Metascore
63 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 26
  2. Negative: 6 out of 26
  1. The mixture of real-time action and strategy is a joy to play, and a nice departure from what is fast becoming a stale play mechanic.
  2. A refreshing change from the well-worn gameplay Koei has become famous for, and the epic battles provide a satisfying fix for loyal fans of the genre.
  3. Bladestorm works hard to appease both the keen strategist and the action-hungry player, while confidently answering critics who claim that Koei is nothing more than a one-trick warhorse. [Christmas 2007, p.95]
  4. A very, very good videogame: another brilliant evolution of Koei's unique interpretation of the real-time strategy genre, and every bit as satisfying as previous efforts. What it lacks in terms of the speed and immediacy of, say, Gundam Musou, it makes up for with strategic range, design ingenuity, and conceptual novelty. [JPN Import]
  5. If you want hollow button mashing then pick up the latest Dynasty Warriors, but if you are after something with a little more depth, breadth, scope and originality then give Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War a try; you might just be pleasantly surprised as it smashes away your preconceptions like so many scattering infantry.
  6. It's almost like taking part in a ground-level "Total War" battle. Ace! [Dec 2007, p.82]
  7. An almost success that lacks staying power, worth checking out if you’re big into Koei’s other franchises or at the very least not put off by a lot of repetition.
  8. As one of the few fresh things on the menu, I would implore anybody with determination, an interest in strategy, and a desire for something new to check it out. It's got a fair few flaws, some of which can be draining, but it's a fine game indeed, one of Koei's best efforts to date.
  9. 73
    Despite these few niggles, if you can overlook the moderate repetitiveness of the missions in Bladestorm, and conquer its slightly confusing initial battles, it's an extremely rewarding and fun game.
  10. On the one hand it offers reasonably entertaining action and a good mix of strategy and battling, with some excellent music and a strangely compelling story mode to play through. On the flip side, dodgy AI and a feeling of being detached from the game at times can raise the question of whether you’re really having fun, or if you just think you are.
  11. Bladestorm does provide and incredibly well structured action-strategy game, and it juggles depth and accessibility with panache.
  12. Bladestorm looks and plays better than "Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires", so longtime fans should enjoy this more next-gen DW-style title until "Dynasty Warriors 6" hits the battlefield next year. [Dec 2007, p.76]
  13. No-nonsense strategy with a sense of humour.
  14. A strategy game that succeeds at what it's tried to do, even if it isn't that clever. [Christmas 2007, p.84]
  15. This game succeeds at blending both action and strategy to create a title that is enjoyable. However, the AI is predictable and players will be able to exploit its weaknesses easily.
  16. 65
    Bladestorm is fun, for the most part. If it had a little more polish and fewer technical flaws, we might go so far as to say that this is one of the finest KOEI games we've seen in a while.
  17. 65
    With some interesting and fun gameplay ideas, Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War is worth playing for fans of this style of game. Unfortunately, its undeniable flaws will keep it from becoming the success it could have been.
  18. It tries hard to be a good mixture of action, strategy and RPG. But its repetitive nature, limited gameplay and few strategic options make for a boring experience. [Dec 2007]
  19. As something new, Bladestorm: The Hundred Years’ War is familiar but refreshingly new, even if doesn’t exactly work out quite as nicely as Koei probably would have liked.
  20. Fresh ideas can't save Bladestorm from mediocrity.
  21. With all these hiccups, I'm shocked this war lasted one year, let alone 100. [Dec 2007, p.109]
  22. If you're starved for strategy and like the idea of open-area, semi-persistent medieval battle scenes, Bladestorm might make sense. Unfortunately, you won't find rewarding, patient strategy, or dynamic action within.
  23. Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War allows players to win most, if not all, of its battles solely by holding down the right bumper button on the Xbox 360 controller. [Nov 2007, p.73]
  24. Sadly, Bladestorm isn’t an improvement on the Warriors games. An awkward mish-mash of action and strategy, which fails to succeed on either count. The combat is monotonous and the strategy underdeveloped. One to avoid.
  25. It is really hard to recommend this title, especially considering the next-gen price tag. The game is marred by technical problems and, if anything, is an exercise in mediocrity.
  26. 40
    The majority of the environments are quite sparse, with few buildings yet plenty of fog to help hide the fact that the draw distance here isn't that spectacular. The lack of vision also doesn't help when you're traversing the grassy plains and trying to get a read on your enemy's position.
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. These Koei games (the others being the Warriors franchises) cater to a specific audience. I rate this game about 7/10 as an overall game, however it gets a solid 10/10 for this tiny genre. The best of the Warriors style games out there, it has strong RPG style elements, allows for more upgrading, more tactics, more mission control, and more intelligent AI than any other game in the genre. For that reason, I lean towards the higher end of the scores. Full Review »
  2. MattN.
    9
    I don't know why this game hasn't got many good reviews. Personally, i think it's brilliant. Sure, sometimes the people you are fighting are dumb, such as not realising you're there until they're dead but it is still Very addictive. Full Review »
  3. Joshua
    8
    Based on demo:

    As a jaded fan of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", "Dynasty Warriors", and "Kessen" I wasn't too pumped to play "Blades
    torm". I downloaded the demo while waiting for "Heroes" to come on and ended up missing "Heroes" and staying up past bedtime playing the demo. "Blade storm" is a breath of fresh air - gone is the button mashing. Instead of being a super warrior you need your troops to win combats. Command is straight forward and easy to pick up but more enjoyable once a little finesse and experience is applied - i.e. breaking a cavalry charge with a well timed broadsword swing. Of course there's the Koei micromanagment of troops and all that good stuff as well. The graphics are nice, what a Koei game should look like on the latest gen. It's really impressive to see large units of troops in combat with no lag or ugliness. I'm looking forward to picking this up. Full Review »