| System: X360, PC, PS2, PSP | Review Rating Legend | |
| Dev: Omega Force | 1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid | 4.0 - 4.4 = Great |
| Pub: Koei | 2.0 - 2.4 = Poor | 4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy |
| Release: March 25, 2008 | 2.5 - 2.9 = Average | 5.0 = The Best |
| Players: 1-2 | 3.0 - 3.4 = Fair | |
| ESRB Rating: Teen | 3.5 - 3.9 = Good | |
by Derek Hidey
While the term "hack-and-slash" certainly means different things to different people, it has become synonymous with the Dynasty and Samurai Warriors series. The only major difference between the two series is which country they are based in, one in Japan and the other in China. However, Koei decided that bringing the two series together would provide the ultimate experience for hardcore fans. And while both series are known for being primarily played on console systems, Warriors Orochi is also available for the PC roughly seven months after its initial release.
It is important to understand exactly what the PC version has to offer the player before diving into the bulk content of the game. With that being said, the typical PC gamer will be surprised to find that there is absolutely no mouse support for Warrior Orochi. All the menus, submenus, and character movements have to be handled entirely using the keyboard, a situation most PC gamers haven't come across in many years. Nevertheless, the game does allow the player to rebind the controls to better suit certain play styles, but such a feature has become so standard that it can't be considered sufficient compensation.
Of course, the game also supports the use of a PC-compatible controller such as an Xbox 360 controller. However, chances are that if a player has an Xbox 360 controller, he or she probably has an Xbox 360, which raises the question as to why they would purchase the PC version over the Xbox 360 version.
Visually, Warriors Orochi is lackluster. The environments are bland and seem composed of low resolution models. The player's character models are the only parts of the game that are visually appealing, and even they aren't close to what PC gamers would consider impressive or next generation. Even worse is the complete lack of widescreen resolutions. So, even if your PC has the hardware to reach very high resolutions, the highest resolution you'll be able to achieve is a paltry 1024x768. Moreover, considering Warrior Orochi's system requirements are so low, most PC users will find themselves with all the settings cranked and still begging for more.
