Samurai Warriors Brings The Battles Of Feudal Japan Into Your Home

By Louis Bedigian

“During the samurai era, the all-out battles involved thousands of troops spread over large pieces of land with varying terrain. The game's battlefields are expansive and depict those environments well.”

Bring on the war, bring on the battles, bring on all the sword-slashing action you can create.

That’s what I’d tell KOEI if they wanted to know what they should do next.  That isn’t really necessary though.  You can’t flip through a game magazine without hearing about another Warriors game.

In 2004, KOEI will go beyond the Dynasty.  You’re bound to see more Xtreme Legends in the future, but before that they’re going to unleash a new beast: Samurai Warriors.

Samurai Warriors was clearly inspired by the Dynasty Warriors series.  That’s probably why they share similar names and similar gameplay mechanics.  KOEI, however, assures us that this is anything but a DW clone.  To find out just how different Samurai Warriors is, we sat down with Jarik R. Sikat, Sales and Marketing Manager at KOEI.

At first glance, Samurai Warriors looks a lot like Koei's other warrior game, Dynasty Warriors.  What sets Samurai Warriors apart from that game?

Jarik R. Sikat: Upon a cursory glance, the style of gameplay may look similar. Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors share their genealogy, but the developers of Samurai Warriors have created a Tactical Action game that is quite unique from the Dynasty series. First, there’s the change in setting and time period to 16^th century Japan. We’ll meet an entirely new cast of characters, more of whom we’ll learn about later. Then there’s several new features that set Samurai Warriors apart from the Dynasty saga such as the game’s new Active Mission System (AMS), the new castle Auto Formation System, an RPG style abilities system, horse attacks and more.

Devastating attacks leave your enemies breathless.

And with less blood and fewer limbs.

What can you tell us about the game's weaponry?

JRS: Much of the game’s weaponry such as the swords, throwing stars, Hattori Hanzo’s sickle and chain, and Yukimura Sanada’s spear, are based on the types of weapons used during the game’s time period, but we wanted each character and their weapon to be unique. The game does take some liberties with the history, such as the canon that Goemon wears on his back, or Oichi’s kendama. In Japan a kendama is a child’s wooden toy, but in Samurai Warriors, it becomes a highly effective weapon. These are bold takes on the characters, but that’s because we feel that the game should be entertaining as much as enlightening.

Besides Sanada Yukimura, who are the legendary samurai and ninja that players can choose from?

JRS: Samurai Warriors can be considered a “who’s who” of 16^th century samurai. Sanada Yukimura, the game’s main hero died defending Osaka Castle and his life is widely celebrated in Japan. Takeda Shingen, another character in the game, fought a series of famous battles involving thousands of soldiers on the Kawanakajima plain. Some of these battles are depicted in Samurai Warriors. Oda Nobunaga, a popular and controversial figure in samurai history, has appeared in earlier KOEI games- Kessen and Nobunaga’s Ambition. Then there’s Hattori Hanzo, a real-life ninja. Hanzo is from the Iga clan of ninjas, and to this day is remembered in games and film. In fact there is a Tokyo train line named after him.

You must scream while attacking your opponent.

Otherwise they won’t be able to hear you over the clashing of swords.

Does each character come with his or her own set of weapons or attack moves?

JRS: Each character is unique in terms of personality, attack moves, and weapon. As the player progresses, he or she will upgrade their weapon to more powerful levels. There’s also an ability system that allows the player to acquire new fighting skills and techniques. In the later levels, there are some surprising weapons, but I won’t reveal them here.

What is the AMS – Active Mission System – all about?

JRS: This is new way to challenge the Tactical Action player, and keep players engaged throughout battle. Based on the battlefield situation, the AMS will dynamically generate various mission objectives in addition to the battle’s main victory conditions. The decision to complete these missions is entirely up to the player, but failure or success will have a bearing on how the character’s scenario evolves.

Samurai Warriors is big on fantasy effects.

There's another acronym connected to this game -- AFS (Auto-Formation System).  How does this enhance the gameplay?

JRS: The AFS or Auto-Formation System is something we’re very proud of. The system dynamically creates indoor castle levels each time you play. This means castle level designs- the placements of traps, items and enemy troops changes. This was designed to create a new experience for the gamer each time they played the game.

How does the game utilize the power of Dolby Digital sound?

JRS: Dolby digital is used in the game’s dramatic cut scenes, while Pro Logic II audio is used in for the in-game music and sound effects.

What kinds of mini-games are going to be featured in the Warlord mode?

JRS: Players will have to train their characters much in the same way actual samurai were trained. The seven mini-games will of course involve weapon-based combat, but through the training characters will develop archery and equestrian skills.

Death strikes again.

Samurai Warriors is said to feature some very exotic locales.  What are they?

JRS: We’re quite proud of the game’s visual style. We are also proud of the rich history that is depicted in the game. Many of the players may never get to visit the actual battlefields such as Kawanakajima plain, Odawara Castle, and Nagashino, but we wanted the player to feel like they were actually there. Of course, the game’s locales can’t be 100 percent accurate, and we’ve taken some liberties for entertainment purposes, but we can still convey the mood and feeling. As you play, you’ll also notice the developer’s great attention to detail with subtle time and weather effects.

How big are the game's environments?  Are they comparable to the environments featured in Dynasty Warriors?

JRS: During the samurai era, the all-out battles involved thousands of troops spread over large pieces of land with varying terrain. The game’s battlefields are expansive and depict those environments well.

Thank you for your time.