One Piece has had a tough highway relating to its video game outings. Fighting games, open-world RPGs, cellular outings, and extra have tried to seize what makes Eiichiro Oda’s manga so particular, but every of them has fallen brief in some kind. While a lot of them embrace the characters and fan service that followers have come to like over the past twenty years, One Piece not often will get the video game variations it deserves. What will get closest to the bombastic enjoyable of the unique sequence, nevertheless, is the One Piece: Pirate Warriors sequence.
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is the fourth entry in a sequence of Koei Tecmo-developed games impressed by the Dynasty Warriors franchise. Taking a big assortment of characters from the East Blue saga to an improvised model of the at present operating Wano Country arc, this game permits gamers to mow by means of huge crowds of enemies and actually stand on prime of the mountain because the King of the Pirates. It’s the closest we’ll get to truly being part of the One Piece world.
For these new to the franchise hoping to leap in with the newest entry, there’s fairly a bit to get pleasure from. Players are tasked with taking part in by means of ranges and clearing various enemies in acquainted areas akin to Alabasta. Each map is stuffed to the brim with lots of (even 1000’s, in some circumstances) of enemies, however they often do not pose any actual problem exterior of named foes or villains from the sequence. That means you may be gleefully wiping out lots of of enemies and taking on territories with relative ease.
Compared to earlier entries, Pirate Warriors 4 is way extra streamlined than earlier than. It’s been made a lot speedier when it comes to particular strikes (now with 4 selectable specials at a time), and there is not any longer a necessity to move right into a base to take it over because it’s all by means of open territories now. It’s additionally simply a lot quicker on the whole, as enemy well being bars appear to empty so much faster than they did previously and there’s now a capability to assault within the air (or fly) as effectively.
Leveling up is a little more streamlined with a set of upgrades you’ll be able to unlock with cash you get taking part in by means of missions. There’s now not a have to degree up every character, however as a substitute construct in the direction of leveling up a base assault, protection, and particular transfer energy throughout all of the characters (from which you then can concentrate on sure characters to get even increased). As for fully new materials when it comes to content material, there are just a few new characters to fiddle with.
With the story now extending to a non-canonical reimagining of the Wano Country arc, characters from the Dressrosa arc and on have been added as playable characters or enemies. It’s not as many as the brand new additions, notably, however the distinction is made up for with transformations. Select characters unlock a particular transformation that provides them a brand new set of particular strikes (akin to Luffy’s Gear Fourth Snakeman), and it injects a welcome little bit of selection.
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 consists of many welcome updates and changes that veterans of the franchise will recognize. At the identical time, these veterans might really feel the most recent entry is missing when it comes to new content material and will tire of going by means of these similar situations for a fourth time. For these leaping in for the very first time, nevertheless, it is the right time to set sail for One Piece with the most effective entry within the sequence but.
Rating: Four out of 5
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is now accessible for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. This assessment relies on a PlayStation Four copy bought by the reviewer.
