Finally the 1st new engine and gameplay upgrade in years, but its still the same old DW but done better with lots of little things adding up to make the game better for DW fans and those not in to hack'n'slash. Graphics have improved but the environments looks workman like compared to the brilliant animation(now very fluid) and draw distance. All the 3 kindgoms characters have undergone looks, weapon and gameplay changes(while keeping the same crappy voices actors, but then thats part of the charm now)
First off the "att,att,charge" combos and like have been thrown out the window which really threw me at first as i could still interrupt my normal attacks at anytime with a charge attack, but it only seemed have a couple of charge types to use so i kept trying to find the old games method of the knock up inthe air, the stun, the crowd clearer, etc,etc but nothing would work so i had to read the manual... instead of that, what we get continuous unbroken normal attacks that don't break or pause and the ability to interrupt with 2 types of charge attack which are tap charge(usually Directed foward to a point) and Hold Charge(a 360 crowd clearer). It take some time but this really does make the battle much more fluid in that the pause and breaks inthe old games are gone, you just go from normal to charge and back again with out an animation break almost like DMC.
To add extra depth to this, the rambu system has been installed. What that is, is 4 lvls(has to be unlocked as you only start with 2) of attack and combo extenders that can only be built up by chaining attacks without getting hit or not hitting enemy to keep it going. For every level increase the damage of the normal attack goes up and it gain more animations while the charge attack get extra hits than can be anything(depending on the character) from a hit in the air to self propelled thrust, doing nothing or getting hit lowers the Rambu bar.
Other new bits are throws, normal throw (att+block, blockable but quick) and powered throw(att+charge+block, unblockable but delayed start) which look like throws straight out of soul calibur. You can now dodge, swim and climb seige ladders, 2x types of counter, officer attacks on you that are blocked all have dodging or parrying animations much like VF4/5, arrow attacks can be blocked using attacks(abit like samurai warriors).
Enemies now act a bit better, Officiers will dodge and throw and when you get a high ranking officier the crowd will part like school ground fight to watch you 2 go at it 1 v 1 on the fly unless a another officier turns up. Standard soldiers now get bonuses from Flag carriers so it important to take them out before 10+ cannon fodder get +att and +def, can get hard when an officier start getting them to
.
There are now also cavalry troops that charge in, normal soldiers also have ranked soldiers to guide them(captins, lieutenants, etc) which can stop them running off scared and get them to combine in powered attacks or charged rush's. Bases have bigger impact on morale and seem to be the only place outside of pots to get HP food(which you will need because officiers hit hard) while also providing you and the enemy with artillery archery attacks(rains down arrows) and seige weapons.
the leveling system returns but is a tree style method where select what skills you want to upgrade(like FF12 skill leveling). Weapons no longer level, you can only get new weapons, and instead of leveling a bodyguard you can level a horse(speed,jump,crush,mounted att).
Enjoyable game with a new twist on old DW hack'n'slash but more or less feels the same.
First off the "att,att,charge" combos and like have been thrown out the window which really threw me at first as i could still interrupt my normal attacks at anytime with a charge attack, but it only seemed have a couple of charge types to use so i kept trying to find the old games method of the knock up inthe air, the stun, the crowd clearer, etc,etc but nothing would work so i had to read the manual... instead of that, what we get continuous unbroken normal attacks that don't break or pause and the ability to interrupt with 2 types of charge attack which are tap charge(usually Directed foward to a point) and Hold Charge(a 360 crowd clearer). It take some time but this really does make the battle much more fluid in that the pause and breaks inthe old games are gone, you just go from normal to charge and back again with out an animation break almost like DMC.
To add extra depth to this, the rambu system has been installed. What that is, is 4 lvls(has to be unlocked as you only start with 2) of attack and combo extenders that can only be built up by chaining attacks without getting hit or not hitting enemy to keep it going. For every level increase the damage of the normal attack goes up and it gain more animations while the charge attack get extra hits than can be anything(depending on the character) from a hit in the air to self propelled thrust, doing nothing or getting hit lowers the Rambu bar.
Other new bits are throws, normal throw (att+block, blockable but quick) and powered throw(att+charge+block, unblockable but delayed start) which look like throws straight out of soul calibur. You can now dodge, swim and climb seige ladders, 2x types of counter, officer attacks on you that are blocked all have dodging or parrying animations much like VF4/5, arrow attacks can be blocked using attacks(abit like samurai warriors).
Enemies now act a bit better, Officiers will dodge and throw and when you get a high ranking officier the crowd will part like school ground fight to watch you 2 go at it 1 v 1 on the fly unless a another officier turns up. Standard soldiers now get bonuses from Flag carriers so it important to take them out before 10+ cannon fodder get +att and +def, can get hard when an officier start getting them to
. There are now also cavalry troops that charge in, normal soldiers also have ranked soldiers to guide them(captins, lieutenants, etc) which can stop them running off scared and get them to combine in powered attacks or charged rush's. Bases have bigger impact on morale and seem to be the only place outside of pots to get HP food(which you will need because officiers hit hard) while also providing you and the enemy with artillery archery attacks(rains down arrows) and seige weapons.
the leveling system returns but is a tree style method where select what skills you want to upgrade(like FF12 skill leveling). Weapons no longer level, you can only get new weapons, and instead of leveling a bodyguard you can level a horse(speed,jump,crush,mounted att).
Enjoyable game with a new twist on old DW hack'n'slash but more or less feels the same.
, best bits about it are the insane specials, the base mechanic(lifted from empire games) and of course the 'dream matches' Master Asia+Heero Vs Amuro+Char = yes please. The game is Orochi Warriors which is pretty hardcore for DW fans as it involves another dreammatch between 3 kingdom and Waring States Japan and a crap ton of custom EXP weapons, stories modes and triple tag play(you control 3 warriors, switching between in real time to combo)
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