordial chaos in Chinese mythology. He does not appear in the story, but instead appears as the final boss of the game's Gauntlet Mode. Wields four hatchets. (''Available in Ultimate only'') *
Hydra Hydra generally refers to: * Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology * ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to: Astronomy * Hydra (constel ...
(妖蛇); The "world will" of Orochi's raw power, taking the form of a giant eight-headed serpent beast dubbed as "Hydra" (Youja in Japanese). It was born after Orochi was defeated at the end of the second game. Its appearance has caused disasters and the deaths of warriors in the dimensional realm. It is unplayable in the game, serving only as the game boss. The game also include collaboration characters from other Tecmo Koei franchises; '' Ninja Gaiden'', '' Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War'', '' Warriors: Legends of Troy'', ''
Dead or Alive Dead or Alive most commonly refers to: * Dead or Alive (band), a British pop band * Dead or alive, a phrase on a wanted poster Dead or Alive may also refer to: Film and television * ''Dead or Alive'' (1921 film), an American silent film dir ...
'', '' Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll'', and '' Atelier'' as well a character from outside the Tecmo Koei property; '' Soulcalibur'' from
Namco Bandai is a Japanese multinational video game publisher headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Entertainment America and Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe, are respectively headquartered in Irvine, California and ...
. Those characters appear and star in their own alternate version of stages within the game. The following collaboration characters are: * Ryu Hayabusa (Power); A young member of the Hayabusa ninja clan, and heir to the Dragon lineage. While battling the forces of evil with the legendary Dragon Sword, he was suddenly dragged into the fissure in time and space which appeared at the same time as the Hydra. But even in this alternate universe, he continues his fight against evil. Ryu wields the Dragon Sword and appears at Anegawa. *
Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...
(Wonder); Maid of Orleans, and national heroine of France. A kind young woman with a strong sense of justice, she vowed to stand up and fight for the people of France in the Hundred Years' War. On the field of battle, she saw a unit of her forces sucked into the rift in time and space, and in an attempt to rescue them, she too was transported to this alternate universe. Joan wields a lance and appears at Mt Dingjun. *
Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's ''Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Peleus, k ...
(Power);A tragic hero of the
Trojan War In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and has ...
, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and is the central character of
Homer's Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...
. Achilles bears unlimited fury on those who are fools enough to kill his loved ones. Although is prophesied that he will die in the battlefield if he goes to war, he willingly joins the forces of his allies to become immortal throu his heroic and glorifying acts. He wields a
xiphos The ''xiphos'' ( grc, ξίφος ; plural ''xiphe'', grc, ξίφη ) is a double-edged, one-handed Iron Age straight shortsword used by the ancient Greeks. It was a secondary battlefield weapon for the Greek armies after the dory or javelin. ...
(ancient Greek sword) and appears at Nanzhong. * Nemea (Technique); Pulled into the dimensional realm after the events of '' Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll''. Nemea wields a spear and appears at
Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
. * Rachel (Power); While doing her usual rounds, she was suddenly sucked into the dimensional realm through time distortion. Rachel wields Inferno Hammer and Type 666 Heavy Machine Gun and appears at Jiangdong. (''Available in Special, Hyper, and Ultimate only'') *
Kasumi Kasumi may refer to: Places * Kasumi, Hyōgo (香住), a former town in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan * Kasumigaseki (霞が関 "Gate of Mist"), a district in downtown Tokyo * Kasumi, Jajce, a village in Bosnia and Herzegovina Other uses * Kasumi (gi ...
(Speed); While tracking her clone, Alpha-152, she was sucked through time distortion and arrived at the dimensional realm. Wields a wakizashi named "Shrouded Moon" and appears at Yan Province. (''Available in Ultimate only'') *
Ayane Ayane (/aˈjaˌnɛ/) is the romanization of a feminine Japanese given name. Literally translated it means "colorful sound" (彩音 or 綺音). * or Junko Hirata, Japanese singer-songwriter *, Japanese television personality *, Japanese badminton ...
(Speed); Mysteriously teleported to the dimensional realm after the events of '' Dead or Alive 4''. Ayane wields the Fūma Kodachi and appears at Hasedo. * Momiji (Technique); Appeared in the dimensional realm through time distortion while guarding her post. Wields Heavenly Dragon Naginata and Heavensong Bow and appears at Wan Castle. (''Available in Hyper and Ultimate only'') * Sterkenburg Cranach (Power); Mysteriously transported to the dimensional realm after the events of '' Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland''. Wields Longsword and appears at
Xu Province Xuzhou as a historical toponym refers to varied area in different eras. Ordinarily, it was a reference to the one of the Nine Provinces which modern Xuzhou inherited. History Pre-Qin era Xuzhou or Xu Province was one of the Nine Provinces of ...
. (''Available in Ultimate only'') *
Sophitia Alexandra , better known simply as Sophitia, is a fictional character in the ''Soulcalibur'' series of video games. Created by Namco's Project Soul division, she first appeared in ''Soul Edge'' and its subsequent sequels, as well as appearing in various merc ...
(Technique); While going home with her child after the events of '' Soulcalibur IV'', she was sucked to the dimensional world through time distortion. Wields Omega Sword and Elk Shield and appears at Liaodong. (''Available in Ultimate only'') In addition to all 96 characters from ''Warriors Orochi 2'' and ''Musou Orochi Z'', there are a total of 145 characters in this game. ''* Denotes new characters to the series.'' ''** Denotes new characters added through expansions'' ''Bold denotes default characters.''


