The Warriors games have always played fast and loose with history, but they've also been constrained by it. Omega Force's decision to adhere to a certain degree of historical accuracy has meant that the game's more fantastical elements have been kept in check. That all changed with the release of the first Warriors Orochi

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For those who have only ever experienced overwhelming victory in the Warriors games, the opening may come as a surprise. On a volcanic battlefield, an enormous Hydra destroys your army, leaving just three generals alive. Teetering on the brink of defeat, you're rescued by a mystic named Kagura, who offers you the opportunity to travel back in time and amass an army capable of beating the Hydra. Your main objectives, then, are to ensure that certain generals survive the battles they previously died in, so that you can recruit them to your cause.You won't be able to save them all, however, as some are destined to fall in battle, though by completing certain side missions you can unlock a new version of the original mission, this time with the chance of rescuing the officer in question. It's a neat structural change that affects the way you approach the game and rewards the completist. These additional quests are well worth taking on, as there are plenty of strong characters that can only be saved in this way.Indeed, there are plenty of characters, full stop. The game boasts well over 120, in fact, and they're not just taken from the two main Warriors franchises, with newcomers from Tecmo and Koei's other IP. Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa is obviously the biggest draw, but you'll also encounter characters from Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War and Warriors: Legends of Troy. Not all are created equal, however, and the sheer volume of the cast presents some balancing issues. Dead or Alive's Ayane is a strong choice but Lianshi from Dynasty Warriors 7 seems bewilderingly powerful, able to decimate crowds from a safe distance, even on the higher difficulty settings.Such minor issues can be forgiven in light of what such a substantial roster brings to the game. The three-character setup offers thousands of potential officer combinations, allowing you to adopt a team that really suits your play style. Growth points awarded after a successful mission can be spent on levelling preferred characters, or bringing new recruits up to speed, or even building up the power of allies you might use for specific tasks. For example, Shuten Doji's amazing musou power makes him worth keeping on your team even if you don't like his fighting style; you can stroll up to an enemy general with a full gauge, swap him in and let rip before switching back and gobbling up those glowing rewards with your officer of choice.Away from the battlefield, you can forge deeper bonds between compatible officers. Each character has special relationships with certain others, and these can be improved from Normal to Close and finally Intimate, offering new interactions within the Camp, while the frequency of their support attacks in battle will increase. It's genuinely quite a thrill to witness a close tie impacting battle: when a fellow officer rushes in to help when you're taking a beating, you know your efforts in building that relationship were worth it.Upgrading your weapons also proves a satisfying and worthwhile aside. Even the weaker weapons you collect on the battlefield can prove useful, offering bonus attributes ranging from elemental attacks to character buffs. If you've got at least two weapons, you can spend some of the fruits of your square-button labours on fusing them. The weaker one will be destroyed in the process, but you can transfer any powers it held – along with any additional attribute slots – to the new, improved weapon. Again, the sheer range of possible combinations encourages experimentation until you happen across a blend of abilities that allows you to tackle even the toughest enemies with ease.Intriguingly, there's no English-language dub this time. Veteran Warriors fans may be delighted to hear that, but I was always a fan of the hammy voice acting, partly because it was a useful way of conveying important information during battle. Though the characters sound more authentic speaking in their native tongue, the upshot is that you need to pay closer attention to the text that pops up during battle. The decision can perhaps be explained by the amount of dialogue present, even between levels. Check your current officer info and they'll often deliver a brief monologue offering their thoughts on the last battle, or showing their mind-set going into the next. As well as adding extra flavour, this also helps the player bond further with their team members. By the time I was ready to fight the Hydra once more, I'd grown quite attached to my squad, to a greater degree than any other Warriors game I've played.The multiplayer matchmaking setup still leaves much to be desired, but the ability to customize any of the battlefields you've unlocked adds substantial longevity to an already content-rich title. On top of the costumes, wallpapers, weapons and other rewards you're showered with after every completed mission, you'll receive additional elements to add to your favourite combat arena. Better still, any edited battlefields can be shared online with other players. It's another generous inclusion from Omega Force in a game already stuffed with modes and options.