Summary
Westerners know the franchise asDynasty Warriorswhile Japan knows it asMusou. Either way, fans know exactly what to expect when someone says a game is a Musou-like. They are a distinct breed of hack-and-slash RPGs that are perhaps a bit mindless at times.
Playing on co-opcan help break up the monotonous nature. It’s a niche genre to be sure but the fans are dedicated. Besides the main two franchises under both Koei Techno’s and Omega Forces belt,Dynasty WarriorsandSamurai Warriors, there are anime adaptations too. Of the many Omega Force and non-Omega Force Musou games, which of them stands out as must-play?
6Arslan: The Warriors Of Legend
Arslan: The Warriors of Legendis about the titular Arslan who had his kingdom stolen from him when he was a boy. Valiant guards whisked him away from the rebellion and the anime on which this is based shows Arslan training to take back his kingdom to avenge his father.
It was one of the first games Omega Force made in this Musou style that incorporated more strategic gameplay. It all boiled down tohacking and slashingaway at hundreds of enemies but it at least tried to do something new. There was one game in this series because the anime adaptation only received one season as of 2015.
5Bleach: Soul Resurreccion
Bleach: Soul Resurreccionis an immediate exception because the game was not developed by Omega Force or even published by Koei Tecmo. It was instead co-developed between Sony Japan Studio and Racjin who copied the Musou-style gameplay. Even with that being the case, it is well worth recommending since the anime has come back viaBleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. This game does not take place in the final arc of the anime butinstead follows Ichigoand the others through the Arrancar arc.
Players can take on heroes like Ichigo, Byakuya, Kenpachi, and many other Soul Society Shinigami in their fight against the Arrancar. Fight through hundreds of Hollows, level up, and move on just like any other Musou game. Unfortunately, it was only released on PS3, so it is quite rare now. Super fans ofBleachshould track it down.
4One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4is the latest game in the series although it has been a while as of 2020. However, the game just released DLC after three years because the Wano Arc, which started inOne Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, is finally wrapping up in the anime.
It might be a while before a completely new game gets released unless Force decides to remaster or remix the entire series into a collection. Either way, this is a great game for fans because there are so many characters to play as. It won’t be good for beginners who just got into this series because ofthe Netflix adaptationthough.
Fate/Samurai Remnantis the latest Musou game from Omega Force. Technically, it’s not directly based on an anime but it is part of theFatefranchise. Most of the entries in theFateseries are contained within each other with a few exceptions including plot tie-ins and cameo spots.Fate/Samurai Remnantis anoriginal creation starring Iori, a wandering samurai who gets thrown into chaos.
Players will control Iori through 90% of the experience but they can take over other characters temporarily on special occasions. Battlefields are smaller as are the overall missions. It feels more like an action RPG than a true Musou game, but that’s a good thing. It shows that Omega Force is capable of more.
2Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3may not be the best controllingGundamgame in the series, but it does have the best fan service. Unlike the first two Dynasty Warriors spinoffs that used “realistic” graphics, the thirdentry used cel-shading. This made it stand out from the pack then and why it remains visually stunning years later.
The wealth of pilots and mechs to choose from spanning over three decades is jaw-dropping. There is something here for everyone whether fans grew up with the original series in 1979 orGundam Seedfrom 2002. Playing with a friend in co-op and joking along with the cheesy dialogue is a recipe for a good time.
1Attack On Titan
Attack on Titanwas released in 2016 and it is based on the anime of the same name. Players could control a few different cadets in the army like Eren and the plot closely follows the first two seasons with a little extra. Players could swing around and cut down Titans like a cross betweenShadow of the ColossusandMarvel’s Spider-Man. It managed to capture the exhilarating feeling of the anime perfectly.
There was a sequel as well,Attack on Titan 2, but it was more like a remake and a sequel thanks to the DLC,Final Battle, covering the third season fully. Instead of controlling named characters, players got to control their own heroes. The plot followed the same story more or less but adapted it to fit the new cadet. The gameplay remained solid, but it felt like a weird sequel. Fans assuredly are waiting for Omega Force to convert the rest of the series into an action game with a straight adaptation starring their favorite characters.
