Dynasty Warriors 7 returns again to the fall of the Han Dynasty, and this time follows through to the end of the Three Kingdoms Era. Follow the story of three rebellious states that overthrew the Chinese Emperor in a conflict that sparked gigantic battles; just the kind that the Dynasty Warriors series is known for. In addition, play for the first time as the Jin faction, the family and companions of Sima Yi who would found the Jin Dynasty.

Similarly to Dynasty Warriors 4, the story mode features only the stories of each faction (Wei, Wu, Shu, and Jin), although the playable character changes from level to level. In Conquest mode the player chooses a character and fights their way across a map of China, completing battles with special objectives and winning stat points and new weapons. Enemy officers can be befriended and will join the player in combat. Characters can now equip nearly any weapon in the game, although they have affinities for certain weapons over others. The two equipped weapons can be switched between in real time, activating a switch attack and extending combo attacks.