SAMURAI WARRIORS: Spirit of Sanada Reviews
'Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada' is frustrating due to its total lack of challenging gameplay. The game makes several mistakes that diminish from the potential this title could have met, making the whole thing feel like a waste.
Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada attempts to shake things up with a bigger emphasis on RPG elements and a more personal story, but it doesn't always hit the mark. Seeing events unfold from the perspective of just a few characters does make for an interesting and engaging narrative, but the pacing is bogged down by boring filler missions. Likewise, chopping huge historical battles into bite-sized chunks adds depth to each scenario, but the epic scale and the thrill of thriving battlefields are lost in the process. Spirit of Sanada certainly isn't a bad game, but it is one of the weaker Warriors titles on PS4.
Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada is a fun and heavy slasher game, where you'll mow down thousands of enemies in the spirit of war and blood letting. The game captures so much of what makes the Samurai Warriors series well loved, while bringing in a few new features and environmental adaptations that allow the game to stand on its own. Several issues with balance and presentation betray an otherwise solid game.
That said, the combat system remains completely untouched since Samurai Warriors 4 and for all is minor tweaks and nuances, time's running out for this ageing brand of battlefield action. Even long-time fans will agree that, after being pulled in just about every direction, the series desperately needs to move on. No pressure, then, Dynasty Warriors 9.
Because of its characters, Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada is more recommended than the franchise before. Musou genre doesn't allow so many novelties, but we like de RPG elements..
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I grew bored pretty quick, though that may just be my jaded outlook. If you don't feel beaten down by slashing your way through another sweeping battle, this may be the game for you. If you've related to my weariness for the genre, this one will only exasperate the feeling.
There are some faults which prevent it from becoming a truly standout title, but it’s a no-brainer for fans and those who are interested the Sengoku era of Japan.
Another entry in the Warriors franquice. A nice way to learn about the history of Japan while button mashing our stress away. More of the same for the people who likes the formula, too bad it lacks multiplayer.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
If you can overlook the repetition and poor optimisation in favour of mowing down countless soldiers in increasingly spectacular fashion, you'll find one of the more entertaining history lessons in recent times.
Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada is a competent addition to the Koei Tecmo hack and slash catalog of action games. But it doesn't reinvent the wheel.
If you are fans of the musou genre you will probably enjoy this title, but if you already dislike them it won't change your mind.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada is at least a somewhat fresh take on the Warriors system. It's still enjoyable and it offers some new elements, even if the overall affair is what we've come to expect from these games. Some major added benefits though include the game's more polished graphics and ability to render even more enemies on screen. It makes some of those battles truly feel gigantic.
The extra weight added by the RPG side of things and the dungeon-style challenges means that Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada has more to recommend the franchise than before. Whether it'll be enough to draw new players in, however, remains to be seen.
As someone thoroughly tired and uninterested in anything Musou, I can say without hesitation that Spirit of Sanada did very little in changing my opinion on the genre. Having said that, the focus on telling a tighter, more involved story along with the addition of a variety of RPG elements is a step in the right direction and deserves praise- hopefully pointing towards a renaissance for the genre.
Come for the historical Japanese setting and story, stay for the pleasing, fast-paced combat. Spirit of Sanada puts combat, its best asset, front-and-centre, and it pays off.
Battles are massive multi-stage affairs with thousands of enemies onscreen, and even when you're bored with fighting, there is a breadth of additional content to enjoy. Whether you're engaging in the game's encyclopedia or exploring the countryside and mini-games, there is a lot to consume for the history buffs and Musou fans out there. That's if you can get past the graphics and engine that--much like the story--are remnants of an era bygone.
This Samurai Warriors spin-off feels outdated in many aspects, but it is fun to play and offers deep strategic options for a "musou" game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada works best as a companion piece to the main game that released a few years ago. The focus on one family of fighters is perfect, since it gives the team time to develop a real story instead of using a larger cast for broader tales. The core action remains just as good as before, but the new minigames and exploration sections fail to elicit the same type of excitement, especially with some of the caveats in play for the secondary characters you pick up along the way. For fans of the series looking for more story, Spirit of Sanada works, but only if you play it after an entry in the main series.
Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada is a compelling historical tale of love, betrayal and trust featuring the Sanada clan.
Kermath received a digital copy of Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada from Koei Tecmo for review.