One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is Dynasty Warriors but BIG

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is the latest entry in the punch and slash series, and while it’s not actually out yet, I’ve had a chance to play it. And let me tell you: I have some thoughts. 

If you’ve never played a Pirate Warrior game, just imagine Dynasty Warriors but with the One Piece characters. If you’ve never played a Dynasty Warriors game, then all you really need to know is that they’re all about cutting down hundreds of enemies in completely over-the-top fashion while capturing bases and whatnot on each map. 

If you’ve never heard of One Piece, then honestly, just Google it. It’s about pirates and the importance of a well-rounded diet that includes fruit. Also, there are swords and straw hats, and very odd body types. 

Yes, but BIGGER

Anyway, aside from the usual draws of just punching stuff into oblivion, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 offers new giant characters. These are characters like Big Mom, Katakuri, and Cavendish. 

While the Warriors games are always about cutting through hordes as though they were nothing, the giant characters make it feel a little more believable. You tower over the other characters — I’m talking being a good 10 feet taller than everyone else — and it makes defeating 40 of them with a single attack far easier to digest.

Not that realism is the focus of these games in any way at all; it’s just something to consider when playing as a character called Big Mom. 

Though I only got to play on a level that is entirely made of cakes and sweets and only as one of these absolute units, I can tell you that these new characters are intriguing at the very least. 

I’m Running Into the God Damn Walls

The sheer size of these larger-than-life-but-actually-larger characters makes the game feel different. Generally speaking, Pirate Warriors maps are quite large, and making your way around them can take a fair bit of time as a result. That’s not the case thanks to the scale difference here, so it made the map feel almost claustrophobic in places during my playthrough. 

The feeling of being stuffed into trousers three sizes too small comes into play with some of the abilities too. Katakuri has an ability that lets him skate around on a mountain of whipped cream (I think), which carries him forward at a decent rate. The trouble is that you end up getting stuck on walls and dead-ends, especially as things don’t feel as clearly marked as when you’re the same height as everyone else. 

It’s still a lot of fun, and the abilities are wonderful. For example, making a huge pile of cream (SFW) explode and take out a bunch of enemies is good fun.

I’m sure One Piece fans will be incredibly excited by the prospect of diving back into another one of these titles, but it’s hard to say what’s here for new fans or new players. It will be interesting to see how it pans out, but I’m sure it’ll find a fanbase either way. 

Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more on One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 as it develops. The game is set for a March 27 release on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.