What you are
about to read is a review for another game bearing the "Warriors" name. You
will not be surprised to learn that it is technically a rehash of every other
Warriors game in existence, albeit Dynasty or Samurai. You also won’t be
surprised to see that the graphics haven’t changed, and that the mission goals
are the same as they were five years ago. Samurai Warriors 2 is exactly what
it appears to be with one exception: this time the technology powering the
game actually works.
Starting
with similar/familiar environments, Samurai Warriors 2 thrusts players into a
world of slaughter-or-be-slaughtered. You say you just killed 200
sword-swinging scumbags? Well, here are 200 more! That’s the series’
mantra and it’s not likely to change in the next few ye- Make that ever.
The least
they could do is make the experience a little more enjoyable. Samurai Warriors
2’s does this with a solid camera system. It’s not perfect. The series still
has a long way to go before I can say it "got it right," but at least it has
begun to move in the right direction.
At any time
during the game players can spin and tilt the camera however they please. This
doesn’t completely eliminate angle issues, but it gives you as much freedom
and flexibility in changing the angle as possible. You’ll be tempted to fool
with the camera anytime a cluster of enemies is near, and not always because
it’s necessary. Sometimes you’ll just want to take a peak at what’s happening
around you and see if the game holds up.
Amazingly it
does. While dozens of enemies are getting kicked, pushed, swiped and shoved
around the land, the camera stays under your control. Slow-down is minimal,
and generally nonexistent. The frame rate wasn’t particularly fast to begin
with, but I hate to look a gift horse in the mouth. Consistency is a must for
any game, and this one has it.
You’ll have
to look pretty hard, but there are some new features to be found in Samurai
Warriors 2. Players will be able to boost ally morale by taking control of
enemy castles. What this boils down to is more enemy destruction. The blue
portion of the map shows the locales you command, while the red portion
indicates where the enemy currently resides. The more blue, the better.
To be
honest, I can’t remember if this feature has been in a Warriors game before.
It’s supposed to be new, but I always go in and do the same thing – defeat
every enemy in sight. If ally morale had been boosted by my swift performance
before, there’s really no way I would have known it unless the game told me. I
don’t spend much time thinking about morale unless I’m losing. I focus on the
kills and how many I can get.
From
Hack-n-Slash To…Monopoly?
Samurai
Warriors 2 features an all-new mini-game: Sugoroku. It’s a virtual board game
that, amazingly, doesn’t leave you feeling bored. Using a multi-tap, up to
four players can participate. Don’t have four friends handy? You may also
choose to have computer-controlled opponents in a game.
The game is
set up with a series of squares, each connected from the side or diagonally.
You may select any character as your board game piece, an aspect that should
be considered before jumping in. While the majority of your actions will
involve pointing and clicking on a turn-based level, you will eventually have
to fight other players (in real-time, Samurai Warriors-style).
Every
participant begins at his/her home base, which is designated by the color
that’s been assigned to each player. The goal is to obtain a certain dollar
amount, $5,000 being the minimum. You do this by dispersing your color, and
you do that by snapping up land before your opponents can get to it. Land is
given a dollar value based on quality, its location, and on how much you’ll
earn when opponents land on it. By now you should be picturing a variation of
Monopoly. If so you’re on the right track.
Movement is
based on a roll of the dice. Special points on the board may allow you to roll
again, or acquire a few extra movements. Land on an opponent’s piece of land
and you’ll have to pay the owner a fee. You may choose not to pay, but this
option is limited and triggers one of several different challenges. Win the
challenge by meeting its goal (collect the most gold, defeat the most enemies
fleeing an area, etc.) and you’ll take over that piece of land. Lose and
you’ve just wasted one of your challenge shots, an item you’re not going to
want to give up frivolously.
Though I’m
not fond of all the challenges (they can be a bit clunky), Sugoroku is a fun
party game that should appeal to a wide range of players, whether you like
Mario Party, the normal Samurai Warriors gameplay, or just want an easy-going
time-killer.
