Okay, so as most of you will be aware by now, I received my review copy of Dynasty Warriors 6 today from Koei (who tell me I'm one of the very first online writers in the UK to get a copy) and have now sunk an unhealthy amount of hours into it. Having completed a couple of Musou modes and, of course, taken Zhang He out for a spin, it's time for some more of my pre-review Jimpressions.

Naturally, I picked old favorite Sima Yi first and foolishly went on normal mode. As ever, DW6 starts your characters out super weak, so Easy mode is advised until they've bulked up a little. At first, I was worried that the game wasn't all that hot. I wandered around Chi Bi in practically darkness (night battles are very hard to see on an SDTV) and leapt into the water for the first time, only to not know how the fuck one gets out of the water.

Anyway, once I got past a little teething trouble, I finally eased into the swing of things and started really enjoying myself. Firstly, DW6 is more intense than any previous game in the series. Not only are there more characters onscreen at any given time, but the way in which the crowds pummel each other, and climb ladders, and pump the air in victory, it just feels way more alive. Even though the combo system has been simplified somewhat, it still feels more engrossing than before because the melees are just huge.

The Renbu system is pretty cool, and part of the fun is keeping the combo count high enough to have access to more effective moves. My favorite addition has to be the special moves you can perform by holding down a shoulder button. The first time Sima Yi literally span an enemy soldier in a fucking web made me cackle with glee.

The biggest problem I have so far is the poorly designed maps on several stages. Too many dead ends and hard-to-access areas can lead to severe frustration. Don't get me started on the mess that is Yi Ling's stone sentinal maze -- not that it's ever been fun, but in DW6 I was growling.

Still, it's great fun for those familiar to the series and so far, is a recommended jumping point for those curious about the franchise. The addition of "targets," which are three special goals you can fulfill in each stage for extra experience, weapons and character unlocks, add an extra layer of depth to every battle, and just to confirm for fellow fans of homosexuality everywhere -- Zhang He is gayer than ever. Whoever does his voice in DW6 absolutely fucking nailed it.

Right, that's that. Expect the full Destructoid review in a few days.