*~*~*Dynasty Warriors 4*~*~*

It's said that heroes appear in times of crisis.
The time was at the end of the 2nd century and the place was China.
To answer the call of the times, they have come.

Its cries rending the skies, the Phoenix soars.
Shaking the ground beneath its feet, the Tiger roars.
Piercing the clouds' veil, the Dragon rises to the heavens.

Wherever they go, there rains fire and destruction.
And so the age rages on:
There is none who can stop it.

Thus, the war between the Three Kingdoms has begun. Wei is a large kingdom that incorporates the Central Plains and Northern China, with its capital at Xu Chang. Driven by an intense ambition to rule all of China, Cao Cao has gathered many talented officers to serve under him and aid his conquest. Personally, after reading the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", I believe that the Kingdom of Wei holds the greatest military prowess there is. It has a large army and enough great generals to lead it. Cao Cao, cunning and deadly, leads this army to victory time after time and won't stop until he clears the threats that surrounds his ambition. Included in the Wei army are: Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Zhang He, Zhen Ji and Sima Yi. Together they are symbolized by the ferocious Tiger in the myth.

The Kingdom of Wu lies to the Southeast of the Chang Jiang river with its capital at Jian Ye. Founded by Sun Jian and expanded by his sons, Wu is supported by a mix of veteran officers and fresh young talent. I admire Wu because of the leaders born in this kingdom. The army is impressive and tactics seldom fail. They are composed of several great generals with astounding moves. One I enjoyed viewing is Sun Ce. Sun Ce is the eldest son of Sun Jian. Quick-footed and brave, this "Little Conqueror" won a lot of battles and truly a pride of Wu. Lu Xun also earned the title "devil's child" beacuse he possess an innocent face and devilish charm. Wu was believed to be the last Kingdom to prevail in the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". Included in the army of Wu are: Sun Quan, Sun Shang Xiang, Zhou Yu, Huang Gai, Zhou Tai and Lu Meng. They are symbolized by the soaring Phoenix in the myth.

Finally, Shu is a kingdom in the mountainous region of Western China with its capital at Cheng Du. Having endured the collapse of the old Han Dynasty, loyalists under Liu Bei dream of restoring the former glory of the Han. Liu Bei, the ruler of Shu, is a virtuous man whose dream is to restore Han. This kingdom is my favorite of the three. Their battles are astounding even in the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". It never failed to touch my heart; how these people fight for what they believe in. They are not just making one man's dream come true or fighting for kingdom expansion or for power. It's their hope and virtue which pushes them to the top. Among them are my favorites Zhao Yun and Zhuge Liang. Zhao Yun is one of the 5 tiger generals of Shu. His incredible bravery was often praised by Liu Bei. Zhuge Liang on the other hand is the most brilliant mind of his time. He served as Liu Bei's strategist after being honored three times by his visits. Even at the face of death, he served his kingdom well. Included in the Shu army are: Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Yue Ying, Wei Yan, Pang Tong and Jiang Wei. They are symbolized by the mighty Dragon.

^_^ Dynasty Warriors and the Three Kingdoms is a story of trust, loyalty, deceit and betrayal brought about by personal desires, genuine hopes and dreams. Romance and War may be opposite but they blend beautifully in this wonderful epic.^_^