This beat-'em-up is both fun and accessible, despite not being original.
- Fun, accessible gameplay
- Excellent variety of enemies and battlefields
- Interesting boss fights
- Great opening cutscenes
- Uniqueness between the playable characters is obvious
Negative
- Not all of the bosses fought are available
- Camera is either a bit zoomed in or annoying
- Doesn't feel much different than Dynasty Warriors
- 12 playable characters only and no multiplayer
- Very repetitive
This rather simply beat-'em-up may feel similar to the long running Dynasty Warriors series, but Devil Kings has done what Dynasty Warriors hasn't done for quite a long time, just being fun and accessible to all audiences.
The main mode is the Conquest mode. The other mode is the Free Play mode which you can't play at the very beginning of the game before you enter the Conquest mode and do a level since everything is unlocked. The Conquest mode consists of invading enemy territory and defeat there leader. The main objectives are either to enter locked gates or defeat a number of generals. Locked gates can only be opened by beating the gate keeper whom in the game is marked with a lock on there name.
6 characters are available at the beginning. Other 6 are unlockables till you defeat the first given 6 characters. If you got a new one and finish it you won't get a new player. The uniqueness in the characters is really seen. For example the Devil King uses a sword and a gun, while Lady Butterfly uses gun and no swords. Other characters have different qualities such as better attacks, defense and even higher health gauge. The only really thing that sucks in Devil Kings is that you won't play with the all boss fought against. According to Wikipedia, the Japanese version, Sengoku Basara had 16 playable characters. This version has the Reaper, Lark, Bramble, and Zaan which is really something cruel not to include these characters; they are unique for each other. Unlike Dynasty Warriors, the difference is felt even if Devil Kings feels so similar. Anyway 12 playable characters are a bit low. If you rush, and can unlock and end every character saga is about a week possibly less.
If one played Dynasty Warriors, the gameplay will feel immediately familiar. Addictive button mashing gameplay, fun to kill countless number of enemies. Boss fights are a delight. In boss fights you can run for health anywhere on the map. Normally the boss would follow you, but if you're in a closed area, you can't but that's a rare case. In these fights, normally there will be other enemies to help there lord to win. That's an interesting making them really fun to play.
Aside from the health gauge there the fury gauge that is purple. If it's full you can unleash a powerful special move. Every character has a different one. Some characters such as the Red Minotaur don't just do a special move just watching. His weapon gets the stronger and you can use it to do more damage. Lady Butterfly just uses a power to sweep away enemies and doesn't add anything. There are 2 ways to fill this gauge. Or by finding purple orbs in chest when on the battlefield or buy filling it yourself. First of all you fight with the square button and triangle is to do a sort of special attack. Use the triangle to hit multiple enemies and then when some enemy's health becomes yellow because they are targeted, attack them. The fury gauge can be a core to drive it full, but normally is does severe damage to bosses.
Note at the bottom right of your screen that when you kill enemies you are awarded EXP. Killing multiple enemies and getting combos faster increases it. The more you have and the more you have the chance to level up your character. Leveling up means more HP and possibly a new move. Just above the EXP, there the number of enemies you killed. Killing commanders, guard captains and others which are not bosses gain you extra EXP. You can open even locked gates by defeating the marked ones.
In Devil King, it's not everyone on his own. The Devil King has Hornet and lady Butterfly by his side. Frost has Venus. Lark and Bramble. Red Minotaur has Scorpio and Talon. The main objective is to defeat the main leader. You CAN avoid his helper, unless they are defending a gate. In that case you have to fight them. Some bosses such as the Reaper, Zaan and Kahz have not assistance. The only way to lose is to be killed. You never get to defend a leader of your army or protect a base. The only thing the game ask you to defend appears only once is some of the conquest mode sagas, border patrolling in which you have to protect the gate for a certain time until re-enforcements arrive.
Devil Kings is certainly more accessible than Dynasty Warriors, although similar. Some of the similarities are these: they are both button mashing, though Devil Kings is a bit better. There are enemy base camps and horse riding. They're both repetitive, but I've wrote it so many times at the beginning as a negative result, but come on every game gets repetitive, even if it's the best of the best. And the characters look as some of Dynasty Warriors. But play totally different.
There no multiplayer. That's a thing that Capcom shouldn't have let out. Even though with only 12 characters to choose from and which are in different armies, multiplayer doesn't really seem like a smart idea.
The opening cutscenes of the conquest mode are really impressive. Plus, sometimes an anime cutscene appears, when your character is ready to fight a particular enemy. For example Scorpio vs. Irdene. The openings can be really fun, especially Scorpio's and Venus's. But the endings aren't as much fun or memorable. They still look as amazing, but the way they end is a kind of a letdown.
