Warriors Orochi

Koei's apologists will find Warriors Orochi to be an affable bit of fan service, but everyone else should just stay far away.

"While most of the demo was spent running about and slashing demons with basic three to four hit combos, there will be an opportunity for mounted combat, though it's unclear as to how much of the full game will be devoted to horseback. Our primary concern that arose after playing, however, was the immensely bland nature of the environments. The mansion-like fortress we fought through had no furniture in it at all; it was quite literally empty and could only be described as a series of corridors and stairwells. While this may not bother some players, most recent games contain at least a certain degree of destructible objects and environments, to enhance the realism of the battle. Perhaps we'll see more detail later in the game."

Warriors Orochi should certainly snag (and clench, with a steely grip) the attention of Warriors fans who want to team up their favorite characters from across the Warriors generations. However, we'd be hesitant to recommend this to the common passerby. The impressive roster and tremendous leveling opportunities may still delight hardcore level-grinding enthusiasts (anyone?), but the overall experience is hurt by the problems we mentioned before, since the repetitive nature of the title isn't broken up or regulated in any way (with mini-games and the like). And of course, the presentation of the battlefield leaves something to be desired, because combat of such great magnitude should certainly be more chaotic and pleasing to the eye, but it's not. Most of the soldiers end up standing around and looking bored. Proceed cautiously with this one. It's certainly not terrible, but it's not a great action game either. As with any videogame related matter: the choice is yours.

"Technically things are pretty decent, although the game does lack finesse in its presentation, which is not surprising given the [relative] budget production."