Dissecting Koei's Latest

The goal is simple, but can only be achieved with cunning strategy and deft skill. Samurai Warriors® 2 Empires lets you take on the role of a feudal lord and battle other warlords in historical Japan.

Behold the power!

Action-Infused Strategy
Where Samurai Warriors 2 separates itself from both the action and strategy genres is by flawlessly fusing the gameplay of both game-types together.

The game is best explained by examining the process of each battle in the Empire mode. Each campaign starts with you choosing your fief, much as you would in a board game. From there, you begin a three-step process for each individual battle.

Strategy
The first step, called the Strategy Phase, has you spending your resources to prepare your army for both the upcoming battle and the war in general. This includes harvesting to feed your troops, improving your weaponry, calling for emergency taxes, enacting a draft, and recruiting officers.

With your initially limited resources, each decision carries weight as you feel the ramifications of your choices through the following turns. Early on, however, you can feel free to access the Consult feature, letting the A.I. offer you helpful suggestions.

Tactics
The second step, the Battle Phase, is used determine what sort of conflict you will fight. No battles are predetermined, although some are hard to avoid, so it's up to you to decide whether you want to invade the enemy's territory, defend against an attack, lend a hand to an ally, or even coordinate a joint attack.

And they all fall down.

You can also designate which generals and officers will lead your troops, adding another layer of strategy as you balance each general's experience, loyalty, and strength against the challenge that you will set him against.

Action
Everything comes to a head as you enter the combat phase and take a direct, hands-on approach. You will have an opportunity to employ your strategy before hand, however, as you direct the orders you already put through, and equip your hero for battle.

Once you're in the thick of it, it's not only about the frenzy of hand-to-hand combat as you fight your way through waves of enemies, but also about on-field tactics. You can target an enemy leader, hoping to cause his troops to flee, you can give your army orders on the fly, and even search for power-ups or steal a horse!

He means business.

The Experienced Warrior
Your experiences on the battlefield will hone you into a more powerful hero. With each level you advance, your statistics will increase, including health, attack rating, speed, your powerful musou attacks, and even your luck. This applies to the officers who serve under your hero as well.

What's more, you can unlock new and unique attacks, advanced weaponry, and even upgrades for your primary weapons, like adding lightning damage to your attacks or improving your sword's defense rating.

The required strategy and tactics, and your new abilities deepen in complexity and variety with every battle. Samurai Warriors 2: Empires is built for the long haul, and it only gets better and more interesting the longer you play.

Article by Ryan Treit