One Piece Pirate Warriors 3
- August 27, 2015
- Omega Force
- 50h median play time
While not everyone's cup of tea, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 is a solid entry into the franchise that fans won't want to miss.
In One Piece Pirate Warriors 3, players join Luffy and the Straw Hat Crew in their epic adventure from Fuschia Village to Dressrosa, experiencing iconic battles and story arcs. The game boasts improved graphics, an increased number of popular playable characters like Sabo and Fujitora, and enhanced cooperative gameplay. The goal is to defeat powerful pirates, including Doflamingo, in order to save the day.
Reviews
- story1,302 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story in "One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3" is a condensed retelling of the One Piece anime and manga, covering key arcs from the beginning up to the Dressrosa arc, with some original content added. While fans appreciate the nostalgic journey through familiar events and characters, many criticize the game for its numerous bugs, crashes, and the lack of depth in storytelling, which can leave newcomers confused. Overall, it offers a fun experience for One Piece fans, but the execution suffers from technical issues and a simplified narrative that may not fully capture the essence of the source material.
“The story mode is a joy for any One Piece fan.”
“The story is told in a way you have to read a lot, there's a mix of only text, comic style scenes, and animated cutscenes; this is very outdated but it does the job, and compiles the story very well from the very beginning.”
“The story covers the majority of the storyline up to the dressrosa arc, aka the Doflamingo fight.”
“The story is poorly told.”
“The biggest annoyance for me is the way the story plays out.”
“The story is, as it is staunchly following one piece, really really good.”
- graphics531 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it is a port of the PS3 version, resulting in outdated visuals that do not meet the expectations set by the PS4 version. While some appreciate the vibrant art style and character designs, others criticize the numerous graphical glitches, limited settings, and overall lack of polish, leading to a consensus that the graphics are subpar for a game released in 2015. Despite these issues, fans of the One Piece franchise may still find enjoyment in the game's aesthetic and gameplay, especially if they are willing to overlook the graphical shortcomings.
“The vibrant graphics and dynamic gameplay perfectly capture the essence of the series.”
“The graphics are charming, and the playstyle is really fun, being able to just obliterate massive amounts of enemies all at once.”
“With stunning graphics, a gripping storyline, and impressive fan service, it provides a thoroughly captivating gaming experience.”
“God awful PC port missing the graphical enhancements of the updated console versions, lacking controller icons or fully functional controller support, along with graphical bugs and driver timeouts on multiple different AMD cards.”
“The visuals feel like an approximation of One Piece, with robotic character expressions which lack the charm of the original.”
“A graphically disappointing title that fails to bring the anime world to a satisfying new life.”
- gameplay473 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is characterized by its classic musou style, offering fast-paced, hack-and-slash action that allows players to control a variety of characters from the One Piece universe. While many players find the combat enjoyable and engaging, with unique character abilities and a satisfying combo system, the gameplay can become repetitive over time, especially for those unfamiliar with the genre. Additionally, technical issues such as bugs and poor controller support have been noted, particularly in the PC version, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The vibrant graphics and dynamic gameplay perfectly capture the essence of the series.”
“Great gameplay, all the characters you play as are distinct, and the Dream Log is a great mode that'll have you playing for hours on end.”
“The gameplay is fun and fast, but can get a bit repetitive after a while.”
“As much as I wanted to change the rating I have for this game to at least neutral, the additional 70 hours of gameplay were too monotonous, repetitive, and tiresome with the issues alongside the gameplay that felt very stale after a while.”
“The gameplay gets so repetitive grinding to finish the game it is ridiculous.”
“The gameplay is very repetitive, but it does look kinda cool.”
- music125 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its energetic and enjoyable soundtrack that fits the game's action-packed style. However, some players expressed disappointment over the absence of the original anime soundtrack, noting that while the compositions are catchy, they can feel repetitive and lack the depth of the source material. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight for many, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere despite some criticisms regarding its originality.
“Worth it for the soundtrack alone.”
“Great game, great music, with a wholesome story.”
“The music fits perfectly with every moment, and I may or may not have cried at some moments.”
“Cannot seem to get past Aluburna, as when I beat the crocodile, it cuts to a black screen but leaves the fight music on and doesn't progress.”
“In comparison, the music is downright forgettable.”
“I can understand how an annual anime cash-in isn’t going to use an orchestral soundtrack, but the MIDI compositions for this game almost hurt to listen to.”
- stability119 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, graphical glitches, and game-breaking bugs that hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration over the lack of updates to address these issues, making the game feel unplayable for some. While a few users have managed to play without significant problems, the overwhelming consensus is that the game suffers from severe stability issues, particularly on PC.
“Runs great on the Steam Deck!”
“This is Dynasty Warriors but with One Piece... the game runs great, (120fps most of the time on my 3 or 4 year old pre-built MSI laptop GTX675) and has decent graphics.”
“It may all be in Japanese but it sticks true to the show and runs great.”
“Terrible port, game crashes, freezes and sends you back to the main screen.”
“The game constantly freezes and it looks like the game runs out of memory as it fails to load textures and music.”
“This port is terrible; the game sometimes crashes on the menu, takes me to the main menu when I try to start a quest, doesn't play cutscenes, and there are certain quests that I simply can't progress because the game just turns into a black screen and freezes.”
- grinding77 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- -3 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive, especially when aiming for 100% completion or specific achievements. While some enjoy the grind as a means to level up characters and unlock content, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration and boredom. Overall, the game is characterized by a significant amount of grinding, particularly for upgrades and achievements, which may appeal to dedicated fans of the genre but can be off-putting for those seeking a more streamlined experience.
