The changes include some enhancements to the skills and upgrades system, where you can purchase new skills with gold you amass, although skills can also be obtained as you level-up your character. There are various categories for the skills, which range from the simple attack-strength upgrades to skills whilst you’re mounted on a horse, and even skills for your bodyguard, who loyally fights by your side at all times. This new system does give you more control over how your character upgrades, although sometimes it does feel like your money spending was unnecessary, as some of the skills may deceivingly seem worthless, but in all actuality they do help.

Besides the main Story Mode, where you choose a character and follow their storyline through several chapters, there is also a Free Mode, Survival Mode, and the new Sugoroku Mode. The Free Mode allows you to choose a battlefield, and just tear through enemy ranks. Survival Mode meanwhile lets you test your skill in an infinitely vast enemy castle. Whilst Sugoroku is a 1-4 player Monopoly knock-off, where you must conquer Japan. Using dice to determine the number of squares you can move, and once you have taken your turn, you may choose whether or not to buy land, regarding you have enough money to do so. If you come across a piece of land already purchased by an opponent, you may choose to pay a small fee, and challenge them for it. Now if purchasing land was as easy as that everyone would want a bit.

To start with there is a handful of characters to choose from, but this number increases to 26 as you unlock more throughout the Story Mode. Each character has their own set attributes, which may be upgraded as they level up, as well as special attacks and a same-but-different fighting style.

Throughout each characters storyline you’ll come across various types of mission objectives, and while fighting the different officers (they possess much better AI than regular enemies) you may unlock new skills, and as you fight through wave after wave of soldiers you may pick up various items which may have an effect on a certain attribute for a limited amount of time. New attacks are also acquired, as you progress through the story.

The visuals are pretty basic, but at least in the cut-scenes the detail shows through a little. As for the loading times? They're barely noticable. There doesn’t seem to be much in the audio department either…just a few grunts and groans here and there, and the cheesy voices, slashes of weapons, and some pretty decent music during battles and the menu’s and that’s about it.

Overall, we think that the Warriors format definitely has room for improvement, but if you want good old hacking-and-slashing, Samurai Warriors 2 is a decent choice to make.

Words by Kyle Sage