Musou Mode

Musou Mode is a mode in the Dynasty Warriors games where several stages are strung together to be played through. The specifics of this mode have evolved throughout the series.

In DW2, all members of the same kingdom play through the same 5stages, but you play through as each officer to unlock more officers to play as.

In DW3, the number of stages increased to 7, and the stages played were customized to that warrior. Also, with DW3:XL, the Other characters were given Musou modes, as they had previously only been playable in free mode. Their modes served as what if scenarios and strayed largely from history.

The mode was changed up in DW4, with the musou mode being for a whole kingdom, and characters could be changed in between stages. This mode had more, smaller stages, as well as secret stages and characters that could be unlocked. The Other characters were divided into their own forces for Yellow Turbans, Dong Zhuo's Forces, Lu Bu's Forces, and the Nanman, and had their modes shortened so they would not become to farfetched.

DW5 returned to the DW3 method, and shrunk it back down to 5 stages for most characters, 8 for Cao Cao, Sun Jian, Liu Bei, and Zuo Ci, and 4 for the Other characters. Each characters mode was made more unique, with before battle cutscenes and briefings where the warriors discussed their thoughts and were commented on by their superiors, and each character got their own unique ending cinema. This mode also stayed relatively accurate, changing as little as possible often by ending the mode around the time of the warriors death, unlike previous titles which would have the warrior win a decisive battle putting their kingdom in charge, and providing alternatives when the outcome is different.