Arslan: The Warriors of Legend Reviews
In most other regards Arslan is a fairly standard Warriors experience, but between the strong, epic, narrative, gorgeous setting, and the varied bunch of really enjoyable characters there is more than enough here to justify its place among Koei Tecmo's growing stable of licensed work. Even those who haven never had anything to do with Arslan before can get right into this one, and given that the game was developed as part of a cross-media initiative to try and develop the franchise globally, I can't see this being anything but a resounding success in that goal.
It's a bit lighter in content than some other Musou titles with more history, but Arslan: The Warriors of Legend improves the formula with a stronger, focused story based on the anime. Arslan anime fans and Dynasty Warriors fans should find a good time here. If you've ever wanted to take up a sword and slaughter hundreds of enemies, Arslan is your game.
If you can stomach a few minor issues that add up over time, Arslan: The Warriors of Legend will be your huckleberry. True to Warriors form there's plenty of collectibles to find, new weapons to discover, online and offline co-op, and a free-play mode. Like nearly every Omega Force game before it, I'll be playing this one for quite some time.
Minor bugs start to stack up in Arslan: The Warriors of Legend, and they wind up sucking some of the air out of a fun Warriors game. Omega Force definitely has the formula for fun down pat, and they captured the essence of the series, so check it out if you're a fan of the source material.
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is an exceptional crossover with the Warriors series, standing just behind last year's Dragon Quest Heroes as the best the franchise has to offer. It wouldn't be surprising if this was the first entry to pull players in with a heavy focus on narrative elements, as its retelling of the 25-episode anime arc is filled with interesting details and lovable characters. It plays well too, brushing off a couple of frustrating technical issues with more of the outrageous hack-and-slash military action players have come to love — including the revival of combat on horseback and a few new elements, such as the over-the-top chain-building Marsdan Rush. Whether you've been a dedicated fan of the anime since the first episode or haven't yet been exposed to the wonders of Arslan, there's a ton to see and enjoy in Koei Tecmo's interpretation of the Crown Prince's kingdom.
For fans of the manga, anime series, or of the Dynasty Warriors franchise, this game is an absolute winner.
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend takes the Warriors formula and franchise in a new direction, but the core gameplay is largely familiar.
Give it 20 minutes and I guarantee you won't put it down for the next 4 hours
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is a crowd-pleaser of a game. Although it has a more open-ended conclusion since it follows the series so closely, the more cohesive story and seamless transition between gameplay and cut scenes make the title feel more substantial. The new mechanics make this a deeper game when compared to its forebearers, and while some legacy issues still exist, they aren't enough to drain the fun from the game. This is a game worth checking out for lapsed and current Musou fans as well as those who want to see what happens when you add a good story to hack-and-slash game mechanics.
Another combat-heavy title that doesn't really offer anything different than other Omega Force titles, but the story is certainly worth following and Arakawa's artwork is stunning.
Arslan: Warriors of Legend does a great deal more right than it does wrong, but you would likely already need to be fan of the Koei Warriors games to think so. While the improvements this entry has over typical Warriors games are a big plus and make this title more accessible to players unfamiliar with the content it's based on, they also shine a brighter light on where the developers are not evenly spreading their attention to detail. The right combination of patches and DLC could possibly make this one of the best Warriors games yet, but the unlikelihood of that happening makes this just another example of action game mediocrity; albeit an exceptional one.
Arslan is a warrior's game and its roots are obvious. The fact that it is extremely story driven though, really gives me a sense to keep moving forward and I constantly found myself playing "just one more battle". It's not changing up the formula that much and that's fine in my opinion, but the story hook was there.
When it comes to my Dynasty Warriors style kicks, I still prefer the much more stylish Dragon Quest Heroes and Hyrule Warriors. However, Arslan is a decent choice in its own right, despite its technical flaws and slightly repetitive gameplay. Some of the tactics introduced here are dazzling, and the story goes much further than your usual Warriors fare. On top of that, it's a good time with a friend who's savvy when it comes to killing enemies by the dozens. Add some extra points to the score if you're a fan of Arslan, because this game specifically goes the extra mile for you.
In short, Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is a great addition to the franchise despite minor problems that might annoy new players or those that are playing for the source material. It won't convince anybody that has hated the many, many games up until this point, but it doesn't really even need to.
If you're a fan of either Arslan or Dynasty Warriors, you'll probably like this game. Otherwise, it doesn't offer much else that other, more robust titles in the series couldn't provide.
Omega Force's latest Warriors anime spin-off adapts an unlikely show that proves to be a surprisingly suitable fit.
Arslan boasts great story and character concepts woven beautifully between stunning action sequences. Gameplay is straightforward, but a diverse cast of playable characters prevents too much monotony. The game is thoroughly enjoyable; however, a short campaign and lack of overall content will leave you wanting much more for your $60.
While not innovative, Arslan: The Warriors of Legend manages to be yet another well crafted musou from Omega Force. It might not have the depth of others entries gameplay wise, but the narrative is compelling enough to keep players entertained.
A gorgeous version of the immortal Warriors formula
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is another solid take on the Warriors formula, one with a clear, and above all else, focus on bringing the anime's entertaining story to life in an action filled video game.