With the recent release ofPersona 5 Strikers,fans are looking to join the Phantom Thieves once again for a brand new adventure. A crossover betweenPersona 5and Koei Tecmo’sDynasty Warriorsfranchise,Persona 5 Strikersadopts the Musou genre where players hack-and-slash their way through thousands of enemies on a battlefield. While Musou games aren’t typically known for their storylines,Persona 5 Strikersbrings the lengthy story sections thatPersona 5is known for and combines it with a new style of gameplay.
Essentially a genre featuring open areas where players hack-and-slash through mindless enemies, Musou games have become wildly popular in Japan with hundreds of games spanning different franchises and spinoffs. Featuring flashy characters with extravagant skillsets, Musou games have become renowned for their simplicity and addictive grind. WhilePersona 5 Strikerswill likely help the genre gain mainstream attention, there are plenty of Musou games that are less popular but just as fun.
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Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition
Though theDynasty Warriorsfranchisespans a staggering amount of games, the one that defines the Musou genre isDynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends.Based on the 14th century Chinese novel,Romance of the Three Kingdoms,players are able to choose from over 80 playable characters as they fight through hordes of enemies.Dynasty Warriors 8is a great starting point as it has a massive amount of content and the most story elements in the entire franchise. Offering a great introduction to the characters, weapons, and mechanics that players will see throughout the series,Dynasty Warriors 8also includes upgraded graphics and improved weather effects.
For players new to the Musou genre,Dynasty Warriors 8is the best optionto get into the franchise given the amount of content and game modes available. The inclusion of the historical encyclopedia allows players to understand the complex situation during the Three Kingdoms periods and how the characters are connected with one another. Though it was originally released in 2013,Dynasty Warriors 8has received numerous ports and expansions over the years with the most recent release on Nintendo Switch in 2018.Persona 5 Strikersfans who are interested in the Musou genre and the franchise that spawned it should look no further thanDynasty Warriors 8.
Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
The Musou genre gained mainstream attention with the 2014 release ofHyrule Warriorsand its spiritual successorHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityin 2020. Mixing together the hack-and-slash combatDynasty Warriorswith the characters and settings fromLegend of Zelda,players controlled Link and fought their way through waves of enemies. Pulling influence and lore from previousLegend of Zeldagames,Hyrule Warriorsfeatured a unique roster of characters with different combat abilities.
On the other hand,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityis a prequel spinoff to the wildly successfulLegend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand features a similar map with environmental puzzles. Much likeHyrule Warriors,players will participate in large-scale battles against hordes of enemies but a number ofLegend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildmechanics such as elemental reactions and perfect dodges also make an appearance. Unsurprisingly,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityquickly became the best selling titlein theWarriorsfranchise and anyPersona 5 Strikersfans looking for aLegend of Zeldainspired take on Musou games should give the pair a try.
Dragon Quest Heroes
TheDragon Quest Heroesduology combines the Musou combat ofDynasty Warriorstogether with the characters, monsters, and lore from theDragon Questuniverse. Much heavier on RPG elements compared to standardWarriorsgames,Dragon Quest Heroesallows players to visit towns, interact with NPCs, and encounter random monsters to replicate the classicDragon Questexperience. Moreover, theDragon Quest Heroesgames also feature fewer enemies than standard Musous and instead focus on stronger enemies and difficult bosses.
Divided into adventure and Musou sections, players will be able to progress the story and collecting loot during the adventure section while they fight bosses and complete unique objectives on a map during the Musou sections. With multiplayer support and the ability to change jobs,Dragon Quest Heroesoffers a unique experiencedifferent from most Musou games.Persona 5 Strikersfans who are looking for a more in-depth RPG experience in a Musou should try theDragon Quest Heroesduology.
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Fire Emblem Warriors
Developed by the same developer behindHyrule Warriors,Fire Emblem Warriorsis the collaboration between theWarriorsandFire Emblemfranchises. With a uniquetactical spin on the Musou genre,Fire Emblem Warriorsincludes features found in theFire Emblemfranchise such as units, tactical commands, and a bonding system. Combat is styled after Musou elements, but like otherFire Emblemgames, it also features the Weapon Triangle, a system where certain weapons have advantages or disadvantages against other weapons.
Featuring a cast of over 20 playable characters, players are able to take control of their favorite characters from the series who each have distinct fighting styles and stat growths.Similar to previousFire Emblemgames, players will also need to navigate around the permadeath mechanic as units that die can only be revived with expensive materials. Although the story isn’t as fleshed out as typicalFire Emblemgames, the ensemble cast of characters and interesting interactions will keep mostfans engaged.Persona 5 Strikersfans who are looking for a tactical spin on the Musou genre should playFire Emblem Warriors.
Warriors Orochi 4
TheWarriors Orochiseries is a crossover between two ofKoei Tecmo’s most popular Musou series,Samurai WarriorsandDynasty Warriors.Based on an alternate universe where a rift in spacetime brought together the warriors from the Three Kingdoms era in China and the Warring States period of Japan,Warriors Orochiboasts a gigantic roster of characters from both series. Along with the standard combos and special attacks, characters inWarriors Orochi 4can also use Sacred Treasures which allow them to perform magic commands. Despite featuring an overwhelming amount of characters from both franchises, its tight mechanics and fluid gameplay make it a nice introduction to the Musou genre.
Unlike Musous likeHyrule Warriors, Warriors Orochi 4doesn’t introduce any new mechanics to the genre but instead makes up for it with its massive amount of content. Though the camera can be janky and many characters are clearly overpowered,Warriors Orochi 4distills theWarriorsexperienceinto an enjoyable Musou with a surprising amount of combat depth. Fans of Musou-styled combat should not missWarriors Orochi 4as it offers one of the most complete experiences of the entire franchise.
Persona 5 Strikersis available now for PC, PS4, and Switch.
