Samurai Warriors 4 Empires

It’s undeniable though that if you’re after some solid strategy action to exercise both the brain and the thumbs that Samurai Warriors 4: Empires will satiate your desires; just don’t expect it to blow you away.

Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is a good step in the right direction, with a lot more depth and strategics thanks to the Politics Phase. But the gameplay itself is still the same compared to the original and the graphics have not improved either.

A deep but unimaginative game that keeps true to the Dynasty Warriors roots but adds an strategy twist to the mix.

It may not be a big change on a fundamental level, but Samurai Warriors 4: Empires does enough differently to warrant fans to come back for another round of hack ‘n’ slash fun.

Samurai Warriors 4 Empires adds a significant strategic dose to the usual battles in the franchise. The game interface is simple and accessible, and can be enjoyed by all types of users. A pretty good game, full of content.

Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is another solid spin-off, but veteran fans may feel a little let down by some of its streamlined gameplay. However, its dynamic nature is usually enough to make up for its lack of depth.

Fans of old won't find anything new or original in this chapter, just a good more of the same.

While it seems like Omega Force should have this formula locked down tight, the truth is that Samurai Warriors 4: Empires doesn't quite gel.

For the Warriors fans that are looking for hack ‘n slash with small RPG elements involved, I’d say go for standard Samurai Warriors 4. It is a much more condensed game that is a lot of fun to play. People looking for more strategy in their Musou games can find it here, but keep in mind, many of the strategy elements can come across pointless after a while.

Koei Tecmo isn't reinventing the wheel here, and that's fine. Samurai Warriors 4 Empires is yet another enjoyable entry into the musou genre, and one that brings a few neat twists on strategy. It won't leave you amazed, but you'll have a good time.

Samurai Warriors 4 Empires is definitely an entry for hardcore Empires fans — with the same repetitive combat, and even reused graphics and audio assets, this release will not do much to convert anyone who isn’t already heavily invested in the series.

With a larger focus on strategy and a handful of smaller new features, Samurai Warriors 4 Empires will certainly appeal to veteran fans of the series but it simply just hasn’t evolved enough to ensnare wayward players or newcomers to its overly well-worn brand of tactical combat.

Samurai Warriors 4: Empires is fun, but scattered. It's a decent diversion but it's complexity and lack of transparency will keep you from being hooked.

In the end, Samurai Warriors 4 Empires is basically the same as Samurai Warriors 4-II, but with a heavy emphasis on pre-combat strategy and no interesting storylines for the characters. Fans of the series will appreciate the variation on gameplay, but there's nothing to draw new players to the franchise.