Samurai Warriors 4: Empires Reviews
Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is an interesting addition to the original games. It doesn't necessarily improve upon or replace them but offers a similar-but-different experience. Anyone who's long since burned out on Samurai Warriors 4 probably won't find Empires to be different enough to renew their interest, but newcomers to the genre or those who passed on Samurai Warriors II will find enough to like here. It lacks some of the addictive style of the classic Warriors games but makes up for it with increased tactical depth. It all comes down to defeating thousands of enemies by using absurd magical powers and even more absurd weapons, and that is where Warriors excels.
Samurai Warriors 4 Empires offers a great experience in the long running franchise, and stands out with the strategical aspects that the resource system and empire-ruling simulator provide. At first glance it might be annoying, but after a short while it becomes very charming and gives life and personality to the game in a way that would otherwise be difficult. The possibility to create characters is also a neat feature, and it gives the player the option of playing as a character they feel comfortable with, both visually and mechanically. This makes Samurai Warriors 4 Empires a game that is easy to recommend to fans of the franchise.
A fun - if forgettable - entry into a saturated genre which serves as a new 'timesink' for 'Empires' and 'Warriors' fans the world over and offers a range of intuitive systems which never quite find their feet and leave the average gamer bewildered and confused throughout.
If you’re already a fan of the Warriors series, this game is just more to love, and the strategy game on top of the battle system is a great addition to already solid gameplay. However, if you’re burned out on the series, there isn’t much here to make it worth coming back to.
Samurai Warriors 4 Empires is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it’s the same great 3D hack and slash action you’re used to, with more options to busy yourself with. On the other, it’s the same hack and slash action you’ve played before, with more options than may be necessary. This title itself is a solid addition to the series, but franchise fatigue could see Koei Tecmo's Warriors falling on their own swords.
Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is a good step in the right direction, with a lot more depth and strategics thanks to the Politics Phase. But the gameplay itself is still the same compared to the original and the graphics have not improved either.
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