Koei Tecmo announced pre-order bonuses and shared two new gameplay videos for Samurai Warriors 4: Empires.
First, the pre-order bonuses:
North America
Koei Tecmo of America tends to send out its press releases a little later in the day. Check this post again in a couple of hours for North American pre-order bonuses.
Europe
Independent Retailers (via Centresoft) – ‘Bonus Item Set’, consisting of an additional castle option, the ‘Golden Castle’, the ‘Osaka Campaign’ scenario and an additional costume for Takakage Kobayakawa.
GAME – Brand new costume for one of the most popular female characters of the game, Lady Hayakawa.
PlayStation Store – (Early-purchase bonus) The same new Lady Hayakawa costume offered with GAME pre-orders.
The new gameplay videos detail a few of the options available in battle preparation and whilst on the battlefield. Battle preparation includes choosing which of the tactics or formations proposed by the magistrates to deploy prior to battle.
In a press release, Koei Tecmo explains:
Tactics can be either basic (i.e. Troop economy, Blocking enemy Aid, or taking action to increase troop strength prior to engagement), deployed before battle, or executable (i.e. Cavalry Charge, Officer Capture Etc), deployed during battle. Formations affect the way the army is structured and offer relevant bonuses on attack, defence, or speed. A well thought out, balanced strategy is essential when choosing formations, as the enemy could use opposing formations to overrun player troops.
Battles in this title follow the classic Empires-style of “Base Battles.” By claiming enemy bases and turning them into allied bases, players can establish “supply lines” linking together strongholds on the battlefield. In this title, they can also claim “chains” of enemy bases by cutting off enemy supply lines and isolating them. An enemy base positioned in between two allied bases will automatically be claimed for the player’s side! Analysing the enemy battalion placements and efficiently working together with allies can help push the lines up until they can lay siege to the main enemy camp.
While maintaining the exhilaration of the “one vs a thousand” battle-style, these options add a wide variety of strategic elements, from planning a route of attack, to deciding which characters to use, and what commands to give to allied officers.
Samurai Warriors 4: Empires will launch for PlayStation 4 via retail and digital, and PlayStation 3 and PS Vita digitally on March 15 in North America and March 11 in Europe.
Watch the new footage below. View some screenshots at the gallery.
