What you are about to read is a review for another game bearing the "Warriors" name. You will not be surprised to learn that it is technically a rehash of every other Warriors game in existence, albeit Dynasty or Samurai. You also won't be surprised to see that the graphics haven't changed, and that the mission goals are the same as they were five years ago. Samurai Warriors 2 is exactly what it appears to be with one exception: this time the technology powering the game actually works.

Starting with similar/familiar environments, Samurai Warriors 2 thrusts players into a world of slaughter-or-be-slaughtered. You say you just killed 200 sword-swinging scumbags? Well, here are 200 more! That's the series' mantra and it's not likely to change in the next few ye- Make that ever.

The least they could do is make the experience a little more enjoyable. Samurai Warriors 2's does this with a solid camera system. It's not perfect. The series still has a long way to go before I can say it "got it right," but at least it has begun to move in the right direction.

At any time during the game players can spin and tilt the camera however they please. This doesn't completely eliminate angle issues, but it gives you as much freedom and flexibility in changing the angle as possible. You'll be tempted to fool with the camera anytime a cluster of enemies is near, and not always because it's necessary. Sometimes you'll just want to take a peak at what's happening around you and see if the game holds up.

Amazingly it does. While dozens of enemies are getting kicked, pushed, swiped and shoved around the land, the camera stays under your control. Slow-down is minimal, and generally nonexistent. The frame rate wasn't particularly fast to begin with, but I hate to look a gift horse in the mouth. Consistency is a must for any game, and this one has it.

You'll have to look pretty hard, but there are some new features to be found in Samurai Warriors 2. Players will be able to boost ally morale by taking control of enemy castles. What this boils down to is more enemy destruction. The blue portion of the map shows the locales you command, while the red portion indicates where the enemy currently resides. The more blue, the better.

To be honest, I can't remember if this feature has been in a Warriors game before. It's supposed to be new, but I always go in and do the same thing – defeat every enemy in sight. If ally morale had been boosted by my swift performance before, there's really no way I would have known it unless the game told me. I don't spend much time thinking about morale unless I'm losing. I focus on the kills and how many I can get.

From Hack-n-Slash To…Monopoly?

Samurai Warriors 2 features an all-new mini-game: Sugoroku. It's a virtual board game that, amazingly, doesn't leave you feeling bored. Using a multi-tap, up to four players can participate. Don't have four friends handy? You may also choose to have computer-controlled opponents in a game.

The game is set up with a series of squares, each connected from the side or diagonally. You may select any character as your board game piece, an aspect that should be considered before jumping in. While the majority of your actions will involve pointing and clicking on a turn-based level, you will eventually have to fight other players (in real-time, Samurai Warriors-style).

Every participant begins at his/her home base, which is designated by the color that's been assigned to each player. The goal is to obtain a certain dollar amount, $5,000 being the minimum. You do this by dispersing your color, and you do that by snapping up land before your opponents can get to it. Land is given a dollar value based on quality, its location, and on how much you'll earn when opponents land on it. By now you should be picturing a variation of Monopoly. If so you're on the right track.

Movement is based on a roll of the dice. Special points on the board may allow you to roll again, or acquire a few extra movements. Land on an opponent's piece of land and you'll have to pay the owner a fee. You may choose not to pay, but this option is limited and triggers one of several different challenges. Win the challenge by meeting its goal (collect the most gold, defeat the most enemies fleeing an area, etc.) and you'll take over that piece of land. Lose and you've just wasted one of your challenge shots, an item you're not going to want to give up frivolously.

Though I'm not fond of all the challenges (they can be a bit clunky), Sugoroku is a fun party game that should appeal to a wide range of players, whether you like Mario Party, the normal Samurai Warriors gameplay, or just want an easy-going time-killer.

Polygonally Challenged

The new CGs are pretty impressive. They feature realistic-looking characters, superb texturing, and fluid animation.

However, the in-game animations, in-game character models, and in-game environment detail remain the same. Minor tweaks and slight aesthetic changes – which are rarely apparent – do not create a "new" experience. In fact, in the last 10 or so Warriors games released, I've yet to see the series make the leap from grainy, mediocre backgrounds to lush, organic environments that would make us pause in awe. You won't explore any locales worth remembering, let alone find one that's worthy of a raised eyebrow.

Don't misunderstand - graphics do not affect video games so greatly that a lack thereof means a lack of entertainment. You might still find part of the gameplay to be memorable, especially if this is your first outing with the series (not just Samurai Warriors, but Dynasty Warriors as well). I say that every time I review a Warriors game, don't I?

I would imagine that the Xbox 360 version finally takes care of the graphic issues, giving the series a much-needed facelift. Still, I have to wonder - why not take advantage of the PS2's full potential before moving onto the next generation? The current system has more power than this series has ever used.

More of the Same, But…

If more is what you want, go for it. Samurai Warriors 2 follows in its predecessors' footsteps by staying on course. It's not vastly different, nor does it approach any form of innovation. For me, a gamer that has been with the Dynasty and Samurai Warriors series from the beginning, it's hard not to want something new. Hopefully the next game will finally make the leap to innovation. At the very least, evolution. If not – then we'll be right back here, hacking and slashing the same enemies as always.

Gameplay: 6.8
Samurai Warriors 2's improved camera, controls and other tweaked elements make the game much more enjoyable. They do not, unfortunately, have the power to mix up the gameplay and diminish its repetitions. The series has been WYSIWYG* from the beginning. You'll fight warrior after warrior, button mash after button mash.

*What you see is what you get.

Graphics: 4
Impressive CG movies are external – they have no influence on what the actual game looks like. Unfortunately, Samurai Warriors 2’s intestines don’t look too good. The environments are so bland you can barely tell them apart. That's one of several visual flaws you'll encounter, flaws that fans of the series have been encountering for years. The animations haven’t changed, and the constant gameplay interruptions are at best an annoyance. I’ve got nothing against samurai warriors who wish to strut their stuff. But could you keep it on the sidelines and stop interrupting my combos to show me what you think you’ve got?

Sound: 6.0
Not the best batch of voice-overs, nor does it have the most spellbinding soundtrack.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
While not as easy as taking candy from a baby (which now that I think about it might not be that easy – I've never tried), Samurai Warriors 2 is one of the easiest button-mashers you'll play.

Concept: 6.0
The same old formula. Samurai Warriors 2 has a few tweaks here and there, and a few gameplay elements that aimed to make the experience more dynamic. Sugoroku is cool but it’s just a mini-game – aside from that, this is still Dynasty Warriors. Or Samurai Warriors, in this case. The name doesn't matter much when the contents are nearly identical.

Multiplayer: 7.0
Sugoroku is the first of its kind – a fun (and potentially lengthy, depending on your settings) ‘board game’ that is best described as Monopoly meets Samurai Warriors. It’s a crazy idea works really well. Gamers who don’t necessarily like the Warriors series could easily find themselves intrigued by this mode.

Overall: 6.8
Samurai Warriors 2 has come at a time when current-gen sequels should be putting their best foot forward. If I were new to the series … But you know that already, and I'm not. The camera is a necessary improvement, though it's one that should've been done a long time ago. I like the Sugoroku party game, but I wouldn't buy a game bearing the "Warriors" name just to play it. This is supposed to be about the action, not how well it can one-up Mario Party.

All additions and slight improvements aside, SW2 is still pretty much the same thing all over again. It's worth renting if you love the series, and if you're new to it, there couldn't be a better time to jump in. But if you've had your fill, just pass – and hope for a more advanced PS3 sequel.