SAMURAI WARRIORS 4-II

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 675 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
SAMURAI WARRIORS 4-II Game Cover
Samurai Warriors 4-II is an excellent addition to the Warriors franchise, but could have done with a bit more change to differentiate itself from its predecessor.
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"Samurai Warriors 4-II" is the enhanced anniversary edition of the series, now on Steam. It features a new playable character, Naomasa Ii, and a story mode that delves deeper into individual characters. The fan-favorite "Survival Mode" also makes a return, now updated and improved. The game also features upgraded action balance, cut-scenes, and character development systems for a fresh take on the "Samurai Warriors 4" world.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 675 reviews
story62 positive mentions
stability18 negative mentions
  • The game features a smooth combat system that allows for enjoyable hack-and-slash gameplay.
  • There is a large roster of characters, each with unique abilities and skills, providing variety in gameplay.
  • The game includes online multiplayer, allowing players to team up and enjoy the experience together.
  • The PC port suffers from poor controller support, with many players experiencing issues mapping controls and using gamepads effectively.
  • The story mode is criticized for being shallow and repetitive, with many missions feeling similar and lacking depth.
  • There are frequent crashes and performance issues, particularly in online co-op mode, making it frustrating for players.
  • story358 mentions

    The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it confusing and fragmented, especially for newcomers to the series. While some appreciate the character-driven narratives and the variety of missions, others criticize the lack of depth and coherence in the storytelling, noting that it often feels repetitive and lacks the engaging arcs of previous installments. Additionally, technical issues such as crashes during missions detract from the overall experience, leaving some players frustrated with the execution of the story mode.

    • “The storyline campaigns are separated between the clans and follow the path of each one throughout the narrative, as well as some of them being interconnected. Additionally, other than the main campaigns, there are also alternative campaign scenarios that can be experienced after being unlocked.”
    • “The story itself is fun and it's a nice co-op game, but the game is so unstable that you slowly start hating it.”
    • “Each story focuses on a different group of characters or a different clan, while each story still follows the same general plot that leads to the battle of Sekigahara in 1600.”
    • “The game's honestly not even a good introduction to Samurai Warriors - the story is very fragmented and less than half of the cast is used in story mode.”
    • “Story-wise, there isn't a single storyline that I have found interesting in this game; I highly recommend buying SW4 over SW4-II, or just wait for SW4E.”
    • “But sadly the story is kinda boring... most of the story starts after Nobunaga's death at Honnoji; maybe it's because of 4-2?”
  • gameplay126 mentions

    The gameplay of Samurai Warriors 4-II is generally praised for its fluid mechanics, improved AI, and engaging combat, making it one of the best entries in the Warriors series. However, some players express disappointment over the lack of a story mode and the repetitive nature of missions, which can detract from the overall experience. While the game offers enjoyable hack-and-slash action, issues like controller compatibility and performance problems have been noted, impacting the gameplay for some users.

    • “The gameplay is very enjoyable and more interesting than the older Samurai Warriors games.”
    • “Gameplay is easily the best the series has ever seen.”
    • “In my opinion, the best Warriors game ever released, in terms of gameplay mechanics!”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay is absolutely hamstrung by horrific controller support.”
    • “The graphics and gameplay are absolutely horrendous.”
    • “Parading through ill-thought out missions and repetitive gameplay.”
  • graphics117 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the use of outdated PS3 textures and a lack of significant improvements for the PC version. While some appreciate the clean visuals and stable framerate, others criticize the overall graphical quality as subpar, likening it to PS2-era graphics. Technical issues, such as graphical glitches and limited customization options, further detract from the experience, leading to a consensus that the graphics do not meet modern gaming standards.

    • “For the age of the game, the graphics are pretty good; they have aged really well.”
    • “The graphics are clean and the framerate is stable.”
    • “The graphics are excellent as well with some amazing visuals and effects; the combat system works really well, and the controls are not as awkward as the mechanics in previous titles.”
    • “It feels like a low-quality port from the Switch with graphics far inferior to Samurai Warriors 2, which I played on the PS2.”
    • “The graphics look like they're from the PS3 generation instead of PS4.”
    • “The graphics are PS3-level quality.”
  • music56 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its immersive traditional Japanese influences and epic soundtracks, enhancing the overall atmosphere during battles. While many players appreciate the remixed and original tracks, some express disappointment with certain remixes and find parts of the soundtrack forgettable compared to earlier titles in the series. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, contributing positively to the gameplay experience.

    • “Moreover, there is a good selection of traditional music that accompanies the battles in each zone, making the overall atmosphere feel immersive. Overall, it is a great title and possibly the best of the Samurai Warriors series.”
    • “The music is fun and appropriate, with some traditional Japanese influences.”
    • “Music is fantastic and doesn't get badly repetitive like in other Koei titles; it's Japanese stuff, not random heavy guitars in the background.”
    • “Shallow hack and slash with terrible controls and camera angle, PS2 era graphics, annoying music, terrible UI; the port is worse than Dark Souls (can't alt-tab, can't change volume).”
    • “In the case of Samurai Warriors, it's downright boring; the music, although amazing at times (like the menu screens), can be quite forgettable when it comes to the main game.”
    • “Music is awful; sounds like some woman is being strangled on the main menu all the time.”
  • optimization24 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews. While some players report smooth performance and decent optimization on higher settings, many others experience significant issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and poor porting quality, particularly in co-op modes. The capped resolution of 1080p and inconsistent performance across different hardware configurations further highlight the game's optimization shortcomings.

