The game has 2 modes of play. The usual "free" mode which is essentially the pickup and play mode where you select a section of the map then pick your generals and lieutenants (up to 3 of each) then go to battle. Then there's "empire" mode where you become a Japanese feudal lord. You are assigned a fief and from here it is your job to expand your territory. The fun part is that how you do it is up to you. You can use force, diplomacy or trickery as you build your army recruiting new generals, lieutenants, and boosting your number of troops.
During battle you can order your soldiers to protect a base, attack individual bases or generals, and defend another general or even yourself. The best part about this game is that your generals now level up with you and are no longer the sissy's whining for help that they were in the other games. On one occasion my round ended while I was off fighting a rival general my troops had already captured the main camp. Keep in mind that your opponents are no longer slouches either. You'll have to work a little to defeat them as the strength of the characters and AI has been revamped slightly. Formations are used in a rock paper scissors fashion. When they are employed they give you a stat boost however the army using the stronger formation is the only one to receive it.
The game does a good job making you feel like you are in charge of a powerful army. You can trade with China or Western nations; tax the people, train your generals and lieutenants, there are so many options as far as what you can do it would take forever to name them all.
So in summing up this game, SW2 Empires is still an upgrade package. Don't be fooled. It does however improve vastly with a strategy element and AI. So here's a comparison list so that you can make the decision
PROS:
essentially still running off of the Dynasty warriors engine
create a character feature
added strategy element
slightly tougher AI, your army now fights for themselves
CONS:
essentially still running off of the Dynasty warriors engine
not much variety in the battlefield maps
slightly tougher AI, you may have a little difficulty fighting your opponents in the beginning
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
When I first played this game, it was over four years ago at an old friend's house. He was really into the samurai genre of games, and he introduced me to this exciting world with this game. Some of you might think it's not a proper introduction, for there are better samurai games out there, but none like this one.Samurai Warriors 2: Empires is an expansion of the original SW2 game. The gameplay has been changed, with the major addition of the strategic element. You take your pick of famous historical events (such as the Battle of Kawanakajima and the Honnoji Incident)and choose your warrior and clan. The element of button-smashing your way through hordes of enemies is ever present, with few objectives along the way that help you turn the tide of war. Another new feature is the New Officer Mode, in which you can create a character of your own. Additional artwork and movies are unlockable with every progression of the game, which comes to be satisfactory.
Few things I would complain about this game is the lack of diversity and choices in the New Officer creator. One other thing I feel obligated to tell you (and basically warn you about!) is the horrendous voice work. Lame one-liners that will have you laughing at first then flinching in annoyance, to the point you learn to ignore and live with them.
I also feel this game could've been a bit more than it wanted, but for a new concept, it was done exceptionally well. The strategic a la Risk concept give it a good feel, as you impliment all sorts of cunning strategies to develope your clan. Your characters (both player created and in-game stock) level up at a good rate, unlocking more special moves and weapons. If you're into the button-smashing, thousands of enemies on the screen games, this is one worth giving a good look.If you can get over the few things that could've made this game a true gem of its time, SW2 Empires will keep you entertained for hours to come.
Best Deals for Samurai Warriors 2: Empires - PlayStation 2
I'm a big fan of the Dynasty Warriors series ever since my cousins introduced me to Romance of the 3 Kingdoms on nintendo and Dynasty Warriors 2. I love strategy games as well as some basic hack and slash games myself. Samurai Warriors actually was the first of the series to actually add some strategy to its basic hack and slash (Dynasty Warriors had pretty much none). Then they came out with the Empires series. I love this game. I love the fact that battles have to be fought with battle bases rather than just defeat the leader. I also love the fact that I can play with any of the minor Generals as well as create my own. I like the History lesson involved in this game. The game itself is still a basic hack and slash but with better elements such as setting up ambushes, winning over other generals in battle, taking particular bases that have certain effects working for you, formations during battle that give you either a advantage or disadvantage depending on which formation you and your oppenent has, better computer allies, and tougher opponents. Those who get bored with hack and slash elements could miss some of the finer points in this game when it comes to strategy. I look forward to more of the series with new characters and even more strategy while keeping the graphics up to date.. The graphics portion of this game is slightly better than those before but overal it hasn't changed. The sound and voice overs have gotten better(I havent heard Okuni's yet, Her last voice over was horrible!!). This game is great! I think it just keeps getting better. I recomend buying this game to fans of the 3 kingdoms series and Dynasty series as well as someone who wants to try a new game where the every battle isn't predetermined because of its replayability. This is a great game for a time burner as well as trying to achieve total conquest.This is the best game in the series so far. Lets see what they add next.
No comments:
Post a Comment