Dynasty Warriors might be Koei Tecmo and Omega Force’s flagship action franchise, but through the years we have gotten to see different variations of the central 1 vs. 1,000 formula with not only anime and video game franchises like One Piece, Mobile Suit Gundam, and The Legend of Zelda, but with its own spinoff franchises that take this formula through other historical eras in the Warriors Orochi and Samurai Warriors series. The most distinct out of these branching series have always been the Samurai Warriors titles, however, as it explores different eras of feudal Japan rather than China. It’s been five years since the last Samurai Warriors expansion title, and seven years since the release of Samurai Warriors 4’s base game, so there’s a lot riding on the release of Samurai Warriors 5 to stick the landing. Not only is it the first Samurai Warriors title compatible with newer-gen systems, but it’s likely going to be the first introduction to the franchise for many new players. Thankfully for those new players, and dedicated followers of the franchise, there’s tons to dig into as Samurai Warriors 5 offers the most fulfilling experience in the series yet.