    • “Really surprised me that it runs smoothly on highest settings even with these amount of enemies and big maps.”
    • “To start off, Samurai Warriors 4 II runs decently on my PC and considering I don’t have the best rig around, that means at the very least the game was optimized decently and has probably gotten patches since it first went up on the Steam store.”
    • “Very good port to PC, performance way better than previous games (especially if you remember Tokiden), runs at 60 and 30 frames.”
    • “1) Optimization does not exist here.”
    • “This game has some performance issues due to being poorly ported by Koei, and the story mode is worse than the vanilla version.”
    • “If that’s not bad enough, it has a maximum capped resolution of 1080p on top of suffering major performance issues both in online co-op and even in local co-op due to having a limit on the amount of computer resources that can be used, this being solely to fit single player mode.”
  • stability20 mentions

    The stability of the game is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and significant bugs, particularly in co-op mode, which often renders it unplayable. Many players experience issues with character controls and camera functionality, leading to frustrating gameplay and the need for constant troubleshooting. While some praise the single-player experience, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from severe stability problems that detract from its enjoyment.

    • “It runs great at 60 fps, so if you're on the fence about buying this after Koei's last port, have no fear because this port is good.”
    • “This game crashes and freezes all the time!”
    • “This game freezes on random missions, and 50% of the time you can figure out a weird workaround like changing player 2's character, or doing missions in a different order, but sometimes that is impossible, or simply doesn't help, and you can't pass a mission on network co-op, period.”
    • “However, this is the most horrible co-op game due to a bug which they never fixed; you simply crash out of the blue and everything freezes in-game until you kill it.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be extensive and time-consuming, particularly for weapon and mount collection, character leveling, and achievement completion. Many reviews highlight the necessity of farming for resources and rare items, with some players investing over 50 hours without fully exploring all content. While some enjoy the grind for character upgrades and skills, others find it tedious, suggesting that the experience may not appeal to everyone.

    • “Earning the last three achievements involves grinding every character to level 30 and purchasing all skills, and performing some obscure requirements to get their unique weapon.”
    • “Game requires a lot of grinding for achievements and unlocking all epiphany skills, so it can easily clock up several hours if you enjoy it.”
    • “Getting all characters to the full upgrade tree would probably take a couple of months of grinding on various maps.”
  • character development13 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and customization options, while others criticize the character designs as overly flamboyant and lacking inspiration. While the narrative and character arcs are appreciated by some, others feel that the writing has deteriorated, resembling "bad fan-fic." Overall, the game appeals to fans of the genre but may not satisfy those seeking more serious character development.

    • “Great story, great character designs, and overall just great.”
    • “Recommend for all musou game fans, and anyone who wants a good action game with character development and skill customization.”
    • “The character development is in a word: beautiful.”
    • “Mechanically, the game is a pretty solid warriors game, but the character design and writing have continued their slow degeneration into exceedingly bad fan-fic.”
    • “It feels inferior in quality and despite being character focused it lacks character development.”
    • “The character designs are flamboyant, awkward and uninspired.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    Overall, the game offers high replayability due to its diverse selection of characters and varying play styles, providing hours of gameplay and multiple storylines to explore. However, some players feel that it lacks the character variety found in previous installments, which may affect its long-term appeal compared to other titles in the genre.

    • “High replay value and decently long storylines with quite a lot of characters.”
    • “However, if you're not bothered by that, Samurai Warriors 4-II is an excellent musou game with hours of gameplay and a lot of replay value (there are a whole lot of characters to unlock and play).”
    • “If you compare this to practically any other game for $50, this will be the weaker game by far in terms of content and replayability.”
    • “The amount of selectable characters and different weapon/play styles means the replay value is huge (also a nightmare for completionists).”
    • “I think even Samurai Warriors 2 had more playable characters than this game did.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its cartoonish violence and exaggerated scenarios, allowing players to enjoy the absurdity of defeat without guilt. Players find the storylines amusing, with some characters, like Magoichi Saika, being portrayed in a hilariously inept manner, adding to the overall comedic experience.

    • “The cartoonish violence means you can cheer for defeat without remorse—because it's all hilariously exaggerated, darling!”
    • “After all, once you dive into Samurai Warriors II-2, you’ll be swinging swords and laughing your way through history in no time.”
    • “Some of the storylines are actually pretty good though and provide some legitimate humor; they make Magoichi Saika look like such a tool.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while there are some touching moments that resonate with players, the overall storytelling is criticized for being boring and overly reliant on clichés. The attempt to evoke emotional responses through historical narratives often feels forced, leading to a blend of genuine sentiment and cheesy execution.

    • “Believe it or not, there are some rather touching moments, but when you’re not reaching for a handkerchief, you’re having to endure some of the cheesiest camp ever cooked up in the land of the rising sun!”
    • “Each faction's story takes what it considers historically canon in one narrative and butchers it in the other, and most of the time it does this to try to elicit an emotional response from the player.”
    • “The story is boring and fails to engage emotionally.”
    • “Despite having a more complex and playable battle system than Dynasty Warriors, the emotional depth is lacking due to the dull story.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by a selection of traditional music that complements the battles. Reviewers note the gritty yet beautiful graphics and well-designed battlefields, contributing to a compelling overall experience, particularly highlighting it as a standout in the Samurai Warriors series.

    • “Moreover, there is a good selection of traditional music that accompanies the battles in each zone, making the overall atmosphere feel immersive. Overall, it is a great title and possibly the best of the Samurai Warriors series.”
    • “The graphics are kind of beautiful (at least for Koei), with great battlefields, locations, and atmosphere.”
    • “Samurai 1 had atmosphere, grit, and nothing too flashy.”
    • “The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it feel disjointed and uninspired.”
    • “Despite its potential, the atmosphere feels flat and fails to immerse the player.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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