Time is a healer to all wounds, and with the scar from the first PSP Dynasty Warriors barely healed, Koei again sends us back to ancient China. It turns out old wounds have been stitched up, with nearly every complaint addressed. The cut is still visible, but the mending has made significant steps towards a full recovery.
Proudly boasting on the box that it uses the full display of the PSP screen (after cropping almost half the last time around), that's only one improvement made to this drastically different game. Loading times are the first step towards a better end result. While Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 can't provide an open world battlefield, the short bursts of action are immediate after making a move on the strategy map.
It's difficult to convince a non-fan that this franchise revolves around strategy, especially since a game play diary would indicate little aside from "Pressed X 3,657 times. Killed 5,000 soldiers." Slaughtering those 5,000 soldiers is intense and rewarding; with a satisfying combo system and special attack system that can bring allied guards into the fray.
Graphical issues still prevent the full army from appearing on screen, and the aggravation in watching enemies flicker from view to save the hardware can lead to some unfair fights. While the map is always present in the upper right, it’s impossible to read the number of enemies within each group. While rarely an issue since higher-ranking foes are shown individually, you have to wonder if this game is right for the hardware.
Before diving into the fight, you'll need to plan your attack. As in the first PSP run, a strategic map dictates combat flow. Moving to an enemy occupied square brings up a fight and uses up resources. While taking over new strips of land, you'll need to watch your own base. Losing your home is one way of being defeated, in addition to running out of supplies and dying on the battlefield.
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