Plot

Several years after the events of ''
Warriors Orochi 2 ''Warriors Orochi 2'', known in Japan as , is a 2008 video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to ''Warriors Orochi'', a crossover video game of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' and ''Samurai Warriors'' series. ...
'', the warriors of the
Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty and wa ...
era of China and the
Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
of Japan have begun to rebuild their lives in the twisted dimensional world after Orochi's permanent death. The peace is not to last for long though, as a monstrous eight-headed serpent beast known as Hydra appears and massacres the warriors. Combined with the resurrection of
Kiyomori Taira was a military leader and '' kugyō'' of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. Early life Kiyomori was born in Heian-kyō, Japan, in 1118 as the first ...
and the reappearance of
Da Ji Daji () was the favourite consort of King Zhou of Shang, the last king of the Shang dynasty in ancient China. In legends and fictions, she is portrayed as a malevolent fox spirit who kills and impersonates the real Daji. Her identification as a f ...
, who brainwashes the remaining heroes, the warriors are left in shambles. The remaining three heroes – Ma Chao,
Sima Zhao Sima Zhao () (211 – 6 September 265), courtesy name Zishang, was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Sima Zhao capably maintained control of Wei, which had been ...
, and Hanbei Takenaka – are about to be defeated if not for the intervention of the Moon Princess, Kaguya, who claims to have been sent from the mystic world to help the warriors. She uses her time travel ability to send the three back in time, so they will be able to save their comrades from certain doom. After securing the more strategic places like Odawara Castle, the coalition are informed by mystic
Taigong Wang Jiang Ziya ( century BC – century BC), also known by several other names, was a Chinese noble who helped kings Wen and Wu of Zhou overthrow the Shang in ancient China. Following their victory at Muye, he continued to serv ...
that they can defeat the Hydra using a special weapon called "Yashio'ori"; however, they will need the time and power to build such a weapon. The coalition capture an amnesiac mighty warrior, Shuten Dōji, who is later revealed to be an offshoot of Orochi who was born at the same time as Hydra; in reality, he is the world's will of Orochi's power, as well as Da Ji herself, who reluctantly joins after the coalition have her friend,
Himiko , also known as , was a shamaness-queen of Yamatai-koku in . Early Chinese dynastic histories chronicle tributary relations between Queen Himiko and the Cao Wei Kingdom (220–265) and record that the Yayoi period people chose her as ruler fo ...
as an unwitting hostage. Because of the time required to build multiple Yashio'ori, the coalition have to return to the distant past when the Hydra had yet to appear in the world, which they fulfill through Da Ji's power, as she has been in the dimensional world the entire time (the other mystics have only appeared when the Hydra had made its appearance). Upon arriving, the coalition have to protect Da Ji from the anti-Orochi forces as well as an army of mystics led by
Susanoo __FORCETOC__ Susanoo (; historical orthography: , ) is a in Japanese mythology. The younger brother of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun and mythical ancestress of the Japanese imperial line, he is a multifaceted deity with contradictory chara ...
, who has dedicated his job to hunt Da Ji. They eventually gain their trust, and with the help of them, the coalition build multiple Yashio'ori powered by Shuten Dōji's essence, while also preparing for the upcoming grand battle with the Hydra. In the final chapter, the coalition confront the Hydra again, who is defeated with the help of Yashio'ori. The Hydra then reforms to eight Orochi clones and later a final Orochi X form. While battling them, the coalition also have to gain the trust of Susanoo, who is not yet willing to let the problem fall into the mortal's hands. The game has three endings, which are unlocked through certain requirements. The "Normal" ending has the coalition finally being able to destroy Hydra. The "Good" ending is essentially the same, although