There is no shop where you can buy items or weapons. If you defeat commanders or finding treasure boxes on the battlefield, you can find treasure chests. Against enemy commanders or bosses always and in remote parts of the battlefield some of these can be found. By defeating captain you will lower the number of common enemies, and captain give you a health orb and extra EXP. Items can become a total frustration to unlock. To get a new weapon, the new weapon you have has to be over the level of the one you have. You will find lots of items and if you have similar, the game automatically discards them. And you rarely find new ones even if you find over 10 in one level. Items can be equipped before going to fight; items give you added HP, attack, defense and special things. You can equip to a max of 3 each time. Leveling up give you more special attacks, but you must play the characters saga more than once; I most leveled up with Lady Butterfly, level 7.
There are 3 difficulty levels; Easy, Medium and Hard. In easy mode common enemies rarely do any damage, only bosses are a bit tough if you're new. The other modes are a bit tougher but if you're an expert you will enjoy the difficulty. While bosses aren't tough, there only one enemy that causes trouble, which is Iron Ox, Irdene's army. There no need to defeat him, but he's strong and fast, stronger than Irdene, and it's almost impossible to defeat if you're not ready to face him. At early levels, it's unless to fight him since his health gauge is very high. Irdene is an easy boss, but Iron Ox is a royal pain.
Devil Kings provide more than just boss fights and common enemies. There are bombers, bigger enemies which will throw rocks at you or use big weapons, man that shoot arrows which are the easiest to kill but the most annoying to get rid of, in some battles Stomp appears which is a big thing you have to defeat and it throws bombs and arrow and which is also equipped with an axe and ninjas. Ninjas are fast buy fun. Wearing special items does more damage to these enemies. You can block enemy's attacks with the L1 button but you can't block bomber which can explode in front of you and send you flying.
The camera can be a royal pain. Especially when using Iron OX since the camera is a bit zoomed in. It can't be said differently from the other characters and it can be extremely irritating and disturbing in battle. It can take some time to get used to it.
Graphically Devil Kings looks good. There's an excellent variety of big, detailed stages which are fun to explore. Character and enemy design is good and the variety of enemies is really good. You won't end up fighting the same kind of enemy for hours and stages. Music is surprisingly good is some stages it's more than just good. The voices are good; they're not really annoying, especially if you're used to have people which are really annoying. If the game looked more cartoonish it would have benn better.
Something the English version has different from the Japanese version are the character's names. In Devil Kings you won't find the real name of the warrior you are using but something like a nickname. In the JP version character like Azure Dragon is named Date Masamune and some people might find this unacceptable.
Despite not being a totally new but borrow from other beat-'em-ups such as Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors and other button mashing action games, Devil Kings still feels fresh and exciting. If button mashing gameplay entertains you or you just like hack and slashing your way through countless number of enemies, and you never really liked Dynasty Warriors, Devil Kings won't disappoint you. What Dynasty Warriors hasn't done for years is found in this one, just being fun and accessible to play for everyone.
Graphics = 7.7
The environments look excellent but empty. Enemies design is excellent and varied. Characters could have looked better though.
Sound = 8.2
Stage music is good, and so is the voice acting, and there are some humorous comments from soldiers and bosses. Though they repeat them selves over time.
Gameplay = 8.4
Addictive button mashing gameplay. The fact that there are 4 characters missing from the Japanese version really sucks but the ones that there are are really unique, even the way they play. Combat gets repetitive, but not boring. Repetition isn't a bad thing in such a game, which you fight your way through hundreds or warriors. There are lots of items which can make your battles easier. Characters level up with more you kill and special attacks are great.
Presentation = 8.8
Opening cutscenes are some funny but overall look impressive. Endings are a letdown. But the quality in these and the anime cutscenes is terrific. Loads a bit long before you start a fight. Character costumes and environments are colorful. Production value is good.
Camera = 7.2
Can be a pain when horse riding and it got some minor problems the way it's placed in combat. But nothing serious here.
Story = 7.9
There isn't much content to keep you hold up for too long. The conquest mode starts to feel a little too repetitive, not in combat but objective and boss fight. Normally conquest mode is long depending how other enemies win territory. If it's big, less battles. If one enemy wins a big area, the better. Characters try to win territory in this mode like you do. You won't fight all of them.
Difficulty = 8.4
There's a lot to come back. 3 difficulty levels in all. Accessible to beginners. Satisfying for beat-'em-up fans.
Multiplayer = N/A
There is none.
OVERALL SCORE = 7.7 / 10
It's a fun game which action fans should enjoy, if not minding repetition.