One Piece: Unlimited World Red Reviews
One Piece Unlimited World Red offers simple but refined brawler play, and boasts attractive anime-styled scenery throughout, though it still eventually runs out of tricks to conceal the fact that it's a repetitive beat-em-up. The only thing close to a puzzle to be found is the tricky goals to be met in tougher side-quests, and those still require the same combat and exploration skills. But with a mix of varied characters, as well as three difficulty options and a slew of side-missions and Battle Coliseum challenges, Unlimited World Red is not short on ways to extend your play.
One Piece Unlimited World Red offers great combat, even if the battles occur in dull places.
For what it is, One Piece: Unlimited World Red is a solid game.
One Piece Unlimited World Red is a very standard action game that won't excite masters of the genre, but it has more than enough charm to make up for its simplicity. It also certainly helps that it's an original story, so hardcore fans of the manga or show will want to get in on Red even at a discount just to experience more Straw Hat goodness.
Next to games like Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle, Unlimited World Red is a real disappointment.
If One Piece is a series you follow, my words aren't going to impact your choice to buy this. But if, like me, you're new to the series, Unlimited World Red is surprisingly enjoyable. It's all silly and over the top, full of daft enemies and exaggerated characters, and it positively screams "I am a game! Have fun with me!" Sometimes, though, that's exactly what you want.
For fans of the series though, it's not a difficult recommendation — the game is passable on it's own merit, but filled with many nods to established characters and events that One Piece enthusiasts will love. Overall, this title goes some way to take the series away from some of the mis-steps in its past.
Unlimited World Red is a good example of a licensed game done well. If you're a One Piece fan, you'll be in high-seas heaven; the gang's all here, they look and sound great, and the gameplay — while it has its issues — provides a solid foundation for the adventure. Poor camera controls and some repetitive design dampen the experience, and will be harder to swallow for non-fans, but even players who can't tell a Straw Hat from a straw hat can enjoy the the bright, high-energy action and colourful characters.
Overall this game is a must have for fans of the series and newcomers will enjoy how easy it is to jump in and play. I would advise newcomers to keep up with the anime in order to get the full experience but since the game has an original story, it isn't much of a requirement. Aside from the Coliseum Mode, this has to be one of the greatest One Piece games I've played yet.
I have more good memories than bad with One Piece: Unlimited World Red, but speaking frankly this still isn't the title to pull the series from its pit of "okay experiences". It's more than a step in the right direction, it's a big jump forward and can be engaging and fun for the right people, but it's still not the well-polished and considerate creation the franchise needs to really make an impression on the videogame market. I really want this series to have a solid hit, but this still isn't quite the one.
Of course, I would have to recommend this game to the One Piece fans. It is possibly the best One Piece game out there, and most certainly the best one I have played. Yes, the camera is a wild animal that sometimes refuses to be tamed and the simplistic combat can get slightly boring at times, but the amount of different content mixed with tons of different characters makes it an interesting game to try out, even for non-One Piece fans. It's just a decent game overall.
Fans should know that they won't have to scour the seven seas to find the treasures that One Piece: Unlimited World Red has buried beneath its somewhat rough exterior. Alas, even if you're not an honorary member of the Straw Hats, Luffy's latest outing proves to be an accessible, well rounded, and enjoyable action RPG – although we daresay that the title's tried and tested gameplay structure would better suit the handheld version of the release.
Overall a decent game, but fails to distinguish itself in any particular area.
Once you grow tired of the story, there's the Battle Coliseum Mode, featuring exciting match-ups with even more familiar faces and a growing challenge as you increase in rank. There are different types of matches to choose from including special matches where characters are often predetermined, 1v1's, all-out brawls and more. The coliseum is a great place to get used to each character, especially since there are no penalties for losing or surrendering.
One Piece Unlimited World Red is a decent action-RPG. It has a solid fighting system intact that leads the way, though it does need some work, and a building/gathering element to it that will add some longevity to the overall gameplay. One Piece fans will appreciate it, but newbies might want to give it a rent before jumping at it.
[F]ans have a reason to rejoice.
Ultimately, One Piece Unlimited World Red is a game for the fans. It's let down by repetitive combat and weird design decisions, but those looking to join Luffy and crew on a fun romp through some uncharted waters will find a lot to like here, even if it is a little stretched out.
Overall, One Piece: Unlimited World Red feels like a game made for fans of the series, and ultimately, they're the only people we can consider recommending this game to. Anyone unfamiliar with One Piece will have a tough time completely understanding what is going on and who every character is, and this really hinders its accessibility. While the character models and the variety in locales are real high points for the game, the combat and repetitive level structure make the game a complete bore to play through by the halfway point. Fans of One Piece may get a kick out of One Piece: Unlimited World Red, but newcomers should look elsewhere.
Hopefully that time will come, but for the latest One Piece video game, there is enough here to feel like you've had your worthwhile, you'll just wish that the final product was more masterfully crafted than what's on offer here.
The lack of a Wii U function let this down for me. If I was playing the PlayStation version I would have less complaints. But overall One Piece: Unlimited World Red is a fun game, has loads to offer and any One Piece fan would love it.