Touken Ranbu Warriors
- May 23, 2022
- KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
Touken Ranbu Warriors has some great new ideas for the genre, but its lack of any challenge really lets it down.
In "Touken Ranbu Warriors," players step into a dramatic world of historical sword-wielding warriors, battling opponents in real-time combat while exploring captivating landscapes. The Digital Deluxe Edition offers exclusive content, such as special backdrops, additional music pieces, and unique character outfits, enhancing the immersive gameplay experience drawn from the popular "Touken Ranbu ONLINE." Master your skills, build relationships, and protect the honor of your mythological sword companions.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging story that appeals to fans of the Touken Ranbu series, with enjoyable character interactions and a charming presentation.
- Combat is accessible and easy to pick up, making it a good entry point for newcomers to the Musou genre, while still providing some flashy moves and unique character abilities.
- The visuals and character designs are well-executed, and the game includes a variety of mini-games and side content that enhance the overall experience.
- The gameplay is overly simplistic and lacks depth compared to traditional Musou games, with short missions and limited enemy variety that can feel repetitive.
- The game is criticized for its high price point relative to the amount of content offered, with many feeling that it does not justify the cost, especially with the additional DLC being seen as a cash grab.
- The character roster is limited, which disappoints fans who were hoping for a wider selection of characters from the Touken Ranbu universe.
- story80 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally engaging and enjoyable, particularly for fans of the Touken Ranbu franchise, with many players appreciating its connection to the anime and previous games. However, some critiques highlight its simplicity and repetitive mission structure, which can detract from the overall experience. While the narrative is entertaining and well-written, especially for newcomers, the gameplay often feels monotonous and lacks depth, leading to mixed feelings about its execution.
“The best thing about this game was the story.”
“I enjoy the story and the investigation aspect of it, especially as a long-time saniwa.”
“The story is well written, probably good for someone unfamiliar with this franchise.”
“The vast majority of the missions have you go to an area, take down a strong enemy, go to the next area, take down the same enemy, and repeat until it is over.”
“The story kept me engaged but it does seem monotonous with its missions (which are very short and not difficult to accomplish even on 'hard mode').”
“Almost every single mission is riddled with cutscenes pointing the way to the next objective despite the map design being circles and corridors leading to either new circles or new squares, of which there is never any sort of deviation in areas to 'explore.'”
- gameplay28 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it simplistic and lacking the depth typical of traditional warriors games, such as Dynasty Warriors. While the combat can be enjoyable and features unique mechanics, including stealth sections and character interactions, many feel it falls short in terms of challenge and variety, often leading to repetitive experiences. Overall, it may appeal to newcomers to the genre but may disappoint seasoned players seeking a more robust gameplay experience.
“The game starts extremely simplistic in both gameplay, level design, and story, but all of them get deeper after chapter 1.”
“This game also features various sections with different gameplay such as stealth sections and investigations to break up the monotony.”
“All in all, the game is gorgeous and features really solid musou gameplay with 16 characters who all feel fairly unique.”
“The entire thing just lacks substance, more so than the usual for this series and it’s not helped here by the fact that you spend more time looking at menus and loading animations than actual gameplay.”
“The actual gameplay isn't as engaging as a Dynasty Warriors game as there aren't as many enemies to hack and slash.”
“The roster is pretty pathetic and it somehow manages to make the shallow and repetitive (though beloved) gameplay of the Warriors series even more bare bones.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received positive feedback for their quality, particularly in character designs and overall visual appeal, with many players appreciating the vibrant aesthetics. However, some users noted issues with optimization, especially in the PC port, which detracted from the experience despite the high graphical settings. Overall, while the visuals are generally praised, there are concerns regarding performance and control adjustments.
“The music and the visuals are both super nice, especially the character designs. It's rare for me to find a game with multiple characters where I like pretty much every character. The maps are smaller than your standard warriors game, but they do a great job of using the space they have with blocked paths, secret paths, and enemies appearing in different places to still make it feel like a fun time.”
“I love the visuals and how you can finally play the character you desire by yourself, not just watching them do so like in the original game.”
“The graphics are great.”
“My solution was to turn the game's graphical setting to high (there's no other form of graphical adjustments) and that solved the problem half the time.”
