POSTED 7/11/14


SAMURAI WARRIORS 4

Koei Tecmo

MMMmmm... miso! Pickly, Japanesey, seasoning-infuser of soup. What? “Musou”? D’oh!

Take a full-on soapy-soapie like Dallas. Set it in 17th century Japan. Mix in a healthy dose of real feudal history. Fold in mass horde hacking action. Turn it up to 11. Hello Samurai Warriors! Erm, 4.

If you’ve never had the pleasure, much like its sister bloodbath Dynasty Warriors, except that’s set in China, Samurai Warriors 4 really pulls off what’s in that paragraph that’s directly above this one – so much so that we’re not sure it needs more description.

But we’ll give you some anyway. Classic warriors and battles they battled are recreated, into which your choice of two characters are plopped to make history happen. Again. Going solo? You play as one character, and can assign various tasks to another, whereby they’ll toddle off and sometimes do as they’re told. If they don’t you can body swap with them and get the job done. Got two people on the couch? Split-screen baby – and online’s supported here, too.

While button mashing delivers some gleeful satisfaction just from the sheer volume of marauding sword-wielders you can slaughter, there’s actually a reasonably complex combo system for the patient (or those wishing to play any mode other than ‘easy’ without being mutilated). Add to this numerous combos, which increase in efficacy the further you advance, plus powers gained from levelling up, and there’s much to learn. Enough to require removing that cranium crayon, grasshopper.

55 characters feature, each with their own special moves. Who’s available for which mission depends on historical factors, so you can’t always get what you want character-wise. Well, unless you’re Bill and/or Ted, in which case you probably could wangle it.

If the thought of fabulously-presented violent and relentless historic crowd control with strategic elements appeals, then Samurai Warriors 4 really shouldn’t be misoed – shimatta-baka-ni!

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