This is a good game with a bunch of minor problems that compound on each other to make for a slightly frustrating, albeit rewarding game. That being said, it's a thumbs down just because there are a number of better, less frustrating musou games out there. Tiny problems like the Bravery system, which I hate. It forces you to 'level up' from zero in each map (think MOBAs) and you get to a certain point where you are able to take them on. Until then, they are not phased by your attacks if they land at all and can just wreck you with juggle combos. It's a system that I guess is meant to guide the flow of battle but instead it adds this temporary progression that forces you to do a sort of grinding in each map before you can really make any progress. It's just aggravating, especially for mini missions that should be able to be cleared rapidly, but are instead dragged out too long due to the way Bravery works.

The inclusion of characters from different series is cool, and I can appreciate that, but it's not 100% even. It definitely feels forced. The hub is also pretty to look at, but far too sparse and empty to be interesting or to feel lived in. It feels less like a lived in home base and more like a truck stop.

There is also a noticeable lack of progression. It's definitely there, but the Hero Cards and crafting for them is kind of a bland and doesn't give a real feeling of progression the way leveling a character directly and pulling weapons would. Interesting idea in theory, but like may of the interesting ideas here, it was poorly executed.

Overall, this is just a not-very-good attempt to make a multiverse musou game where the efforts to 'balance' the game ended up making it annoying. So, there are better games in the various series that you can grab instead of this one that are much more fulfilling.

[Scene: The Publisher’s office. The Publisher (Ryan George without glasses) sits at his desk as the Game Designer (Ryan George with glasses) excitedly walks in.]

Publisher:
So, you have a crossover hack-and-slash game for me?

Game Designer:
Yes, sir, I do! It’s called Warriors All-Stars! It’s a massive Koei Tecmo crossover featuring characters from franchises like Nioh, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, and Atelier!

Publisher:
Oh, so like Super Smash Bros., but instead of fighting on small stages, they mow down hundreds of enemies at once?

Game Designer:
Exactly!

Publisher:
Well, that actually sounds kinda cool!

Game Designer:
Oh, it is cool! We even have multiple endings, team-based mechanics, flashy Musou attacks, and—get this—a tiny cat version of Nobunaga Oda!

Publisher:
Wait, what?

Game Designer:
What?

Publisher:
You just said there’s a tiny cat version of Nobunaga Oda.

Game Designer:
I sure did!

Publisher:
And does he, you know, speak like an adorable little cat?

Game Designer:
Oh no, he has the same deep, menacing baritone voice as his normal self.

Publisher:
Oh my god.

Game Designer:
It’s hilariously intimidating and also kinda cute!

Publisher:
Well, okay then!

Game Designer:
Great!

Publisher:
So what’s the story here?

Game Designer:
Oh, it’s super simple! The characters get summoned into a magical kingdom to fight for the right to determine the next ruler.

Publisher:
And how do they get summoned?

Game Designer:
By a magic hot spring.

Publisher:
...A hot spring?

Game Designer:
Yeah! Magical water just pulls them in and transports them to this new world!

Publisher:
So you’re telling me that William from Nioh, Ryu Hayabusa, and a talking cat Nobunaga all got isekai’d by bathwater?

Game Designer:
That’s right!

Publisher:
A very clean way to start a war.

Game Designer:
Thank you!

Publisher:
So how’s the gameplay?

Game Designer:
Oh, it’s tight!

Publisher:
Oh, I like that!

Game Designer:
You get classic Warriors gameplay, where you charge into battle and defeat hundreds of enemies with crazy Musou attacks! It’s very accessible for newcomers—we even have a Beginner Mode that makes the game super easy, barely an inconvenience!

Publisher:
Oh really?

Game Designer:
Yeah! Even people who have never played a Warriors game can button-mash their way through and have a blast!

Publisher:
And what about longtime Warriors fans?

Game Designer:
Oh, they’re gonna be a little confused and maybe frustrated!

Publisher:
Oh?

Game Designer:
Yeah, the combat has some awkward mechanics that change the flow of battle, and certain staple Warriors features have been removed or reworked in weird ways!

Publisher:
So veterans are gonna be annoyed?

Game Designer:
A little bit, yeah!

Publisher:
Well, okay then!

Game Designer:
Great!

Publisher:
So what kind of environments are we looking at?

Game Designer:
Oh, you’re gonna love this. The environments? Absolutely stunning.

Publisher:
Oh yeah?

Game Designer:
Yeah, gorgeous landscapes, rich colors, and intricate details. You know a game is doing it right when you wish you could live in that world!

Publisher:
I mean, it is a battlefield full of monsters and warriors fighting to the death…

Game Designer:
But a gorgeous battlefield full of monsters and warriors fighting to the death!

Publisher:
Fair enough.

Publisher:
So, how big is the character roster?

Game Designer:
Oh, it’s pretty small!

Publisher:
Oh.

