WARRIORS OROCHI 3 Ultimate
- September 2, 2014
- KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
- 66h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate Definitive Edition" is the ultimate version of the musou-style game featuring a massive roster of characters from the Dynasty and Samurai Warriors series. This edition includes special costumes and all previous DLCs, allowing players to change text language and choose from over 170 playable characters. However, changing the text language may clear some wallpaper settings and require re-entering saved Musou Battlefields and party names for Gauntlet Mode.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate is considered the best game in the Orochi series, offering a massive character roster and extensive content.
- The game features engaging gameplay mechanics, including strategic elements like team building and special abilities, making it a fun experience for fans of the genre.
- The story is well-received, with a time-traveling plot that adds depth and multiple endings, enhancing replayability.
- There are significant technical issues, including save file problems and graphical glitches, particularly with certain character attacks.
- The game lacks online multiplayer and has limited co-op options, which disappoints some players who enjoyed these features in previous versions.
- The grind for achievements and character upgrades can be tedious, leading to a repetitive experience for some players.
- story106 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally praised for its engaging and straightforward narrative, featuring a time-traveling plot with multiple endings that intertwines mythology and characters from previous series. While some players find the storyline cheesy or repetitive, many appreciate the depth and variety it offers, along with the diverse cast of characters and the ability to unlock new content through gameplay. Overall, the story is considered a significant highlight, contributing to the game's replayability and enjoyment.
“The story is engaging and more straightforward than its sequel, featuring a time-traveling plot with multiple endings.”
“The engaging story, the huge amount of content, and the variety in terms of characters' playstyles make this one of the best, if not the ultimate musou game out there.”
“The story cutscenes are phenomenal, and this game has some very good bonding moments, with an excellent soundtrack to make moments all that much more impactful.”
“I have very little to say about the story.”
“It's a musou game made by Koei Tecmo, so expect a cheesy storyline, sometimes with interactions that can make you cringe - this isn't a negative per se, it's just not my cup of tea so I tend to skip most of the dialogue.”
“The main story mode and secondary gauntlet mode are very deep and, if you're going to grind for all the achievements, promise hundreds of hours of gameplay - I'm at nearly 200 hours playtime as of this review just trying to finish all the gauntlet mode achievements.”
- graphics50 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 84 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reminiscent of the PS3 era, with numerous reports of graphical glitches, framerate issues, and missing effects that detract from the experience. While some players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and the game's ability to scale to higher resolutions, many recommend playing at a 60Hz refresh rate to mitigate certain visual problems. Overall, the graphics may not meet modern standards, but they still hold a certain charm for fans of the genre.
“The graphics have aged fairly well and scale nicely to 4K resolution, and I haven't experienced any glitches, lag, or crashes thus far.”
“This game is just like how I remembered the older versions being; I greatly appreciate its graphics and game handling.”
“Still, sometimes a very particular aesthetic style ages better than attempts at uncanny valley.”
“Loads of content, and other than its dated graphics, seems to have aged incredibly well.”
“The game runs at a hard 60fps cap on release, which in itself could be tolerable but the longstanding 'black boxes' and missing effects glitch rages to this day with no official patch rectifying this issue, with the only solution being to lower your monitor's refresh rate back to a hard 60hz every time you load the game to get the full particle and graphical effects within.”
“There are weird graphical glitches that seem to be tied to framerate; you can try different options to fix it, but every setup is different, and some people couldn't fix it that way.”
- gameplay43 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Warriors Orochi 3 is praised for its engaging hack-and-slash mechanics and a vast character roster, offering a mix of Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors elements that keep players entertained for hours. While some reviewers note issues like repetitive maps and technical flaws, the overall experience is described as fun and addictive, with a deep story mode and a variety of gameplay modes that enhance replayability. Despite some comparisons to its sequel, Warriors Orochi 4, many players appreciate the unique mechanics and content available in this installment.
“Warriors Orochi 3 is a standout in the musou genre, offering a perfect blend of Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors gameplay.”
“The gameplay is fun, there's boatloads of content, a surprisingly decent story, and a massive character roster with all the DLC stages and skins.”
“Over 100 playable characters with almost no cloned movesets, a long campaign with tons of side missions, and robust mechanics that never interfere with the moment-to-moment 1 vs 100 gameplay.”
“The gameplay may seem rote and repetitive for those who have gotten into more sophisticated and challenging musou-like games in the meantime.”
“I don't know if newer games are just more polished or if Koei didn't care about polishing this port, but it really is a letdown and right now I cannot recommend it over Warriors Orochi 4, whose gameplay is just much better and more polished.”
“There are too many repeat maps (which makes sense considering that it's tied to the story mode) which make the gameplay feel more repetitive as all hell.”
- grinding22 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it tedious and overly time-consuming, others appreciate the rewarding leveling and weapon systems that enhance the experience. Fans of musou games enjoy the extensive grinding for character upgrades and the variety of content, though some criticize the game for its repetitive nature and built-in limitations that hinder grinding. Overall, the game caters to those who enjoy grinding, but it may not appeal to everyone due to its demanding nature.
“Sadly, some achievements need insane grinding, which I don't like because it's so boring pretty fast.”
“The game has built-in ways to stop you from grinding, and it's annoying as hell.”
“Don't waste your precious time grinding in this game.”
- stability21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- -10 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably inconsistent, with many players reporting various graphical glitches, framerate drops, and issues with special attacks, particularly when not played at a refresh rate of 60 Hz. While some users have managed to mitigate these problems through adjustments, others continue to experience significant bugs that can disrupt gameplay. Overall, the game runs well for some, but the prevalence of visual issues suggests a need for further optimization.
