Bladestorm: Nightmare is the sequel to Bladestorm: The Hundred Years War, and much like other Koei Tecmo series, the sequel looks very similar to the base game. Hundred Years War is included with Nightmare if you haven’t had a chance to pay either. Koei Tecmo is well-known for their Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series based off China’s Three Kindgoms era and Feudal era Japan respectively. In the same vein, the Bladestorm series occurs, as the title of the first game implies, during the Hundred Years War between England and France. Bladestorm: Nightmare’s story takes a radical turn from the historical aspects of most Koei Tecmo games by introducing monsters to the world which force French and English soldiers to band together against the threat. The rumors are that the monster invasion is lead by Joan of Arc herself.

When I first booted up Bladestorm: Nightmare, I had the reaction that I imagine a lot of you will have. I hated it. Luckily I was proven wrong, but it took me a while to get over it. I knew it wouldn’t be the same hack-and-slash I was used to, but it was still shocking to go from playing Samurai Warriors to this. The focus is no longer on the human wrecking ball that you become in the past series. Now, it’s all about strategy and leading a team. More than that, the map is much more expansive than in past series. The more that I played, the better I felt, and now I can confidently say that I really enjoyed playing it.

So what does the game look like? The basic concept is the same as in the past: defeat enemies to turn the tides, and take down their leader to net a victory. As you progress through the battlefield, you’ll probably need to switch between troop types in order to overcome enemies. Depending on the weapons they wield, you and your troops may have an advantage or disadvantage against certain enemies. The odds are not insurmountable, but in higher difficulty levels in can become important to switch between troops regularly.

Boss fights look different as well. You will need to time your attacks correctly and make sure to avoid the sweeping attacks of the enemy. Your troops will be invaluable here. Unlike Dynasty and Samurai Warriors, taking an enemy leader on single-handedly will almost certainly mean death. Make sure not to waste your special attacks at the wrong moment either. It take time to recharge, and they can be lifesavers if you get swarmed by enemy troops.

Bladestorm is a nice change of pace from Koei Tecmo in a line of games that can sometimes feel formulaic. It feels like a step in the right direction, and I would love to see some more strategy elements emerge in future games. There’s still more to be done though. Attacking makes the player characters immobile, and the inability to have full control over attack timing can make the game feel clunky sometimes. More than anything, it often feels like the player character gets lost in the crowd during particularly intense battles.

I look forward to playing some more, because like a lot of Koei Tecmo games, it’s addicting. The story is compelling, although cheesy at times. The mechanics are simple to learn but difficult to master. For anyone who grabs a copy of the game, I recommend giving yourself at least a full hour the first time you sit down with it. It will take some acclimating if you’re not accustomed, and that’s when you’ll really start enjoying yourself. Also, give the tutorial in Hundred Years War a whirl before you dive into Nightmare. After that point, you will be fine switching over, but the first game is much kinder when it comes to teaching the basics.

Here are some additional screenshots, courtesy of our friends at Koei Tecmo: