Samurai Warriors Done Right!
There only needs to be a sentence to sum this one up: Devil Kings is Samurai Warriors on crack.
From the minute you step foot on the battlegrounds, on your first fight, it'll be clear that Capcom's bizarre 3D brawler takes a number of steps in the same direction as Koei's Shin Sangoku Musuo methods. The RPG elements, the tactical desertion of delicately placed officers throughout the map and the tens of footsoldiers on screen at one time all prove this so.
The only difference is that where Koei's attempts have been amassed to a gradually unremitting and accessible affair, Capcom does without. Devil Kings is a continually astounding hack 'n slash game with something new around every corner. You'll be initially introduced to a list of unparagoned characters and after a brief FMV intro you'll be cast upon a map of Japan. From there, it is up to you what path to take in order to dominate the nation. Yet you'll not be the only one with this fixture in mind. The other states will be tearing apart at each other and annex one another throughout play aswell.
The actual fighting on Devil Kings, as mentioned earlier, is very consonant to Koei's Dynasty Warriors games. You're on battlefield filled with generals, soldiers, gate guardians and lieutenants. Essentially, you're the one man army who has to wipe them out. Though being the super soldier, or devil king, you and your abilities render the hundreds of helpless footmen to an early grave.
Levels are spread out over elongated maps generally with a suitable number of pathways, obstructions, enemy officers and traps set in place to keep things lively. Devil Kings does a good job in all these respects. But while Koei's hack 'n' slash games can undoubtedly grow into very repetitive affairs, somehow Devil Kings maintains to be enthralling.
Perhaps this is because, unlike Koei's games, levels are not designed with the same prerequisite pathways and mission objectives. Ultimately your job is to eliminate the enemy leaders on each battleground but the way you go about this, much unlike Samurai Warriors, isn't the same whack, whack, whack repeat job that people have grown so tired of, far from it.
On one level, as the Devil King himself, it is important initially to defend the base from a horseback invasion from Red Minotaur. And for the first ten to twenty minutes of the level we're thrust into tactically outmanoeuvring the Red Minotaur's soldiers by breaking down each cavalry squad before they reach the headquarters. Only then do his officers and main troop finally intercept you.
Another thing that can be enjoyed with Devil Kings is the sheer sense of humour Capcom have pumped into the cut-scenes and general outlook of battle. Like on the Q-Ball level, segments of the map have to be cleared in order to be progress only for the message "Mi CASA SU CASA!" to prop up on the screen as the gate finally opens having done so.
What keeps Devil Kings going, besides these distractions, is how it refines the combat system set by Koei. Devil Kings has a much deeper and challenging campaign than that of Dynasty Warriors or even Samurai Warriors but it gets the balance far better including the eventual unlocking of new items, weapons and special moves with equally as threatening enemies numbering up as you improve. And with that said, the combos feel far more fluid with the ability to be chained and this racks up experience points with the ever increasing combo – THE WAY KOEI SHOULD OF DONE IT YEARS AGO.
Clearly Capcom knew how to make sense of Koei's formula while developing Devil Kings and as such It is probably the best, or close to the best, a Sengoku Musou inspired brawler will ever be. There is a lot to like about Devil Kings.
It can however be noted that while it makes large strides in territory Koei wouldn't ever dare, the lack of splitscreen co-op, unlike Samurai Warriors, is quite a negative. Devil Kings, while artistically a far greater game thanks to the anime it is inspired on, doesn't visually push the Playstation 2 and has the same washed out, drab, look that Samurai Warriors unfortunately featured. The soundtrack isn't very spectacular either.
And also there are far fewer playable characters in Devil Kings and it makes for a cut short experience. A character's campaign can be completed enthusiastically in a few hours of play, on first play possibly a few more. Yet unlike Koei's games, the campaigns feel far more unique and individual as they should.
Devil Kings is a game that ought to get a lot more attention. If you like your fighting games, in particular the Koei brawlers of recent a time, Devil Kings will prove to be a familiar yet playably satisfying addition to your collection. It isn't often you see the likes of Capcom pick a tentative gameplay style like hack 'n' slash and do so well with it but by God they did. I recommend you give it a try.
