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How Metascores Are Calculated
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Altered Beast
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
Samurai Warriors 2 Empires, the follow-up to the Tactical Action game Samurai Warriors 2, combines aspects of Action, Fighting and Strategy games. Japan is divided into 25 warring states and it is up to you to resurrect a nation using equal amounts of strategy and strength. Before each battle, you meet with their war council to discuss military and political affairs; then it's time for combat. Samurai Warriors 2 Empires is a unique blend of strategy and true warrior action. An account of Japan's Warring States era. A must-have for anyone fascinated by Samurai culture. Vicious multi-Musou attacks with up to four officers. 6 Regional scenarios, plus 5 Unification scenarios. 50 new policy cards based on Japanese history. 30 different tactics cards allow you to hire wind ninjas, set an ambush or form a blockade. – 90 policies in all. Create your own warrior in New Officer mode or choose from among 400 playable characters. 2-player co-op play. Forge alliances with rival clans and hire captured officers. Includes Empire mode, Free mode, and an extensive Archive section with rare art and information on Samurai history and tactics. [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
Gamer's Hell
It improves on the format already established in the previous games, and the strategy level adds another dimension to the game. At the same time, if you've burned out on the series, maybe you should avoid it as it's still the same game.
 70
360 Gamer Magazine UK
Though very much an acquired taste, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires is more or less a godsend for anyone wanting a strategy fix out of their 360. [Issue #23, p.62]
70
Eurogamer
So the only niggle is not that this doesn't sufficiently differentiate itself from previous games in the series. No, the only niggle is that the combat camera angle is too low.
70
GameSpy
There might not be any innovation here, but there's still some fun to be had. Just don't expect much more than what you're used to getting.
70
MS Xbox World
Samurai Warriors 2 Empires takes the hack and slash formula and adds a touch of tactics to the game, perhaps to break up the somewhat repetitive nature of the combat. It certainly works and adds an entirely new level of depth if you are seeking such things.
67
GameShark
The game is good enough for what it is supposed to do, but KOEI really needs to start making more dramatic changes with these yearly releases across the board.
62
Planet Xbox 360
Empires is entirely unfocused and excels at nothing.
60
Official Xbox Magazine
Until Koei takes the time to enliven the painfully monotonous action, this is one samurai best left an honorless ronin--especially since Empires inexplicably abandoned the two-player Live action of its predecessor. [Mar 2007, p.79]
60
G4 TV
The same old Samurai Warriors game with a bit of strategy pasted between battles. The new features are not enough to draw strategy fans into the fold, but they might just be what longtime fans of the series need to keep going with the genre.
60
GameSpot
Once again, the strategy elements of the empires mode do a lot to make up for the mundanity of the aging Warriors combat system, but it's not quite enough.
60
Games Radar (in-house)
Ultimately Empires continues Koei’s long-standing "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" credo when it comes to Warriors games. Which, when you've made the same game nine times in a row, has us adopting the philosophy "been there, done that."
60
DarkStation
The sequel to the Empires branch of the famed tactical actioner actually adds some strategic elements to the mix, but sadly let down by severely dumbed down combat and enemy AI.
58
GamerNode
Another sub-par Warriors release, adding only one new mode but demanding 40 dollars. If you're a fan of the series, it may be worth it. Otherwise, pick up one of the older titles cheaper.
58
Cheat Code Central
If you can get past the voice acting, lack of advancements to the core fighting system, and almost boring micromanagement features, then this latest installment was designed for you.
55
Team Xbox
A decent title, but it doesn’t offer the same visceral experience that gamers became enchanted with eight-plus titles ago. The "empires" portion adds replay and upgrades the hack-n-slash, but it’s tough to dig deep into those pockets and dole out money for a near carbon-copy artfully repackaged.
55
GameZone
While the Empires moniker denotes some degree of strategy elements, most of the game falls into the same ol’ button-mashing repetition. You fight large groups of enemies, occasionally killing off a leader, and so on. Basically, this is the same game you’ve been playing for years.
55
1UP
Architecture pops up all over the place, warriors materialize out of thin air on a regular basis, and slowdown is frequent. And the dialogue and voice acting is often laughable. This series needs some serious polish.
50
The Onion (A.V. Club)
A layer of strategy is draped over the hack-and-slash combat: Players can tweak countless variables, from the training of their steeds to the formations their grunts will assume. But no amount of strategic dressing can hide the fact that the game hinges on button-mashing.
50
Worth Playing
You can play Empires, which features great graphics and incredibly dull gameplay, or the original version, which features fantastic gameplay and inexcusably bad graphics. This is a situation that's frustrating to say the least.
50
Boomtown
It’s very hard to recommend this game, not only do the combination of strategy and button mashing not sit well together, but the game is exactly the same as the PlayStation 2 version.
50
PALGN
The definition of average. It's the same game we've been playing for years, and we really, really want to see this concept evolve into true next-gen gaming.
48
Game Informer
So maybe the battle system and AI still suck, and the graphics look like an original Xbox game. Is that really a big deal? Building up an army and conquering a nation is still fun. Who cares if hundreds of other games do it better?
43
Jolt Online Gaming UK
If this was on a PS2 (which it is) it would look dated. On an Xbox 360 it’s a travesty. If the game was actually any good, the flaws might be just about forgivable, but with gameplay that’s so loose it’s practically dangling off the screen, and a main mechanic that becomes so deeply tedious you almost want to use surrender as your main strategy so you don’t have to go through yet another button mashing hack-and-slash session, this really has very little to offer.
40
Official Xbox Magazine UK
This is something we expect to see available on Xbox Live Marketplace as a pricey download, not a full retail release. Disappointing. [Apr 2007, p.89]
30
Gamestyle
Pretty much a dire, tiresome experience with only one saving grace. The impressive strategy section and length of the empire mode soon give way to the abomination that are the battle confrontations. Leave it on the shelf where it belongs.
30
RewiredMind
Despite the slight visual upgrades, the engine is essentially the same as it was five or six years ago, as is the gameplay, as is the general plot, as is the method of reaching your goal. The tactical advancements are welcome and really do add to the game, but when the game is so bland, that isn’t saying much.
20
AceGamez
Given that "Samurai Warriors 3" is inevitable, it would be nice to think that the series could develop into something better but, since Koei have refused to even have their hair ruffled by the winds of change, this is about as likely as, well, discovering time travel. There are worse things than Samurai Warriors 2: Empires out there to spend your cold-and-hard on, like chemical weapons or a ticket to watch David Blunkett: the Musical, but truth be told, it would be hard to find as big a waste of money as this on the Xbox 360.
20
X360 Magazine UK
It's bad...Even the Achievements suck. [Issue 18, p.85]
10
Play.tm
I can't be bothered to go on. Anyone who buys this is an idiot. I wish artistic license would have allowed me to start and end the review in as many words.
Zach F. gave it a9: Adam B. gave it a9: |
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