Game Designer:
But it has a lot of variety! You can have Ayane from Dead or Alive fighting alongside an alchemist from Atelier, or Ryu Hayabusa teaming up with Naotora Li!

Publisher:
Oh, you put Naotora Li in the game?

Game Designer:
Yeah! And she looks absolutely amazing! Just seeing her in all her glory makes me so happy!

Publisher:
...Are you just personally a huge fan of hers?

Game Designer:
Yes.

Publisher:
Well, okay then!

Game Designer:
Great!

Publisher:
So, what’s the biggest challenge in the game?

Game Designer:
Oh, the biggest challenge is picking which adorable animal mascot to side with!

Publisher:
…What?

Game Designer:
What?

Publisher:
You’re telling me that the core conflict of this grand crossover is which fluffy animal king you support?

Game Designer:
That’s what we’re going with!

Publisher:
Well, okay then!

Game Designer:
Great!

Publisher:
So, overall, how would you sum up Warriors All-Stars?

Game Designer:
It’s a visually stunning, super fun Warriors game with a hilarious cast of characters, a lighthearted story, and smooth, accessible gameplay—perfect for newcomers and a mixed bag for veterans!

Publisher:
And also hot spring teleportation and a tiny baritone-voiced Nobunaga Oda cat.

Game Designer:
Exactly!

Publisher:
Wow wow wow. Wow.

Game Designer:
So, what do you think?

Publisher:
I think it sounds like a fun, weird, over-the-top game that’ll make fans happy!

Game Designer:
Absolutely!

Publisher:
And it lets players unleash crazy Musou attacks as their favorite Koei Tecmo characters?

Game Designer:
Sure does!

Publisher:
Well, then, I just have one more question.

Game Designer:
What’s that?

Publisher:
Can I pet the tiny Nobunaga Oda cat?

Game Designer:
Oh, absolutely not.

Publisher:
Oh my god.

Game Designer:
But you can watch him command an army while sounding terrifyingly regal!

Publisher:
Well, okay then!

Game Designer:
Great!

[Screen fades to black.]

THE END. 🎮🔥

---

[Epic Trailer Voice]
From the company that brought you Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors, and that one horse racing game, comes a crossover so random, so absurd, it just kinda works?

This… is WARRIORS ALL-STARS!

Step into a Warriors game that smashes together every franchise Koei Tecmo had, from Nioh’s samurai demons to Dead or Alive’s supermodels—all fighting for some adorable animal royalty.

JOHN MARSTON: "Wait, the fate of this war is decided by a bunch of fuzzy animals?"

ARTHUR MORGAN: "That lil’ cat’s lookin’ mighty determined."

HONEST TRAILER GUY:
Prepare for an epic battle started by a magical hot spring accident!

DUTCH VAN DER LINDE: "So we’re fightin’ because of a hot tub?"

HONEST TRAILER GUY: "That’s right, Dutch!"

DUTCH VAN DER LINDE: [Heavy breathing] "I just need one more soak!"

[Fast-paced action clips]

Experience classic Warriors gameplay with hundreds of enemies, Musou attacks, and enemies who wait their turn to be slapped around by a dude in a bathrobe.

This time, it’s chaotic! With Nobunaga Oda as a cat, an anime princess dropkicking demons, and Ryu Hayabusa wondering why he showed up.

JOHN MARSTON: "There’s a man who can fight. But no gun?"

ARTHUR MORGAN: "He’s got a big-ass dragon sword. He’s fine."

DUTCH VAN DER LINDE: "But what if we gave him… a plan?"

ARTHUR & JOHN: "Dutch, NO."

[More gameplay clips]

Warriors All-Stars is filled with cinematic cutscenes, dialogue, and exposition—that you can skip! Jump straight to hitting things until they explode into the sky!

DUTCH VAN DER LINDE: "Now THAT’S what I like!"

With multiple difficulty levels, anyone can play. If you’re new to the Warriors series, there’s a super-easy mode where you win no matter what!

ARTHUR MORGAN: "That don’t seem fair."

JOHN MARSTON: "Arthur, it’s a game with a ninja, a magical girl, and a cowboy dude fighting a cat king. I think ‘fair’ left long ago."

ARTHUR MORGAN: [Pauses] "I don’t think we’re in Tahiti, Dutch."

[Final Montage]

With a solid roster, Warriors All-Stars lets you play as Naotora Li—which alone makes it a 10/10—or team up with William from Nioh, who probably just wants to go home.

But the real star? Nobunaga Oda Cat.

DUTCH VAN DER LINDE: "Arthur… we gotta steal that cat."

[Title screen]

WARRIORS ALL-STARS

"Super Easy, Barely an Inconvenience" – The Game.

---

Warriors clash, so bright,
Cat Nobunaga takes flight,
Musou feels just right.

Endless foes to slay,
Hot spring magic leads the way,
Heroes rise today.