Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War (PS3)

Author's product rating:   

Gameplay/Playability	Excellent - great gameplay & playability
Graphics	Good graphics
Sound	Good sound effects & music
Value for Money

Advantages:	New and refreshing, Welcoming, Stratgic, beautiful, fast .
Disadvantages:	Bad American Dub .  no online play .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Bladestorm is a relative breakthrough for Koei's games in my own view, the game breaks of the repetitive repeats of the Dynasty warriors series and the Samurai Warrior series. It has more of a stragtegic aspect to it, which brings new life to koei's abilities to create a game similar to the Warriors series and the Kessen series.

This game is based upon the Hundred Year War between France and England. your Character is a mecenary for hire which comes with multiple characters Male and Female, for the girls who like to play games. ^_^. The key to this game is similar to the other series, kill commanders and take over bases completing certain requests that you are getting paid for.

But the game also has a different aspect. It allows you to take control over infantry, archer and cavalry units on the battlefield to use as you desire, which means you now can command units of troops rather then running around by your self wiping out battlions of useless A.I.

The money you pay will allow you to purchase new soldiers for your personal army, which you can also upgrade and improve, by buyinf new weapons and armour, during this game you will be improving your stats leveling up your character mecenary and giving new strategy's and tactics to use in battle.

The game also includes a large number of amazing cinematic cutscenes which are impressive to the eye. especially on a HD plasma or LCD.

The music is really good, but the american dubbing trying to sound european is the worst ever, its sounds like americans sucking on lemons. which is a downfall in the game.

But overall the game is really good and decent and a turning point for Koei. game is refreshing for those DW and SW players. but also welcoming to new comers to Koei's soldier swarming games. the controls are easy and simple. with a simple instruction manaul near you if you ever need help.

The game gives off a historical lesson which is good for you to help you boost that general knowledge. since it requires some strategy to play. it helps to develop your understanding of using the right units to attack other units for example, Cavalry against archers are a bloodbath, the archers are instantly slaughtered. but if cavalary are up against Pikemen then all the horses will be impaled.

The game has a few features such as the cinematics you seen will be given to you to watch when ever you like, when you complete the game you can play for the other side. so there is replay value.

The other downside of this game is the lack of online play, which would have been fun to see who is the better strategist within your friends overall I would give this a 4 and a half rating. but a four in the stars since no half rating.