One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 (PS5) Review – Familiar Seas, Mixed Tides

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 (PS5) Review

The buzz around Musou games is at an all-time high thanks to the success of Hyrule Warriors and Dynasty Warriors Origins. Both titles advanced the genre with smarter combat and stronger storytelling, but it’s the sheer scale of the battles, with hundreds of enemies filling the screen, that fuels the fantasy of being an unstoppable warrior and keeps players coming back. Riding that renewed excitement, Bandai Namco has dug up the last entry in the One Piece: Pirate Warriors franchise and given it a new lease on life. But will this colossal brawler stand tall alongside today’s refined Musou heavyweights, or will it feel like a relic from a bygone era?

Starting with the manga in 1997 and the anime in 1999, One Piece has been running for decades, and its story has grown into a colossal saga. Pirate Warriors 4 takes on the daunting task of condensing these, focusing on iconic segments before introducing an original story. While each mission is accompanied by a relevant cutscene to give context, the structure and flow of the narrative lack the cohesion needed to keep the story engaging throughout. While it’s understandable to avoid a full retelling, focusing on particular arcs would make the plot easier to follow. Although this will deter newcomers, fans of the franchise will enjoy diving back into standout arcs and reliving the series’ biggest battles.

Musou For You?

If you’re new to the musou genre, these games offer the ultimate power trip as you take on hundreds of enemies at once. While there are options to pull off combos, it quickly turns into a button-mashing extravaganza, letting you unleash outlandish attacks that can wipe out hordes in a single hit. Each character on the large roster has a distinct moveset that aligns with their on-screen counterpart, with styles that favor either strength or speed. Although this does affect how they move, fights still boil down to the same core system, which can lead to repetition.

This isn’t helped by the mission structure. Objectives play out on relatively large maps, and you’re required to eliminate threats as they appear in specific locations. Sometimes you’ll need to defend against an oncoming force, and other times you’ll have to destroy objects to progress. Even though the mission types vary, the gameplay rarely changes, and with the lack of nuance in the combat, the experience can drift into tedium fairly quickly.

It’s Just Me and You

Boss fights are a highlight, as they remove the noise and allow you to focus on a primary opponent. It’s here where strategy comes into play, as you must learn the opposition’s attack patterns to avoid and counter them. Bosses have armor, which you must break before you can inflict damage, which adds layers to the battle. While these are a welcome break from the chaotic action that ensures the multi-person battles, solo encounters never feel particularly deep.

Outside of the main story, dubbed Dramatic Log, there’s also Free Log, which lets you replay any completed missions with the character of your choice. Rather than being restricted to specific characters like in story mode, you’re free to experiment with the game’s vast roster. Treasure Log offers a series of challenge stages that grade you based on your performance. With the addition of online play, where you and some friends can team up to take on giant bosses and more, there’s a ton of content available in the game.

A Spit Shine

The new release gets a visual upgrade; however, it’s not significant. Those familiar with the former release will note the same textures repeating in the environment to create a dated aesthetic. While the cartoon visuals help to cover some of these flaws, the basic design is evident in each area. Performance, however, is great, running at a steady frame rate even when the screen fills and the chaotic combat is in full swing.

Omega Force sticks to the formula with Pirate Warriors 4, and that’s not a bad thing if you’re a fan of the musou format. Fans of the genre, and even of One Piece itself, will find a lot to like here. There’s a ton of content and a somewhat noticeable visual upgrade, and if that’s what you’re after, this entry certainly delivers. However, if you prefer action-heavy experiences with a more multi-layered approach to combat, you’re better off looking elsewhere. Missions and set pieces are clearly designed with long-time fans in mind, often relying on prior knowledge of the franchise. While that’s great for dedicated followers, newcomers may quickly feel lost in the story. As a package, it’s brimming with content, but fundamental issues with the formula mean you might ultimately want to let this ship sail by.

***A PlayStation 5 code provided by the publisher***