Developer: KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD
Platforms: PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Genre: Action
Publisher: KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD
Release Date: October 19th
First off, I’m new to the Warriors Orochi series, this all brand new to and I’m good with that. I don’t know the back story but the cutscenes give an indicative sense of the level of chaos and the peril in the Warrios Orochi world. I’m all for impending doom and the battle one has to engage in to defeat the over burdening odds. An overwhelming sense of gloom and the apocalypse underpin the game. There are lot of cutscenes and story boards that go into more depth about the goings of the world. I however would prefer to get the most enjoyable part of the game, the hack and slash.
The gameplay is centred around huge swathes of people trying to kill you and your band of merry(or not so merry) squad. This is where the game excels, the sheer numbers of enemies and the chaos that ensues on the screen is something to behold. Tons of soldiers just battling and dying on an epic proportion. As you slash through enemies left, right and centre, you power up, gain massive combos and just sheer enjoyment from the button mashing melee that is Warrior Orochi. There is something to be said for sticking to a style of gameplay and just embracing it. It’s simple to pick and play, you don’t need to invest a huge amount of time to have a real sense of the game and progress through levels. However, the issue with the gameplay is the lack of depth, I know you can level up and customise your characters but repeating a few button combinations over and over is repetitive and can become hard work.
The game is set in a series of feudal Japanese castles and just open barren landscapes where you roam for very little time before more frenetic battles begin again. Look, feel and design all complement the story, it’s very Japanese focused from the menus, to the world and character design and detail. Level of graphical detail of throughout the story, also, the ability to change the music for each level if you wish so. The character design and enemies are delivered well and add a distinct Japanese flair to the presentation.
The only real downside is the abundant inter-team interaction(s) and cut scenes, mainly where the dialogue has to be read and a lack of audio and video is present, the audio and visual would deliver a better narrative. I understand it’s a certain genre of game which uses this style of storytelling but I prefer audio and acted out cutscenes as opposed lots of just dialogue text which require you to click next 50 times or more.
Overall the game delivers an immersive world which is well crafted with lots of actions. The combos, bosses and killing is all well worth hours of your day. However, the gameplay can get somewhat repetitive but there is a huge element of fun. Too much dialogue detracts from the action elements of the game. The game is worthy of the hack slash genre with emphasis on well designed and a fun packed game. There isn’t much depth to the game though but I still enjoyed playing it.
Overall: 6/10
Enjoys more than the odd game, long time gamer, somewhat a technologist and everything else in between.
Also enjoys a good solid game of FIFA online. Currently PS4, XBOX 360 and STEAM.