“I've completed this game, earning 38 achievements (not grinding for the last one: to complete the whole gallery).”
“The grinding in this game is rewarding, as it allows you to unlock new abilities and enhance your character.”
“I enjoy the grind because it gives me a sense of progression and accomplishment as I level up.”
“The game lacked a lot, and was overall disappointing, repetitive, and unnecessarily grindy.”
“The campaign is fun unless you want to get 100% in it, then it is grindy as hell.”
“My biggest issue with this game is the sheer amount of grinding you're going to have to do to complete 100% game grinding for coins and specific player grinding for special coins.”
- optimization54 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users reporting severe performance issues, bugs, and a lack of proper support for modern hardware. Players have noted that the port feels like a poorly executed version of the original, leading to crashes, graphical glitches, and inadequate controller support. While some users experienced satisfactory performance, the consensus is that the game is not well-optimized for PC, making it difficult to recommend without significant improvements.
“Overall the game is really good if only there weren't the performance problems.”
“Gameplay is smooth, and the game's optimization is really good.”
“I was pleasantly surprised, it runs smoothly on my GTX 970 and I haven't encountered any game-breaking bugs.”
“Yup, should've checked the bad reviews more since this game is still truly a hot mess of neglected optimization effort.”
“Do not buy this game unless it is on sale because it has terrible optimization that was not made for modern hardware.”
“It's poorly optimized, has numerous reported bugs, many of them being game-breaking, and whether you can run it or not is completely luck-based.”
- replayability47 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game boasts very high replayability, primarily due to its extensive roster of 37 characters, various modes like Dream and Nightmare, and the ability to replay missions with different objectives. Players appreciate the co-op feature and the challenge of 100% completion, although some express disappointment over certain characters being non-playable. Overall, the combination of diverse content and unlockable features keeps players engaged long after completing the main campaign.
“All the different characters mean a ton of replayability.”
“Dream log + nightmare log add a lot of replayability and challenge.”
“The many, many playable characters and huge pile of levels adds a good level of replayability.”
“I also feel this game has low replay value once you finish the campaign.”
“Depends on the player: in dream mode the replayability is high, meanwhile in legend it is null.”
“It's a bit confusing why some characters were playable and others weren't, though, especially with them being in the game but strangely not able to be played.”
- humor42 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- -5 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players enjoying the funny dialogue, character expressions, and absurd situations that arise, particularly in the Dream Log feature. Fans of the One Piece series find the humor aligns well with the anime's style, while the chaotic combat and quirky glitches add to the comedic experience. However, some players note that the humor may not resonate with those unfamiliar with the source material, and technical issues can detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Luffy is hilariously stupid and overpowered.”
“Dream log is also very refreshing as your crewmates are chosen at random leading to some unexpected funny dialogs that do not fit the situation at times.”
“Beating the snot out of hordes of enemies is hilarious, you have crazy special moves.”
“People who love the anime will have fun, but if you don't have a clue about it, the game can be hard to follow. There are only short videos explaining the context, which may not be enough for non-anime fans to find it funny or understand what's going on.”
“The humor relies heavily on references that only fans of the anime will get, leaving others feeling lost and unamused.”
“While some jokes may land for dedicated fans, the overall humor feels flat and inaccessible to those unfamiliar with the source material.”
- emotional15 mentions
- 93 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising its heartfelt moments and connection to the One Piece anime, while others feel that the adaptation lacks the depth and emotional weight of the original story. Some cutscenes resonate deeply, evoking strong feelings, but the overall narrative is criticized for omitting key emotional elements and altering significant scenes, which diminishes the impact for fans of the series. Overall, while the game can evoke strong emotions, it may not fully satisfy those seeking the rich emotional experience found in the manga and anime.
“Great game, great music, with a wholesome story.”
“It was an emotionally overwhelming experience.”
“This is the first time I played this game series (because I don't own a PlayStation 3 or 4) and I cried at how well this retold everything in some moments.”
“I would love it if boss fights actually made me feel like my life was on the line.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the game features appealing character designs and some engaging battle animations, the overall character development is lacking, making it difficult for players to form emotional connections. The system for leveling up characters through 'coins' is noted, but it does not compensate for the minimal storytelling and depth in character arcs.
“Rewarding leveling and character development system through 'coins'.”
“Beautiful cutscenes and great character designs.”
“The good: the character development and battle animations are pretty good.”
“So, we're making a game based on 'One Piece,' but instead of the meticulous storytelling and character development, we're just gonna mash buttons and hope for the best?”
“You see some sad cutscenes, but there's too little character development to actually feel something.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a thrilling and engaging experience, enhanced by cute sound design that contributes to a fun and immersive environment, even on lower-end hardware.
“My laptop is low-end, but I experience a lot of atmosphere and thrill from this game.”
“The sound of the characters and gameplay is cute and creates a fun atmosphere.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized for misleading advertising, particularly regarding the inclusion of the Dressrosa arc, which is only available as a paid DLC rather than part of the base game.
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, with essential content locked behind paywalls.”
“I was disappointed to find that many features I expected were only available through expensive microtransactions.”
“The game constantly pushes you to spend more money, which detracts from the overall experience.”
Critic Reviews
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 Review
Pirate Warriors 3 combines musou combat with One Piece’s spirit intact, but it’s bogged down by cutscenes.
69%One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 PS4 Review
While not everyone's cup of tea, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 is a solid entry into the franchise that fans won't want to miss.
85%One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 PS4 Review
One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 on PS4 is a fun beat 'em up with some exceptional graphics and a very entertaining story with some sturdy gaming mechanics!
80%