“I assume the game wasn't made for super high refresh rates, but other than that, it runs great.”
“The game maintains a solid frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
“I've experienced minimal bugs or crashes, which really enhances the overall gameplay experience.”
“Very buggy port, does not generate save data file.”
“Constant framerate drops, graphical glitches, and attacks not working properly.”
“There are weird graphical glitches that seem to be tied to framerate; you can try different options to fix it, but every setup is different. Some people couldn't fix it that way.”
- music14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its variety and quality, featuring a compelling mix of rock, techno, and classical Asian elements, particularly highlighted by impressive flute and piccolo solos. While some fans feel it doesn't quite reach the heights of previous titles like Dynasty Warriors 8 XL, the soundtrack remains a strong point of the franchise, enhancing the overall experience with impactful themes and a rich selection from both Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant asset, contributing to the game's epic atmosphere and emotional moments.
“The soundtrack once again is a strength as it has been throughout the Warriors franchise - the music is a fantastic mix of rock, techno, and fusion or rock/metal with classical Asian elements (the flute/piccolo solos throughout are brilliant and a real treat for the ears).”
“Now add everything mentioned above to an epic soundtrack with cool visuals and you'll have an almost perfect action game - if you're into this kind of genre, of course.”
“The character themes and music in this game are some of the best composed in the Warriors franchise.”
“The soundtrack once again is a strength as it has been throughout the Warriors franchise - the music is a fantastic mix of rock, techno, and fusion or rock/metal with classical Asian elements. The flute/piccolo solos throughout are brilliant and a real treat for the ears.”
“Warriors Orochi OST is full of bangers.”
“I turned up the music volume and turned down the SFX volume.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance on modern hardware, with consistent 60 fps and minimal stuttering, there are notable issues such as occasional crashes and limited graphics options. Some users have found workarounds to improve performance, but the need for additional optimization and better support for higher refresh rates remains a common request.
“Port is great performance-wise on my end and all the previously paid DLC (except Japanese retailer exclusives) is included.”
“To be honest, I'm just shocked how optimized this port runs on PC as Koei has been known to be lacking in the port department.”
“Optimization is good.”
“The things you have to do to make the game visually work every launch shows it isn't optimized.”
“Just could use some optimization, and could work better with monitor settings beyond 60hz, still strongly recommended.”
“-needs more graphics options for customizability and optimization.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game offers exceptional replayability through various modes such as gauntlet, duel, and musou battlefields, catering to different playstyles and preferences. With a vast character roster, deep storylines, and numerous achievements to unlock, players can enjoy hundreds of hours of gameplay, making it one of the most feature-rich titles in the musou genre. Overall, the combination of diverse modes and extensive content ensures a highly replayable experience.
“Top it off with more than enough modes to fit how you feel like playing the game any given day and the sheer character roster, and you get a lot of replay value.”
“Modes like gauntlet mode, duel, and musou battlefields extend replayability, with gauntlet mode offering the most intense challenges.”
“Top it off with more than enough modes to fit how you feel like playing the game any given day (quick mission completion, randomly beat some stuff up, slaughter thousands of peons, etc.) and the sheer character roster, and you get a lot of replay value.”
“The main story mode and secondary gauntlet mode are very deep and, if you're going to grind for all the achievements, promise hundreds of hours of gameplay—I'm at nearly 200 hours playtime as of this review just trying to finish all the gauntlet mode achievements—and with nearly 150 characters and 4 difficulty levels in the story, there's almost limitless replay value.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively, with no microtransactions and a focus on delivering a complete experience without additional costs. Players appreciate the absence of cash grabs, highlighting the game's offline play and good controls as a welcome change. However, some concerns about the game's quality and performance suggest it may have been rushed for release.
“Thank you for once, Koei. Between the US and Fatal Frame, this is your best no cash grab gift to us.”
“Full of different characters, nice stages, no microtransactions, offline playing, good controls.”
“The game feels like a barebones port, rushed for a cash grab, with a lot of black artifacts and bad animations.”
“I thought my video card had a problem until I saw the other reviews and discussions about the game's poor quality.”
“The monetization strategy is clearly focused on maximizing profits rather than providing a quality gaming experience.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that while not all games require an emotionally engaging narrative, players can still experience strong feelings tied to character attachments and personal preferences, as seen in the disappointment over missing beloved elements, such as specific outfits in Soulcalibur.
“I am a huge fan of Soulcalibur; Sophitia was one of the main reasons I bought this game, so the fact that my favorite outfit for her isn't in the game is heartbreaking.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in Koei's game is noted for its strength and depth, providing players with plenty to enjoy. While the game has a niche appeal, there is a desire among users for the return of online co-op features to enhance the comedic experience with friends or other players.
“Koei's sense of humor is strong, and this game gives you quite a lot to chew on.”
“I know it is niche, but I wish they would implement the online co-op in these games again so if my buddy or even a random player wanted to blast through a map for some funny times, we could.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in this game is simpler compared to Warriors Orochi 4, focusing more on straightforward gameplay and unlocking characters through play rather than complex progression systems. This makes it more accessible for players looking for a pick-up-and-play experience.
“The character development in this game is engaging and allows for meaningful choices that impact the story.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each interaction feel significant and rewarding.”
“The depth of character backstories and their growth over time really enhances the overall experience.”
“Character development is not nearly as complex as in Warriors Orochi 4.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the game.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of depth in the character arcs; they don't evolve in any significant way.”
