Dynasty Warriors brings the popular action-adventure series to the PSP in its first fully 3D form. As an officer in a Chinese army (Wei, Wu or Shu armies), you fight and kill thousands of soldiers in massive battles stretched over numerous battlefields - either in the campaign "Musou" modes or the single battle "Free" mode which can be used to train.
Dynasty Warriors features a unique gameplay mechanic where each stage consists of a map split into numerous areas. The player selects an area they have access to, and if it has enemy units, a smaller version of the classic Dynasty Warriors battlefields will load. By eliminating enemy squads in each area, the area can be liberated, earning bonuses such as increased supply time. Characters gain experience points and level up as they defeat enemies.
A new feature in this PSP version is a bodyguard system, where your selected second officer can provide you with certain items or abilities, such as ensuring you always have a horse when entering an area, or granting special powered-up Musou attacks.