Arslan: The Warriors of Legend Reviews
Omega Force's latest Warriors anime spin-off adapts an unlikely show that proves to be a surprisingly suitable fit.
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend takes the Warriors formula and franchise in a new direction, but the core gameplay is largely familiar.
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.
Overall, what we have here is your standard mixed bag. While people with patience for repetition without innovation or increased challenge, such as the audience of Cookie Clicker or Assassin's Creed, might see nothing wrong with Arslan, the truth is it could be a hell of a lot better, because the seeds of greatness are all here just waiting for something, anything, to help them sprout life.
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.
For those who love the novels, manga, and television show, this is perhaps the only Arslan game you'll ever get to play, unless a sequel is already in the works. Based on that fact alone, it's sure to reel in fans although other players may fail to see the appeal. Tear the anime-patterned wrapper away and what you have is essentially another iteration on the same aging format Omega Force has been peddling for years. In this case it has been slightly altered but not enough to conceal the franchise's ongoing fatigue as fewer bold ideas are brought to the table.
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.
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.
Fans of the genre will enjoy the game but won't find much in the way of innovation or differences than other musou's in their collections.
A lot of care and effort has been poured into Arslan: The Warriors of Legend's story mode, but the narrative focus has taken attention away from other aspects of the release. Outside of the plot, things are enjoyable but unspectacular, and by and large, the title feels like the basis for a better sequel. On this occasion, Omega Force's latest is like a commanding officer with no charisma – you can find respect for it, but you wouldn't follow it blindly into battle.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dynasty Warriors fans will know exactly what to expect from Arslan: The Warriors of Legend. Despite flashy visuals, great art, and a good story, the gameplay is par for the hack-and-slash course.
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.
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is a fun-albeit-short adaptation for fans of the anime and manga.
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 aims to pepper a re-telling of its anime source material with familiar Warriors-style battles, and that, for better or worse, is what it does. But this release lacks some of the absurd character flair, goofy thrash-rock soundtrack, and (dare I say) depth of the mainstream series.