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How Metascores Are Calculated
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Altered Beast
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
Long before the twilight of the samurai, Japan was ruled by powerful leaders hungry to unite the land under one banner. The samurai and ninja who defended their land and honor became legends. Features 26 playable characters in all. 10 new warriors are ready for battle including the legendary Musashi Miyamoto, the unifier of Japan Ieyasu Tokugawa, and the enigmatic ninja Kotaro Fuma. Once forbidden secret techniques for each warrior are revealed. Set traps, summon ninja decoys, and more. Use powerful Linked Charge attacks and for the first time power up to three Musou gauges. Now castle warfare blends seamlessly with field combat. Take control of castles on the battlefield to gain a significant morale advantage. Experience new tales in Story, Free, and Survival modes. Team up with friends for two-player Co-op play or compete with them at "Sugoroku," a bonus party game for up to four players. Challenge an opponent in two-player Vs. play exclusively through Xbox Live. Over 70 cinematic sequences supervised by Shinsuke Sato, director of the cult hit, "The Princess Blade" and new music from fusion artist Minoru Mukaiya. [KOEI]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 80
Play Magazine
A finely tuned beat-'em-up, Samurai Warriors 2 once again drops players into feudal Japan for a series of epic brawls. [Oct. 2006, p.57]
73
IC-Games
A nice job in bringing a little real history to the hack ‘n slash genre, but far too much of the same kind of thing in every character and every battle.
 70
Boomtown
A fun, if simplistic battle game that is certainly well above average and worth giving it a spin if you find it at the right price.
70
Gamezilla!
Provided the series hasn’t gotten stale for you yet, there is a lot of value here. With 26 characters and a 2 player co-op mode to play, you can sink quite a few hours into this game.
70
Eurogamer
If they continue to be this thrilling, this visceral, this bombastically brilliant, then more of the same is absolutely spot on. Sign me up.
70
DailyGame
More compelling than "Ninety-Nine Nights," but that's not saying much. The graphics are disappointing and the audio should've been left in its original Japanese. Truly, with CG sequences this good, the use of cheap SoCal voice talent removes any sense of immersion.
67
Gaming Age
A somewhat major retooling of the combat system has allowed a one-trick pony another chance, as it seems to be a step in the right direction for bringing back those alienated by the milking of ancient Oriental history.
65
Official Xbox Magazine
Over-indulge, and you'll get sick of it quickly. [Nov. 2006, p.79]
60
Total Video Games
There must invariably be a demand for this sort of title in the West otherwise it wouldn't be worth the expense of localisation, marketing, and distribution, but surely it's a case of having played one title in either Warriors series, you've played them all.
60
Times Online
The graphics are solid and fighting is actually quite impressive, with the special moves giving variety to the hack’n’slash action. Yet all the time a feeling of déjà vu takes away from the action on the screen.
60
Play.tm
The models and textures are very low rate, the enemy AI knows only to attack or run and the gameplay - despite having added a couple of additions - is very stale.
60
Game Informer
The gameplay really needs an upgrade before I can recommend this series again. [Nov. 2006, p.130]
60
MS Xbox World
One for fans only and should perhaps be avoided by anyone looking for something more.
55
Team Xbox
There’s nothing here in Samurai Warriors 2 that we haven’t seen before. The fact that the shop is the single largest addition to the gameplay should be a good indication where this game is headed, straight to the bargain bin.
55
IGN
The core gameplay is in serious need of an overhaul, though. We've seen this too many times before and are ready for something new. Couple that with painful audio and visuals and it's hard to find a reason to recommend this to any but the hardest of hardcore fans.
54
GameSpot
Like just about every other sequel in Koei's Warriors franchises, Samurai Warriors 2 offers an overly familiar and ultimately mundane hack-and-slash experience.
53
GameZone
Omega Force really needs to go back to the drawing board with this franchise. There are so many things that need to be improved on with this game it is not even funny.
50
GameDaily
Samurai Warriors 2 only has a couple of things to make it feel different- the addition of a Monopoly-esque board game and a purchasing power-up system that, sadly, has little effect on the gameplay. Past that, it's the same hack n' slash game you've been playing for years, with very little changes or features to signify its presence on a next-gen format.
50
Games Radar (in-house)
Several modes of mindless violence and one mode of a Monopoly-like board game. There's nothing new or exciting about this title.
50
Gamestyle
Samurai Warriors 2 lacks the cutting edge Gamestyle was expecting and, for many out there, is an easy target to criticise. Improvements and new additions are recognised, but more work is necessary to revitalise the genre for a new generation.
50
Armchair Empire
Ultimately, it’s barely any better or worse than the ones that came before it – and probably after as well.
50
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Your comrades regularly demand help from the other side of the battlefield, right when you're in the middle of something else. But failing to come in time can blow the whole battle.
45
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Samurai Warriors 2 offers nothing new over any other single-button-mashing sequel. Pass. [Oct. 2006, p.110]
40
DarkStation
Koei tries to breathe new life into its declining hack and slasher, but find no such love on the 360. Prepare for more repetitive combat, poor Live support and washed out visuals.
40
360 Gamer Magazine UK
A dull, repetitive slog against unresponsive A.I. across hideously detailed environments. [Issue #16, p.62]
39
Jolt Online Gaming UK
It’s hard for us not to come away from a session of Samurai Warriors (or frankly any Warriors game right now) without the words ‘time’, ‘of’, ‘waste’, ‘fat’ and ‘big’ crossing our minds, but there you have it. The words ‘boring’, ‘repetitive’, ‘uninspiring’ and even ‘ugly’ are not far behind.
30
VideoGamer
One of the dullest and most repetitive games I've played in recent memory. It feels more like a chore then a game, and the lack of attention to many aspects of its design pale in comparison to its greatest omission... it's simply no fun to play.
30
Official Xbox Magazine UK
Dull and predictable gameplay. Avoid. [Oct 2006, p.90]
30
X360 Magazine UK
A total waste of a disc and DVD case in our eyes, Samurai Warriors 2 does nothing that comparable games don't do an awful lot better. Definitely one to be avoided. [Issue 12, p.94]
16
Game Revolution
With twenty-six unique charaters and as many stories to play through, this is the hands-down, be-all, end-all, motherload of button pushing. The rest of us, however, understand why George Jetson hates his job. Ok, you can stop doing it now.
GRoove L gave it a10: |
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