Tutorial is listed as it's own "kingdom" in story mode.
Now, a little list-style rant.
I'm really happy that they've finally got unique weapons for every character in the game, but
man do a lot of the weapons need tweaking. The flail was kind of lame in the last game, but they gave it new moves for Gan Ning, and it made a big difference. They ought to do the same for some other characters.
- The number one offender is Lian Shi's Crossbow. It's slow, boring, and overall a horrible weapon. It might be effective, but that hardly matters when it's absolutely no fun to use. At the very least they out to make her somewhat mobile as she uses it, and change some of the charge attacks so that they aren't so similar. A speed boost wouldn't go amiss either.
- Diao Chan's Chain Whip seems too slow, since it also lacks power and (surprisingly) range. Moves like her extended C3 are wastes of time because of it. The weapon ought to have a faster base speed and her EX speed boost should last longer as well (or there should be a skill/weapon attribute that extends the effects of EX boosts).
- Lu Bu's Halberd is all right for the most part, but it doesn't need two grapples (LB's EX1 and the C5), and the C2 is too slow. I feel like Whirlwind is wasted on the weapon as well, given it's range. I'm a big fan of Shadow Sprint, and I think it would be great in letting Lu Bu dole out near endless combo strings.
- Zhuge Dan's Rod is an interesting weapon, but very inefficient. It seems designed for one-on-one combat (most of the charge attacks are grapples) but the charge attacks are way too slow and flashy for the damage they exhibit. There are many other weapons that can both attack at a range or focus on a single officer better than the rod (Gloves, for example). If the animations are going to be so slow, then they need to have a bigger effect on crowds than they currently do. Also, Shadow Sprint is completely wasted on this moveset. It's slow, has little range or damage, and can only be initiated long after a charge attack completes.
- Zhang Chunhua's Wired Gloves are tricky. They're a neat idea, but I can't help feeling disappointed with them, especially when trying to use them without her EX attacks. The freezing enemies idea is neat, but seems like it's more for style than usefulness, since they unfreeze before you can perform another attack, unless you dash cancel. Problem is, the aerial attacks aren't so good, one is very basic, and the other takes too long to pull off. I think Shadow Sprint would be more suitable for the weapon.
- Lu Meng's Pike is simple and effective, I just think it's really boring and a little slow. I think he deserves a new weapon. At the very least, they should change his EX 1 (the grapple), because it still stinks. The new EX is amazing though.
- Li Dian's Wheeled Halberd simply needs to have a faster 4th regular attack, the one he has now (he holds out the halberd and lets it spin for a little bit) ruins the flow of his basic attack string.
- Pang Tong's Shadow Fan needs a better C6. The one he has now is too weak, and often has trouble hitting it's target. He could also use a better EX2, or at least one that does damage when he uses it, because right now, the fire boost doesn't do enough additional damage or last long enough to warrant the fact that activating the boost itself doesn't damage anyone surrounding (unlike the
godly heavenly Zhang Jiao). His C4 seems a little weak too.
- Wang Yi's Trishula has an auto-block feature that can really ruin the pace of combos when you're being attacked by arrows. I don't know if I like it in it's current form
- Liu Bei's Twin Swords could use a different C5. The grapple he's got now is fun to watch, but not effective enough to use often.
- Cao Pi's Dual Blade C1 gimmick needs to make sense or not suck or something. There's little to no reason not to charge the orb completely, except that it takes so long. It just seems weird. I haven't used the weapon in a while, but it also seemed just kind of weak or boring overall, not sure why. Also, Dive needs to be tweaked, otherwise it's a complete waste for all who have it.
- Yuan Shao's Extension Blade is alright for the most part, but the C1 needs to break guards, and for the love of god, he needs a better EX2. I don't know what the joke is with his current one, but it's terrible terrible terrible. I feel like they could do more with the extension aspect as a gimmick, as well. Also, can we please have PS2 era Yuan Shao back, please? I used to love this guy. His conflict with his old friend Cao Cao used to have drama. Now he's a cartoon character.
- Xiao Qiao's Iron Fan is a joke, but then again, so is she. Can she please stop being 5 years old? I liked her in Red Cliff.
- Jiang Wei's Double-edge Trident is good for the most part, but his aerial basic attack combo is weird (the second of three attacks knocks all of your enemies away, then the third strikes down enemies that are nearby, of which there are none, because you just knocked them away), and Shadow Sprint is wasted on him if half of his charge attacks leave him in mid-air.
- Guan Xing's Wingblades are really really terrible. Most of their attacks (I'm looking at you, C1, C2, C3) are really weak, and the others (C4 & C6) scatter enemies away from you. His C5 is all right when it actually works the way it's supposed to, but as is, this weapon is a mess. It's only redeeming value is that you can do your switch attack in mid-air and dash cancel out of it and other moves. Right now, to do anything remarkable with the weapon requires a lot of skill and effort with less payoff than almost any other weapon available).
Ling Tong's Guan Suo's Nunchaku charge attacks have way too much going on in each one. There doesn't seem to be any sort of rhyme and reason like there is with the other weapons (C1
breaks guards, C2 lifts a few enemies into the air, C3 can often be extended and ends in a stun, C4 knocks enemies back, C5 lifts several enemies into the air, and C6 is special, but usually powerful). It's just whacky moves left and right. Also, can Guan Suo be completely different in the next game? I really don't like him, and he's not even popular with the Japanese audience (rated less popular than Dong Zhuo as of DW8).
- Zhang Bao's Flail Sword either needs to have a point to the sword being un-extended (like a notable increase in damage, or different charge attacks or something) or remain extended at all times (as of now having the blade extended causes it to have greater range with no downsides). If they do decide to make the shortened blade have a point besides being unarguably worse, then his C1 should toggle between the two.
- Zhu Ran's Flame Bow is a really cool idea, but needs some major tweaking. It's really hard to control, enemies block the charge attacks too often, and his horse charge is ungodly for some reason. It needs work. Also can Zhu Ran not be Lu Xun 2.0 with more fire, please?
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Lastly, Whirlwhind is really boring and shouldn't have so many weapons attatched to it as their compatability. Dive is a complete waste as is. I think it should have a counter-attack component to it, thought that was inspired by Fa Zheng's/Woven Cloth's secret C1 counter attack. Dash is great, though sometimes misplaced and less useful than it should be. Shadow Sprint is amazing, though again, sometimes misplaced (Gan Ning's is mostly pointless, as is Zhuge Dan's, as is Jiang Wei's), and also very underused overall.
That's all I've got for now, but with 80+ weapons (and the DLC ones I've not had the chance to use yet), I'm sure I'm forgetting something or other. Probably a lot in the Musou attack department.
Anyone else have anything to add?
