WARRIORS ALL-STARS (v2017.10.04 & ALL DLC)

A collapsing fantasy realm pulls warriors from Koei Tecmo’s most recognizable series into a colorful, chaotic struggle for its throne. WARRIORS ALL-STARS trades historical battlefields for a crossover story built around Tamaki, a young ruler whose kingdom needs a new champion before its life-giving springs fail. Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors, Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive, Atelier, Toukiden, and other worlds collide, giving the familiar one-versus-thousands formula a lighter, fan-service-heavy tone. It is an exuberant celebration of personalities first, with rivalries, odd friendships, and wildly mismatched heroes sharing the spotlight.

Combat revolves around carving paths through massive crowds, capturing objectives, defeating officers, and unleashing character-specific special attacks. Each fighter retains recognizable traits from their home series, so Ryu Hayabusa plays as a fast, lethal ninja while Atelier’s Sophie leans on alchemy and more unusual ranged tools. Players build a four-character team, call in allies, level up their roster, and use Hero Skills that grant buffs, healing, movement options, or offensive support. Musou Rush lets the whole party chain together for a high-impact assault, while missions branch according to chosen allies, completed objectives, and story decisions, leading to several routes and endings.

The appeal lies in seeing an unusually broad Koei Tecmo lineup interact rather than in delivering the deepest Warriors combat system. Its open scenario structure makes repeat runs worthwhile, since different factions unlock new conversations, battles, and conclusions, although the map objectives can still become repetitive in classic musou fashion. Bright anime presentation, full Japanese voice work, and a surprisingly playful sense of humor make it an easygoing change from the more serious Dynasty Warriors entries. Fans of Hyrule Warriors, Warriors Orochi, or Koei Tecmo’s older franchises get the most from it, while newcomers can enjoy it as an accessible, low-pressure introduction to crowd-clearing action.