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| Darby makes all my games fight to the death. |
For the past few months I've been on
quite a kick of gaming due largely in part to my still fresh
ownership of a PS4. One of the big questions I had when getting games
for the beast was which Warriors game to get? I've been a fan of the
series for a long time whether it be in Dynasty, Samurai, Orochi, or
one of the many other varieties. When I bought the PS4 there was no
doubt that either Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate or Samurai Warriors 4
would come home with me. Problem was, I couldn't find any articles
comparing the two titles for someone like me with somewhat limited
funds. Clearly the only answer was to get both. Now I'd say it's time
to remedy the failings of the internet and answer the question for
all you fine folks out there, especially since I thoroughly believe
you should own at least one of these games as well. Let's attack this
issue in categories.
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| Orochi 3 Ultimate |
Gameplay and Difficulty
If you've never played a warriors
title before, the general flow of gameplay involves running around a
battlefield, slaughtering minions by the hundreds (if not thousands)
while ensuring sub-missions and events are successfully completed in
order to win the battle. This involves a lot of button mashing but by
god is it ever satisfying to wipe out an entire battalion of troops
to turn the tide of battle in your favor.
Both games have their own version of
the fighting system. Orochi 3 offers the fullest variety of
old-school warriors fighting wherein you use light attacks to set up
combos with power attacks serving as different finishers. Also there
are character specific special moves that drain your musou bar, and
the musou attack itself which is a screen clearing monstrosity.
The Samurai style is similar except
power attacks have been changed to hyper moves that are great at
clearing crowds of grunts but terrible against stronger generals.
This offers two main lines of potential combos to work with. Not to
mention special moves no longer drain your power and there are two
levels of musou along with deeper features to break an enemies guard.
Another difference between the games
is the usage of teams. Orochi allows the use of a three-person team
that stays together while you switch between them for best results.
Samurai lowers it down to only two characters who can act
independently of each other on the map.
There's also separate systems for
weapon upgrades, item usage, and the sub-missions that effect
battles. Samurai is infinitely better at alerting you to changes in
the fight by actually pausing the action and showing you what's going
on and how best to deal with it. Orochi doesn't offer that kind of
hand holding which is part of the reason for its higher difficulty.
Consider it more a master class for the franchise with some stages
that have a good chance of beating your ass. Chances are, you'll lose
a stage or two in Samurai as well, just nowhere near as often. That
one also provides you with prizes from a lost fight, rather than
spitting you back onto the main menu.
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| Samurai Warriors 4 |
Story and Content
Storytelling has never been a
hallmark of this franchise but both these games take strides towards
remedying that situation with more cut scenes and dialog to help
flesh out the characters.
A large part of which story is better
depends on what kind of tales you enjoy. Orochi is a big chunk of
fan-fiction where folks from different eras and game series all join
together in order to defeat a world-ending hydra followed by a fox
demon.
Samurai showcases a more realistic
historical tale of the warring states period. There's still plenty of
dramatization and silliness but you get a pretty fair outline of how
this point in history played out.
Naturally the story influences the
amount of game you're getting. Thankfully both games provide
plentiful amounts of playtime. Orochi almost gives you too much bang
for you buck. Either way, you won't get cheated on content.
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| Orochi 3 Ultimate |
Visuals and Music
Samurai almost completely steals the
show in the looks and sound department thanks in part to it's new
game engine. It's not something you'd use to show off your new system
but it's still a looker. The music is a mix of techno and classic
Japanese tunes though there aren't quite enough tracks, so get ready
for some repeats.
Orochi 3 has a bit more music though
it's more of a techno/rock mixture that can go a little overboard.
Visuals are weaker but that should be expected as it's an updated
port of a PS3 title. Still; there have been some improvements to
things like lighting and draw distance to help it out.
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| Samurai Warriors 4 |
Extra Modes
Both games offer multiplayer along
with free mode which allows you to use any character you like in any
stage, regardless of their affiliation.
Orochi 3 has two unique modes on tap.
Duel turns the game into a of sort tag team arena fighter with a side
of card combat. It's an ok diversion but nothing Earth-shattering.
Gauntlet mode has much more to offer by giving you a team of five
people with customizable battle formations fighting through
randomized areas. Think of it as a dungeon crawl along the lines of
Diablo. A lot of players have raved about this mode. Personally, I
don't quite get it. Chalk that up to personal preference.
Samurai 4 doesn't have as many extra
modes available but it makes up for that with the inclusion of
conquest mode. This could be an entire game in itself. You create
your own character and travel across Japan, fighting small battles
and befriending the warriors of the age. Along the way you develop
proficiencies with different weapons, collect pieces of armor, change
your life goals, etc. It reminds me a little of the master mode from
SoulCalibur only without the constant frustration.
and the winner is.....
The real winner of this contest comes
down to what kind of gamer you are. If you're a complete novice to
this series or just someone with very little experience, go with
Samurai Warriors 4. It's easier to learn and play, offers plenty of
content, and looks very nice on your shiny system.
If you're more of a warriors veteran,
I'd dare say you'd be safe picking up both titles. There's enough
difference between them and both are great fun. However; if you've
played a previous version of Orochi 3 then the choice of upgrading
depends on whether the new modes, graphical upgrades, and four new
chapters of storyline are worth the cost of admission.
Of course all of this could be tossed
out the window in a few months as three more warriors titles are
coming our way such as One Piece Pirate Warriors 3, Dragon Quest
Heroes, and the upgraded Samurai Warriors 4-II. There's also a new
Nobunaga's Ambition coming our way if you feel the need for a
completely strategic gaming experience. Who woulda thought buying a
PS4 would result in giving all my money to Koei?
Keep a close eye on the site this week
everyone. There should be a really special article coming up, maybe
more if the mail yields something good. See you soon.
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