Just as sports games get their annual updates, so do the titles in Koei’s long running Dynasty Warriors series. After shifting the game’s focus from China to Japan, the Samurai Warriors series was born and as we are set to enter spring, Koei has sprung Samurai Warriors 2 Empires onto the Playstation 2.
Unfortunately, much like the Dynasty series, aside from Empire’s pre-action strategic setups to the game’s massive battles, nothing sets the new title apart from others in the series. As the series definitely begins to show its age after its humble PS2 Dynasty Warriors 2 origins, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires may please hardcore fans of the series but with the core mechanics of the game play go unchanged, owners of the first Samurai title will find little reason to put money down on this version.
As you may have guessed, SW2E details historic Japanese eras and battles in a campaign mode that sees players taking over as much territory as they can in order to have their clan rule over Japan. With the Empires tagline, Koei implements a dose of strategy into the title with Japanese culture cards, 50 of which are new in SW2E, that issue commands and political policies.
Different formations raise army stats in battle, taxes rake in precious gold from the citizens, and offers for employment can net valuable allies and more. Players will have to balance what types of policies they enact as their own clan can rebel against them if they carry out too many unfavorable actions. On the other hand, the nation’s people will be more eager to join defensive stands if favorable actions are carried out.
There are a ton of neat options to fiddle around with in micromanagement fashion if players are inclined to do so, but, of course, the main staple of the game is in its over-the-top warfare action. In beat ‘em up style, the game play revolves around multiple button presses in order to lay the smack down on thousands of soldiers on the battlefield. By tackling gate captains, officers, bases and more, the morale of the opposition sinks as the army falls apart and makes the general an open target.
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