“After 53 minutes of playing, I concluded that if anyone is interested in Touken Ranbu and wants to play, they should stick to the original browser version on DMM (not sure if there are any translation groups or Vietnamese pages because the game is quite flop). If you want to play a game like this with a visual cast like Touken Ranbu, I can't recommend it, but you should refund it because the PC controls are poorly optimized and using them is a hassle. The port from Switch is terrible, so even with graphics set to high, it looks awful.”
“Graphics are about the same.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with players noting its quality and the pleasant surprise it brings. Many find the tracks engaging and memorable, enhancing the overall experience alongside the appealing character designs and visuals.
“The music and the visuals are both super nice, especially the character designs. It's rare for me to find a game with multiple characters where I like pretty much every character. The maps are smaller than your standard warriors game affair, but they do a great job of using the space they have to make it feel like a fun time.”
“Music is great, was a nice surprise.”
“Music is very nice, some songs caught me directly.”
“Just don't expect this to match up with the main game or the animes, stage plays, musicals, or movie.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, as missions are short and lack substantial content, with minimal enemy encounters and unengaging mini-games. While achievements can be easily obtained through grinding, the inability to skip certain cutscenes can hinder the efficiency of this process.
“Missions take upwards of 5 minutes max, there's barely more than 100 enemies on a map total, and there's no side content outside of tedious, worthless mini-games.”
“Some cutscenes can't be skipped in-game, making it harder for fast grinding.”
“So far, the easiest achievement you can 100% complete requires a lot of grinding.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky character design, particularly the prevalence of "twinks," which adds a comedic element to the gameplay. Players find the mechanics, such as calling partners for special attacks and the invulnerable state, to be amusing and contribute to the overall lighthearted tone of the experience.
“I got this game because I am a fan of the Warrior series, and I thought it was hilarious that the cast was mostly comprised of twinks.”
“It's a funny mechanic really; press the R2 button and you call your partner to use a special attack with you. Then, for a while, they also fight with you too. It makes up at least a little for no co-op. Although, that said, with how the game works, I feel that's a good thing.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for its appealing designs, with most characters resonating well with players, though individual preferences may vary. The game's smaller maps enhance the experience by encouraging exploration without the frustration of getting lost, allowing for engaging interactions with the characters. Overall, the combination of visuals and character dynamics contributes positively to the gameplay experience.
“The music and the visuals are both super nice, especially the character designs. It's rare for me to find a game with multiple characters where I like pretty much every character. Only one didn't really vibe with me visually or as a person, but that's just a preference thing.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted through its focus on the Sengoku era and the connection between the danshi and their former masters, which enhances player engagement. However, this depth comes at the cost of a reduced cast size, which some reviewers view as a significant drawback.
“The game's focus on the Sengoku era and the swords used during that time creates a deep emotional connection between the danshi and their former masters.”
“The emotional depth of the characters really resonates, making their stories feel personal and impactful.”
“I was genuinely moved by the relationships portrayed in the game; they evoke a strong sense of empathy and connection.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many users feel that the game's replayability is limited, primarily because players cannot freely use different characters until the final chapter, which restricts exploration and experimentation in earlier playthroughs.
“Right now, there doesn't seem to be much replayability due to the fact that you can't freely use characters until the last chapter.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play again, as the story doesn't change significantly with different choices.”
“The lack of varied endings or alternative paths makes replaying the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its strong optimization, delivering good performance without any noticeable lags or issues such as invisible enemies due to rendering delays.
“Good performance, no lags or invisible enemies that didn't have time to render yet.”
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game runs smoothly without any significant issues, contributing to a positive experience.
“Everything runs great, and the overall performance is impressive.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as exploitative, with users labeling the DLC as a cash grab and excessively overpriced.
“The DLC is a cash grab, way overpriced.”
“The in-game purchases feel exploitative and ruin the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind a paywall.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the game's sound design significantly enhances the atmosphere, creating an immersive experience through its effective use of ambient noises.
“The ambient sounds create an incredibly immersive atmosphere!”
“The lighting and sound design work together to build a captivating atmosphere.”
“Every detail contributes to a rich and engaging atmosphere that pulls you in.”