Samurai Warriors 5 Critic Reviews

Not only is Samurai Warriors 5 the best-feeling game in the franchise to date, but it's also the best-looking too. The character roster features a mostly returning cast with some new additions, but even the older additions have been given a whole new design to fit the new ink-brush aesthetic. Some of the visual presentations haven't changed such as the stiff dialogue scenes making a return, but when in the thick of it, the Samurai Warriors franchise has never looked better.

The Warriors franchise has always had a strong following and Samurai Warriors 5 keeps that following going. With an entertaining story, strong characterizations and a gorgeous cell-shaded art style, Samurai Warrior's 5 is the best entry in the franchise in a long time. If you've never had an interest in jumping into a Warriors title before, Samurai Warriors 5 is the best time to jump in and see what makes these games so addictive and fun.

Samurai Warriors 5 doesn't bring much new to the table, but manages to combine the best parts of other Musou games for a truly fun experience.

While there are some aspects that longtime fans of the series will be disappointed by, Samurai Warriors 5 is a polished and accessible entry in Koei Tecmo’s long-running series that is well worth your time with its gorgeous aesthetic, excellent soundtrack, and rock-solid performance on PS4 Pro and PS5.

A steady diet of musou games would most certainly lead to nutritional deficiencies, but now and again playing a game like Samurai Warriors 5 is a great reminder of how much fun the genre can be. There’s almost always a least a hint of repetition in these games, including this one, but with its balance between well-told story and fluid action, memorable characters, and epic battles, Samurai Warriors 5 is both an excellent way to dive into the franchise and a welcome new direction for longtime fans.

Samurai Warriors 5 had an ambitious goal: give the franchise a reboot so it feels revitalized and fresh but also maintains the essence of what fans enjoy about the franchise. Aside from a few tweaks and updates, the gameplay of Samurai Warriors 5 adheres to the format that musou games are expected to follow.

It's fairly reasonable to say that I have a fondness for the Samurai Warriors franchise, and in terms of actual combat this game also delivers in spades when it comes to style and intensity. One also accepts having to slog through the drawn-out and sometimes tedious process of acquiring resources (to upgrade player stats and weapons for greater combat effectiveness) -- but the one thing that made the drudgery more bearable, like the interactivity and humor behind the process in Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada, is sadly lacking in this game. In spite of this shortcoming, Samurai Warriors 5 is still an exhilarating and visually arresting adventure through the chaos and political vortex of Sengoku period Japan.

Samurai Warriors 5 provides a fresh start for the franchise through a focused narrative while retaining what fans love. It builds on the established formula rather than overhauling it completely created a balanced action experience. Despite issues with repetitive movesets and the limited Ultimate Skills, I had a great time returning to the battlefield that has only been better with this updated aesthetic.

Samurai Warriors holds onto its status as the best of the three Warriors series. Omega Force has refined their aged formula with a focus on narrative, more challenging combat, and more rewarding character progression. Let’s just hope they can hold onto this momentum.

Samurai Warriors 5 is a gorgeous game telling a classic story full of awesome characters and it doesn’t require much more investment than that. If that’s all you need, this is one of the best the Musou franchise has to offer.

As a complete Warriors package, Samurai Warriors 5 doesn't quite match up to its stellar predecessor, but that doesn't stop it from being fantastic hack and slash fun. Even if the gameplay itself is largely familiar, a rebooted story mode and overhauled art style give the experience a fresh and surprisingly unique feel. What's more, the new ultimate skills system is an excellent addition, and something we'd love to see become a Warriors staple.

Whether you’re a grizzled Musou veteran with the calloused thumbs to prove it, or a blister-free newcomer to the genre, Samurai Warriors 5 is a fantastic game to play. With more content than you can wave a battle-bloodied katana at, it’s a great value game that’ll keep you in the war for a long time to come.

Whether you’re a series fan or a newcomer, there’s a lot to like about Samurai Warriors 5. This is without a doubt the best Samurai Warriors game yet, with a more engaging story, deeper gameplay, and luscious visuals. As ever, there are tens of hours of fun to be had, with repetition staved off that bit longer thanks to the new gameplay additions. And with a friend in tow, everything just becomes more chaotic and fun. Forget about the reduced character roster; if you love Musou games, consider this a must-have.

Samurai Warriors 5 is a successful return to the basics of the license after a Dynasty Warriors 9 that had completely disappointed the players. Koei Tecmo offers a game that will not leave fans of the genre unmoved, while proposing interesting new features, a very complete roster of playable characters, a wide range of usable weapons, two very solid game modes and a lifespan that exceeds 100 hours of play. We will forgive its technical inequalities, even if it is time to move to the Next Gen and to offer a game with big ambitions while keeping what makes the essence of Musou games.

Samurai Warriors 5 is over the top in its action, beautifully painted in its presentation, and offers a surprisingly decent narrative. It may get grind heavy, but that doesn’t stop it from being the freshest Warriors game in years.

Samurai Warriors 5 is like comfort food for gamers. It’s just like you remember, only this time a bit flashier, and with a few extra tweaks to play with. Since it covers Nobunaga’s younger years, it’s also a great entry in the franchise for new players to pick up. Veterans will no doubt rely on muscle memory to power through the Hard mode, but otherwise this is a fun Musou that anyone can play. Grab a friend and get to slicing!

Samurai Warriors 5 definitely has its fair share of faults. However, those faults aren't nearly enough to hinder the fact that the game offers a gratifying experience and is an excellent addition to the series.

While Samurai Warriors 5 doesn’t break from the mold, it does help get the Warriors series back on track after Dynasty Warriors 9. Fans of hack and slash or past Musou games should check it out.

A strong gameplay, a good lifespan, nice art and some couch gaming... Samurai Warrios 5 has some strong arguments for itself. It sticks to the roots of Musô, for better or worse, with some additions that feels worth it.

Samurai Warriors 5 is a breath of fresh air that shows the developers have learned a lot from their previous entries. They’ve taken pieces of their spin-off games such as Persona 5 Strikers, Hyrule Warriors, Fire Emblem Warriors, and even their Dragon Quest Heroes entries. Omega Force took a look at what players of the aforementioned games like beyond general fan service involving their favorite games and used it to reinvigorate their long-running Samurai Warriors series. If you’re someone who tried one of the spinoffs and liked it, or if you have even a remote interest in The Warring States period of Japanese history, this title is a perfect place to jump in. While there is room for improvement upon, Samurai Warriors 5 is a strong foundation for future entries. With Omega Force’s track record of releasing expansion packs and side games, I’m eagerly awaiting more.