Developer – Koei Tecmo
Publisher – Koei Tecmo
Platforms – Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC (Reviewed)
Review copy given by Publisher
Originally released back in 2014 , and then Released as a Deluxe Edition for Switch and PS4 in Japan in 2019, we finally got Samurai Warriors 4 DX on PC, but does this nearly 10-year-old game( 5 specifically for the deluxe edition) hold up to today’s PC gaming standards?
In case your are not familiar with the game, Samurai Warriors 4, known in Japan as Sengoku Musou 4, is a hack-and-slash game by Koei Tecmo. However, unlike past Samurai Warriors games, this one only has Japanese voiceovers (however it does have English subtitles).
Samurai Warriors 4 immerses players in Japan’s Sengoku period, blending historical events with romanticized narratives. Unlike its predecessors, the game follows historical accuracy, with no hypothetical scenarios, beginning with the battle of Itsukushima in 1555 and concluding with the siege of Osaka in 1614-1615.
However, before we get any further, I want to explain that the “Deluxe Edition” is mainly just the 150 previously released DLC’s, including costumes, weapons, customization parts, scenarios, BGM, and more. With the amount of DLC’s, it kinda leaves a sour taste in my mouth right off the bat, without even jumping into the game itself, Although it’s not as bad as some games with exclusive missions or added story being behind the “DLC paywall”.
I will give small props however, as in response to popular demand, Nobuyuki Sanada and Yoshitsugu Otani are among the many officers featured aswell as Takatora Todo, Naotora Ii, and Munenori Yagyu, who previously appeared only in Japanese releases, appear for the first time in the main “SAMURAI WARRIORS” series. Which kinda helps the games case ,… but wait, we haven’t yet talked about the gameplay and performance of this “Deluxe” Edition on PC yet.
As players struggle for unification through two main modes: Story Mode and Chronicle Mode , and players engage in battles of 1 vs 1,000, the game really shows what it is, which if you haven’t guessed it by now, I hate to tell you but the game isn’t really known for it’s story, as it’s just a never-ending hack and slash fest, depicting the battles of battle of Itsukushima and siege of Osaka.
Getting past the “story mode”, In Chronicle Mode, you are allowed to explore the world by completing various requests, meeting officers, and collecting items across different regions. You can customize the officers through the Create Character feature.
One feature however that is somewhat interesting, is the ability to switch between characters in real-time during battles, by setting detailed plans for the character not in use, players can orchestrate coordinated attacks and outmaneuver their foes.
Despite its re-release in the form of a “Deluxe Edition”, adorned with a plethora of DLCs, the game falls short of being anything more than just that … a bundle of DLC , which doesn’t offer much on top of the normal standard version of the game from back in 2014, other than some minor improvements. The graphics and performance are slightly better than its console release back in 2014, but it doesn’t help a game being 10 years old still feel like it’s worth the USD 49.99 price tag on Steam, with just some minor performance and graphical improvements from more powerful hardware, cause I’m going to be honest here the graphics still look like 2014.
While the fighting and combat aren’t the worst, in an era where players expect value from their purchases, Samurai Warriors 4 DX falls short, offering little beyond its initial premise. While the game may hold nostalgic appeal for fans of the series, it makes it difficult to recommend as a worthwhile addition to the modern PC gaming library, and if you wanna play the game, it’s probably a better idea to pick up the non-deluxe 2014 version used as it’s the same experience anyways.
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