# Dynasty Warriors 4 (真・三國無双3)
**Dynasty Warriors 4** (真・三國無双3, Shin Sangoku Musou 3; also romanized as Zhen Sanguo Wushuang 3) is a hack-and-slash action game developed by [Omega Force](https://www.edgepedia.org/omega-force) and published for the [PlayStation 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-2) on March 25, 2003, in which a single warrior fights crowds of enemies across battlefields set in China's Three Kingdoms era.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) • [2](https://www.mobygames.com/game/9580/dynasty-warriors-4/reviews/) It was the fourth mainline entry in the [Dynasty Warriors](https://www.edgepedia.org/dynasty-warriors) series and the third to use the one-against-thousands musou format, and it later appeared on Xbox and, as Dynasty Warriors 4 Hyper, on PC.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) • [2](https://www.mobygames.com/game/9580/dynasty-warriors-4/reviews/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | PlayStation 2, March 25, 2003; later Xbox and PC (as Dynasty Warriors 4 Hyper)[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) • [2](https://www.mobygames.com/game/9580/dynasty-warriors-4/reviews/) |
| Developer / rating | Omega Force; rated T for Teen; listed as a 3D beat-'em-up[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) |
| Setting | Battles drawn from the Three Kingdoms story of Chinese history[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) |
| Critic scores | Metascore 78 on PS2 (24 reviews), 75 on Xbox (18 reviews), 65 on PC (6 reviews)[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) • [3](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox) |
| User score | 7.6/10 from 89 user ratings on Metacritic[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) |
| Character roster | 42 playable characters, each with a unique mission in the Xtreme Legends expansion[4](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dynasty-warriors-4-xtreme-legends-review/1900-6084619/) |
| Spin-offs | Xtreme Legends and Empires expansions, the latter adding a strategy-oriented game mode[5](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dynasty-warriors-4-empires-review/1900-6106210/) |
## Gameplay changes from Dynasty Warriors 3
The most consequential mechanical change was in weapons. Dynasty Warriors 4 scrapped the random weapon pickups of earlier entries in favor of an experience-based weapon progression, which gave players more reason to experiment with different combos, juggling, and multiple characters.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) The campaign structure was also consolidated: instead of many shorter campaigns, the game offered 8 long campaigns with secret items, weapons, levels, and characters to unlock.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/)
Other additions included a Create-A-Warrior mode and six costumes per character, each with a color or design change.[6](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps2/563592-dynasty-warriors-4/reviews/52434)
## Reception
Critics received the game as a solid but incremental sequel. The PlayStation 2 version holds a Metascore of 78, with 18 of 24 reviews positive and 6 mixed, none negative.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) The Xbox version scored 75 from 18 reviews, and the PC version 65 from 6.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) • [3](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox) User ratings have held up better over time, at 7.6 from 89 ratings, with 67% positive.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/)
Praise centered on presentation and scale. IGN's Xbox review scored it 85 and listed more stages, balanced characters, smarter computer intelligence, and the [Encyclopedia](https://www.edgepedia.org/encyclopedia) and two-player modes as highlights, while concluding that what it lacked was innovation.[3](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox) TotalGames.net, at 85, called the graphics a giant leap ahead of earlier entries, with smoother animation and rare slowdown.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) GamingWorld X went further at 95, calling it as close to action-gaming nirvana as the platform offered at the time.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/)
The main criticism was repetition and sameness. GameSpot's review by Brad Shoemaker scored the game 7.2 and argued that even calling it evolutionary was a stretch, since the core gameplay was basically identical to its predecessors and a casual observer would be hard-pressed to identify which Dynasty Warriors game a random battle scene belonged to.[7](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dynasty-warriors-4-review/1900-6023978/) Cheat Code Central, at 50, reported boredom halfway through due to the repetitive gameplay and wanted more depth in strategy and story.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) [Game Informer](https://www.edgepedia.org/game-informer), at 70, expressed amazement at the lack of innovation and improvement.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/)
## Expansions and ports
Two expansions extended the game. **Xtreme Legends** added a legend mode with one unique mission, with its own story setup, for each of the 42 characters; GameSpot judged it poor value for newcomers but a solid block of new gameplay for series fans.[4](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dynasty-warriors-4-xtreme-legends-review/1900-6084619/) **Empires** went further, adding a strategy-oriented game mode that GameSpot described as bringing much-needed depth to the formula, though it kept the series' B-movie English dialogue and offered a Japanese voice option.[5](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dynasty-warriors-4-empires-review/1900-6106210/)
The PC port, Dynasty Warriors 4 Hyper, was released under the alternate titles Shin Sangoku Musou 3 and Zhen Sanguo Wushuang 3.[2](https://www.mobygames.com/game/9580/dynasty-warriors-4/reviews/)
## Legacy
Among series enthusiasts the game retains a strong reputation. The game is also remembered for the level 11 weapons that players could grind to unlock for every character.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/) Its standing contrasts with the series' generally mixed critical record: later entries such as [Dynasty Warriors: Origins](https://www.edgepedia.org/dynasty-warriors-origins) debuted at around 78 to 85 on Metacritic across platforms, a range similar to Dynasty Warriors 4's own scores.[8](https://as.com/meristation/noticias/todas-las-notas-de-dynasty-warriors-origins-un-candidato-claro-a-ser-el-mejor-musou-de-la-historia-n/)
## References
1. [Dynasty Warriors 4 Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/)
2. [Dynasty Warriors 4 reviews, MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/9580/dynasty-warriors-4/reviews/)
3. [Dynasty Warriors 4 Xbox Critic Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/game/dynasty-warriors-4/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox)
4. [Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends Review, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dynasty-warriors-4-xtreme-legends-review/1900-6084619/)
5. [Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires Review, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dynasty-warriors-4-empires-review/1900-6106210/)
6. [Dynasty Warriors 4 Review for PlayStation 2, GameFAQs](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps2/563592-dynasty-warriors-4/reviews/52434)
7. [Dynasty Warriors 4 Review, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dynasty-warriors-4-review/1900-6023978/)
8. [Todas las notas de Dynasty Warriors: Origins, MeriStation](https://as.com/meristation/noticias/todas-las-notas-de-dynasty-warriors-origins-un-candidato-claro-a-ser-el-mejor-musou-de-la-historia-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Individual game titles › Individual PlayStation-platform game titles › Action-adventure and open-world titles*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license