Playing Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered is a strange but not at all unpleasant experience.

This is a borderline remake of Dynasty Warriors 3 — a fan-favourite PS2 instalment that was at least partly responsible for establishing the series' hardcore following here in the west.

However, there's a reason this project has never been dubbed a remake in an official capacity; it retains the exact same structure and gameplay mechanics — right down to the animations — of the original release.

As its name implies, Remastered is mostly a graphical overhaul — a ground-up reskin that utilises Unreal Engine 5, much like the relatively recent Dynasty Warriors: Origins.

And it looks pretty good. If you're familiar with the PS2 original, it's a real trip to see classic stages reborn with current-gen visuals, and the same goes for the game's many playable characters, who stay true to their original designs despite being made out of way more polygons.

But as alluded, Remastered isn't just a... well, a remaster. It packs in a slew of gameplay-altering additions, like a dedicated dodge, and even counterattacks. This is an attempt at modernisation, and for the most part, it works.

Adding something as simple as a directional dodge — which can be used to cancel out of attacks — brings an all-new dynamism to a combat system that, especially by today's standards, is hyper-repetitive hacking and slashing.

But what if you're a purist? Well, you'll be happy to know that you can toggle all of these new mechanics off in the options menu for the classic experience.

I think revisiting an old Dynasty Warriors title like this is sure to satisfy the nostalgic cravings of most fans — but even with the modern additions, this deliberately old-school action game can feel like a slog at times.

Huge, often empty battlefields are still a chore to traverse, and mowing down hundreds of foes with the same three combos over and over again can be a big ask here in 2026.

Still, with so many character stories, unlocks, and game modes to chew on, Remastered earns an easy recommendation if you're a Dynasty Warriors diehard — and I certainly wouldn't be against Koei Tecmo reviving the likes of Dynasty Warriors 4 and 5 in this style.