But us loyal fans have every right to be upset and demand an explanation as to why the game is delayed. It’s a fairly superficial layer to the game yet one that will treat you with occasional cutscenes, depicting two or more familiar faces as they continue to bond.I understand that. Similarly, officers will take on proteges, spouses, and friends. For instance, if two great warriors meet on the battlefield they may form a rivalry between them. Aside from choosing which clans to ally with and which ones to attack, there exists a complex network of relationships among your own generals and other characters you come into contact with. In lieu of a story mode, Samurai Warriors 4 Empires allows players to shape their own narrative. Hovering over each room will highlight the policies suggested by whatever characters you have stationed in that quarter. Instead of browsing through a bland web of menus, for instance, players now own a custom fortress, housing a dozen or so of their chief officers. This refocus on strategy and player choice is propped up by several welcome additions to the Empires formula. Sure, there are some more numbers to crunch and there’s more text to read, but the result is a much more involving experience for the player. It’s a deeply rewarding system that’s been renovated by a team of designers who have previously worked on Koei’s grand strategy series, Nobunaga’s Ambition. Alternatively, you may opt to assassinate or convert an enemy officer, undermining your opponent before the first blow is even struck. For example, you may choose to activate a policy that gives your army a speed boost or special units.
Instead of blindly marching into an enemy province, you have options to bolster your forces or weaken your opponent’s by employing a range of tactics. Whereas military policies can be used to replenish troops or learn new formations, those related to development will increase commerce and crop yield across all territories.įor a Warriors title, there’s a surprising amount of weight given to the decisions you make away from the battlefield, not to mention a satisfying amount of diversity. During the politics phase of each turn, you’ll select a limited number of policies to enact, watching as their effects are simulated in-game. These five pillars are military, strategy, personnel, diplomacy, and development, each helping to strengthen the position of your empire. In previous Empires games such a lack of preparation would result in a minor handicap whereas here it can have an exigent impact on how wars are fought.Īlthough combat still plays a major role in the game, players will need to focus on five core pillars if they are to gain the advantage over their opponents. Being so confident in my own battle prowess, I’d also failed to turn up at the enemy gates with a sufficient number of troops, formations, and strategies. Although my chosen general still had most of his health intact, I’d neglected to keep an eye on the mission timer, spreading my forces wide instead of pursuing a more narrow path of attack.
What Samurai Warriors 4 Empires teaches you is that it takes more than brute strength alone to win a fight. That feeling of empowerment when swatting enemies aside like discarded ragdolls is the reason why so many subscribe to this series. As my generals returned to the capital battered and bruised after their first skirmish, I knew this campaign would no longer be a cakewalk.Īfter many, many years and a few dozen Warriors titles, I’d been conditioned into thinking I was invincible. Needless to say, I was quite surprised, yet happy and excited at the same time.