the warriors then make pledge to rule the land together in peace. In the "True" ending, after Orochi X is defeated, the dimensional world begins to crumble, as Orochi's existence is the only thing that supports the world; defeating him means the end of the world. The mystics band their powers to send the warriors back to their own original time, saving them at the cost of their memories in the dimensional world. The expanded story in the ''Ultimate'' update is continued from the "Good" ending of the original game, thus forgoing the "True" ending. Da Ji and the rest of the Demon Army have broken out from the coalition and are now traversing the dimensional world. They are attracted to a magical stone they found during their journey, which is revealed to be the sealed form of Mae Tamamo, a mystic who possesses a mysterious mirror, the Shinkyō, which has the ability to seal anyone who comes into contact with it and to create doppelgangers. Allying herself with Da Ji, Tamamo seals many warriors of the Three Kingdoms and Sengoku period and create doppelgangers of them, causing chaos and conflict within the Coalition. The mystics, who have gone to the mystic realm since the Hydra's defeat, descend once more to help the warriors. Depending on the progression, the player may finish the game's story in Chapter 6, which ends in the release of the sealed warriors and Tamamo's defeat and subsequent sealing as the stone again by the mystics. Otherwise, while the sealed warriors are released, Tamamo is not yet defeated, and the story continues to Chapter 7. In an attempt to stop Tamamo from causing further conflicts, the warriors will need her own magic mirror, the Shinkyō to seal her. Through Kaguya's powers combined with Fu Xi's memories, the warriors travel far back in time in the mystic realm, when Orochi had not existed yet. The mystic realm is ruled by
Tiandi Chinese theology, which comes in different interpretations according to the classic texts and the common religion, and specifically Confucian, Taoist and other philosophical formulations, is fundamentally monistic, that is to say it sees the w ...
, who is the original possessor of the Shinkyō and had used it to seal demons. The warriors meet with the mystic Yinglong, who is fooled by Tamamo into believing that the Emperor had used the Shinkyō to control the demons. He starts a rebellion against the Emperor and eventually manages to steal the mirror, This act causes him to be corrupted by the mirror's evil power, which transforms him into Orochi, who proceeds to go to the human realm to commit various evil acts after having killed the half-mystic Nezha. The Emperor, having learned of Tamamo's plans, gratefully lends the warriors the Shinkyō. Back in the present time, the warriors use the mirror against Tamamo, but this only makes her revert to her true form, the Kyūbi no Kitsune, who confronts the warriors in the final battle. The ''Ultimate'' update has two endings in addition to the three mentioned above, the first of which is the aforementioned "Normal" ending where Tamamo is sealed without having reverted to her true form. In this ending the warriors continue to live their life in peace in the dimensional world. The second ending is similar to the "True" ending of the original game, where, after having sealed Kyūbi, the mystics band their powers to send the warriors to their original timeline; however, the dimensional world seems to stay intact, unlike the original game.


Release

The game was originally released in Japan on December 22, 2011, in Europe on April 6, 2012, and in North America on March 20, 2012 (PlayStation 3), and March 27, 2012 (Xbox 360). Simultaneous store front meetings in Japan took place at the end of November until mid December for ''Dynasty Warriors Next'' and ''Musou Orochi 2''. Attendees could obtain an original clear file for ''Musou Orochi 2'' and play demos for both games at these meetings. Early buyers received a downloadable serial code granting Santa costumes to Mitsunari Ishida, Wang Yuanji, and Da Ji. The Treasure Box release includes a calendar which has characters represent the months and days individually, an original soundtrack, and an exclusive downloadable serial code for Ma Chao's weapon. Consumers who used Gamecity's shopping service had the option of obtaining a Three Kingdoms or Warring States themed hat.


