Samurai Warriors 4
Action game has few new features, very repetitive play.
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Samurai Warriors 4
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Samurai Warriors 4 is a hack-and-slash action game where players mercilessly engage in ground combat against hundreds of enemy soldiers. Loosely based on the real-life period of unrest in Japan known as the Sengoku period, players use swords as well as fantastical larger-than-life attacks to take out dozens of enemies at a time. The enemy soldiers simply disappear when defeated; there's no blood shown. Female warriors also engage in combat, and some have revealing outfits that don't make sense in the midst of a battlefield. Outside the main gameplay are a couple scenes that depict characters drinking and smoking. Players also will need to pay attention due to the constant action erupting around them in combat; though the controls are easy to learn, knowing which attacks to use and when are important to success.
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What’s It About?
SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 is loosely based on the historical Sengoku period in Japan, a 140-year span of social unrest, warfare, and conflict. Players fight as members of the clan that wants to bring Japan to a state of peace and social justice. Though the story line and other aspects of the game (for example, female warriors engaging in combat) aren't historically accurate, players are given the opportunity to select from 55 warriors to bring one into combat, fighting through a sizable number of soldiers to accomplish objectives. Players gain the option to perform Hyper Attacks, new powerful moves that clear enemies away from their warrior, as well as use Rage mode, which makes players invincible for a short amount of time. Players also can create a warrior to insert their own heroes into battles.
Is It Any Good?
Samurai Warriors 4 is full of repetitive play, which is a typical feature for a hack-and-slash game. Gameplay is packed with continual warfare, with cut scenes between missions to advance the story. With action like this, there needs to be a number of factors to help break the monotony of play, such as a compelling tale, a varied set of attacks, and a large cast of characters. Samurai Warriors 4 just manages to meet these requirements. The highlight of the "rinse/repeat" fights are a series of larger-than-life "lightning moves," which triggers a customized animation that provides instant gratification as your hero cuts a swath through enemy forces. But even features such as the new Hyper Attacks and Rage mode don't vary the action enough to keep the attention of anyone but fans of historic Japanese conflicts or nonstop button-mashing action.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in this game and wars in general. Why do countries go to war? How have past wars helped mold today's society?
Do you think conflicts in the world today are different from what they were in medieval times? How?
Are all soldiers heroes if they believe they're fighting for the right cause?
Game Details
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: KOEI
- Release date: October 21, 2014
- Genre: Fighting
- Topics: Adventures, History
- ESRB rating: T for Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Last updated: October 15, 2021
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