Polygonally Challenged
The new CGs
are pretty impressive. They feature realistic-looking characters, superb
texturing, and fluid animation.
However, the
in-game animations, in-game character models, and in-game environment detail
remain the same. Minor tweaks and slight aesthetic changes – which are rarely
apparent – do not create a "new" experience. In fact, in the last 10 or so
Warriors games released, I’ve yet to see the series make the leap from grainy,
mediocre backgrounds to lush, organic environments that would make us pause in
awe. You won’t explore any locales worth remembering, let alone find one
that’s worthy of a raised eyebrow.
Don’t
misunderstand – graphics do not affect video games so greatly that a lack
thereof means a lack of entertainment. You might still find part of the
gameplay to be memorable, especially if this is your first outing with the
series (not just Samurai Warriors, but Dynasty Warriors as well). I say that
every time I review a Warriors game, don’t I?
I would
imagine that the Xbox 360 version finally takes care of the graphic issues,
giving the series a much-needed facelift. Still, I have to wonder – why not
take advantage of the PS2’s full potential before moving onto the next
generation? The current system has more power than this series has ever used.
More of
the Same, But…
If more is
what you want, go for it. Samurai Warriors 2 follows in its predecessors’
footsteps by staying on course. It’s not vastly different, nor does it
approach any form of innovation. For me, a gamer that has been with the
Dynasty and Samurai Warriors series from the beginning, it’s hard not to want
something new. Hopefully the next game will finally make the leap to
innovation. At the very least, evolution. If not – then we’ll be right back
here, hacking and slashing the same enemies as always.
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Gameplay: 6.8
Samurai Warriors
2’s improved camera, controls and other tweaked elements make the game much
more enjoyable. They do not, unfortunately, have the power to mix up the
gameplay and diminish its repetitions. The series has been WYSIWYG* from the
beginning. You’ll fight warrior after warrior, button mash after button mash.
*What you
see is what you get.
Graphics: 4
Impressive CG
movies are external – they have no influence on what the actual game looks
like. Unfortunately, Samurai Warriors 2’s intestines don’t look too good. The
environments are so bland you can barely tell them apart. That’s one of
several visual flaws you’ll encounter, flaws that fans of the series have been
encountering for years. The animations haven’t changed, and the constant
gameplay interruptions are at best an annoyance. I’ve got nothing against
samurai warriors who wish to strut their stuff. But could you keep it on the
sidelines and stop interrupting my combos to show me what you think
you’ve got?
Sound: 6.0
Not the best
batch of voice-overs, nor does it have the most spellbinding soundtrack.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
While not as easy
as taking candy from a baby (which now that I think about it might not be that
easy – I’ve never tried), Samurai Warriors 2 is one of the easiest
button-mashers you’ll play.
Concept: 6.0
The same old
formula. Samurai Warriors 2 has a few tweaks here and there, and a few
gameplay elements that aimed to make the experience more dynamic. Sugoroku is
cool but it’s just a mini-game – aside from that, this is still Dynasty
Warriors. Or Samurai Warriors, in this case. The name doesn’t matter much when
the contents are nearly identical.
Multiplayer: 7.0
Sugoroku is the
first of its kind – a fun (and potentially lengthy, depending on your
settings) ‘board game’ that is best described as Monopoly meets Samurai
Warriors. It’s a crazy idea works really well. Gamers who don’t necessarily
like the Warriors series could easily find themselves intrigued by this mode.
Overall: 6.8
Samurai Warriors
2 has come at a time when current-gen sequels should be putting their best
foot forward. If I were new to the series … But you know that already, and I’m
not. The camera is a necessary improvement, though it’s one that should’ve
been done a long time ago. I like the Sugoroku party game, but I wouldn’t buy
a game bearing the "Warriors" name just to play it. This is supposed to be
about the action, not how well it can one-up Mario Party.
All
additions and slight improvements aside, SW2 is still pretty much the same
thing all over again. It’s worth renting if you love the series, and if you’re
new to it, there couldn’t be a better time to jump in. But if you’ve had your
fill, just pass – and hope for a more advanced PS3 sequel.
