Arslan: The Warriors of Legend Reviews
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: 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.
Give it 20 minutes and I guarantee you won't put it down for the next 4 hours
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend takes the Warriors formula and franchise in a new direction, but the core gameplay is largely familiar.
For fans of the manga, anime series, or of the Dynasty Warriors franchise, this game is an absolute winner.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is yet another fine example of what Koei Tecmo can do with their standard Warriors formula, and tweak it just enough so it works for a completely separate licenced property.
Whereas the core of Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is nothing new, it brings enough flair to the table so that it feels like it could be new. If any Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors, or Warriors Orochi fans have been looking for another great example of the hack and slash genre, this is definitely it.