''Musou Orochi 2: Special''

A PSP
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
, titled ''Musou Orochi 2: Special'' was announced on May 8, 2012, and was released on July 19, 2012, exclusively in Japan. Two additional characters were added: Rachel from the ''Ninja Gaiden'' series and a new character named Seimei Abe. A new Battle Royale Mode was included with support for up to four players. All characters, modes, and features from the original game were retained in this port. Ten PSP customizable themes based on characters are offered for players who pre-order the title. Players can automatically unlock all characters by inserting their saved data from Musou Orochi 2.


''Warriors Orochi 3: Hyper''

The Wii U port of the game, ''Warriors Orochi 3: Hyper'' (''Musou Orochi 2: Hyper'' in Japan) was announced at the 2012
Tokyo Game Show , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in September in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. The ...
as one of the launch titles for the console. Unlike past releases, this port launched outside Japan first. ''Hyper'' features a new multiplayer mode called "Duel Mode" in which players battle enemies using three-man teams. Players will also have the option to play the game using a Wii U Pro Controller or the
Wii U GamePad The Wii U GamePad is the standard game controller for Nintendo's Wii U home video game console. Incorporating traits from tablet computers, the GamePad has traditional input methods (such as buttons, dual analog sticks, and a D-pad), touchscreen ...
. The GamePad can be used to display an expanded mini-map. Local co-op includes an option that allows each player to have a full screen to play on, with one player using the TV screen while the other uses the GamePad's screen. The single player game can also be played on the GamePad's screen without the use of a TV. The game includes all characters from ''Special'', including Rachel and Seimei Abe and adds two new characters: Momiji from the ''Ninja Gaiden'' series and a new original character, Shennong.


''Warriors Orochi 3: Ultimate''

An update to the original game, ''Musou Orochi 2: Ultimate'' was released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita on September 26, 2013. The PlayStation 4 version was released in Japan on June 26 and September 4, 2014, respectively, featuring improved graphics and lighting among other enhancements. The game was released in North America and Europe in 2014 on September 2 and September 5, respectively with an additional Xbox One port, which was also released in Japan as a launch title. It was also released for the
Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
on November 9, 2017 to commemorate Omega Force's 20th anniversary. This is the first collaboration with
Bandai Namco Entertainment is a Japanese multinational video game video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Entertainment America and Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe, are respectively headquartered in ...
. The update includes all new features and characters from the ''Hyper'' version. It also features a new character, the game debut of Xu Shu, a ''Dynasty Warriors'' character who first appeared in ''Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires''. New characters are also added, including Mae Tamamo, Yinglong, a younger incarnation of Nezha, Kyūbi no Kitsune, Hundun, Kasumi from the ''Dead or Alive'' series, Sterkenburg Cranach from the ''Atelier Arland'' series, and Sophitia Alexandra from the ''Soulcalibur'' series. The game expands on the original game's story by adding two new stories: "The Tale of the Latter Day", which takes place after the defeat of Hydra in the original game, and "The Tale of the Former Day", which is a side story that explains Orochi's origins as well as his secret with Da Ji. New stages are also added, including side stories to expand on the characters not prominently featured in the main story, alternative events on specific stages, and the chance to play stages through the enemy's perspective.


''Warriors Orochi 3: Ultimate Definitive Edition''

The upgraded version of Warriors Orochi 3: Ultimate, the Warriors Orochi 3: Definitive Edition was released for PC Steam on 12 July 2022. This version contains Warriors Orochi 3: Ultimate, as well as most of the previously released downloadable content, highlighted by over 500 DLC items ranging from weapons and costumes to scenarios. In addition, this version also include new optimizations for the PC version, such as mouse and keyboard support and a wide range of graphical settings to allow players to fine tune their experience.


Reception

''Warriors Orochi 3'' and its expanded versions received "mixed or average" reviews. The original version of ''Musou Orochi 2'' sold 200,526 copies in its first three days of release. It was rated by ''
Famitsu formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' with a 9/8/8/9, for an averaged rating of 34/40.


References


External links


Official ''Warriors Orochi 3'' website
(Europe)
Official ''Warriors Orochi 3'' website
(North America)
Official ''Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate'' website
(North America)
Official ''Musou Orochi 2'' website

Official ''Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate'' Website
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