There is nothing like One Piece. I finally set sail in 2021 on Luffy’s journey (and completed it!), and I’ve been hooked on reading each chapter weekly ever since. Whether it’s the manga, anime, films, or merchandise, there is no shortage of One Piece content to discover. After catching up in 2021, I quickly became interested in the game catalog that existed at the time for the series.
Upon checking things out, I settled on trying One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, and as a fan of the Warriors games, I had a blast punching away at thousands of enemies as the Straw Hat pirates. It’s been a few years since I last spent some time with Pirate Warriors 4, but the recent enhanced release felt like a great time to do so. After checking out the Legendary Edition of the game, it’s safe to say that Pirate Warriors 4 is still such a blast for fans of One Piece.
The Grand Line Awaits
As the fourth game in the series, Pirate Warriors 4 brings plenty to the table. The main mode is Dramatic Log, which takes you through the events of the main story of One Piece. Since this game was released prior to Wano ending, there is a game-original ending for that arc, but otherwise, things follow canon. This story mode for returning players is a fun blast through memory lane, with Omega Force recreating some of the series’ most iconic moments.
If you’re a newcomer to One Piece, I have a harder time recommending Pirate Warriors 4 as a way to experience the story. It does not do an adequate job of recreating each of the arcs. There’s some acknowledgement here and there for earlier ones, and key focuses on things Arabasta through Wano, but it’s not enough to act as a true standalone replacement of the anime or manga. I don’t expect an in-depth recreation out of a game like this, but it’s worth pointing out for those who may be interested from the outside. Many important moments and characters are flat-out cut. If you wish to solely immerse yourself in the world of One Piece, great. Otherwise, come back once you’re caught up.
Outside of Dramatic Log, Free Log lets you check out any episode you’d like. There are a few fantastic episodes that pop up throughout the story, and this is a quick and easy way to hop back in and experience it again with new characters. Additionally, Treasure Log opens up randomized maps for you to complete with whatever character you’d like. If you’re aiming to grind coins, this is the best place to do so. You will encounter some very entertaining scenarios that have never happened in the main story, too, so there’s an incentive here for longtime fans to check it out.
It’s worth noting that you can play through Dramatic Log and other modes online, so you can join up with players around the world. I especially appreciate the local co-op support for Dramatic Log, allowing you to tackle the story together with a friend.
This entire roster feels like a huge fan service initiative for hardcore fans. Characters like Shanks, Rayleigh, Gol D. Roger, and Boa Hancock are all playable, alongside numerous others. There are over 60 different playable characters, which feels almost absurd at a certain point. I only have a few more characters I wish were playable, mainly the Gorosei, but this roster is more than enough to keep any fan happy.
There’s one more main mode at your disposal, and that’s Special Log. Here, Omega Force has added three DLC modes that were released for Pirate Warriors 4 over the last few years. These focus on Yamato, Koby, and the legendary Gol D. Roger. Each offers a different experience. For example, while Koby’s Combat Chronicle is basically a roguelike, Path to the King of the Pirates has a ton of wild stuff thrown in, where you can even test your One Piece knowledge.
Overall, there is no shortage of content here, even beyond the main story. You can grind for hundreds of hours to level up and max each character, and considering how different many of them play, you’re not likely to get bored. Newcomers can quickly become lost without knowledge of the series, but there’s enough here to at least wrap your head around most things.
Slash Away
As a Musou game, Pirate Warriors 4 is exactly what you’d expect: it’s up to you to clear wave upon wave of enemies. I’m a big fan of the Warriors games, but there’s just something special about what Omega Force was able to do with this game. Seeing each beloved character from the show translate seamlessly to the game with unique abilities and Devil Fruit powers is a true treat. You really can get lost in trying out different characters and finding one that meshes.
After choosing your character, you have a variety of attacks to use and beat down the thousands of enemies around you. Some might be mere grunts, but you’ll slowly begin to encounter harder and harder foes, up to fighting even the Emperors themselves! The true beauty of Pirate Warriors 4 shines with gameplay, as each character is satisfying to play and has unique attacks to test out. When I first played this game on PS4, I spent at least 30 hours just testing each character’s movesets and abilities. The joy of discovery is real when using abilities like Kaido’s dragon form transformation.
While the gameplay is a lot of fun, there can be occasional roadblocks with the camera system. Occasionally, you may encounter scenarios where it’s hard to see what exactly is going on, which is mostly a fault of the environment. Parts of the map and certain larger enemies can make things a little wonky and out of your control. This is not something that happens too frequently, but it does pop up and can be frustrating if it gets in the way of you fighting an enemy.
I’ve seen some confusion as to why Bandai Namco opted to release new versions and more DLC for Pirate Warriors 4 rather than develop a new entry. Considering this entry depicted the (albeit game original) ending of Wano, Omega Force would only have Egghead and the bit of Elbaph to adapt. We’re better off waiting for the series to conclude before a new entry arrives to give the development teams time to make content out of multiple arcs.
While the PS5 version does not boast any new content, it does offer some nice performance boosts over the PS4. For one, many more enemies now spawn on screen, which can really dial up that classic Warriors action. This is largely noticeable even on the first stage, and especially so when compared to the previous generation version. Given that the goal of Pirate Warriors 4 is to wipe out thousands of enemies across each stage, I was happy to see even more thrown into the mix on screen for as much chaos as possible.
Additionally, the resolution has increased to support 4K. Character models look sharp, and the effects also look better. For those simply comparing the two versions, the differences between the PS4 and PS5 editions might not be too noticeable, but these slight tweaks are nice additions to the experience. Still, I would have appreciated an update to add support for haptic feedback or adaptive triggers on the DualSense. This is still clearly a game from 2020, but it has never looked better.
Going for Gold
As a fan of One Piece, you’re guaranteed to get lost for dozens of hours inside Pirate Warriors 4. This is a gold mine for fans of the series, with so much to offer for fans of any kind. Dramatic Log is a fun trip through memory lane, Treasure Log feels like a fun batch of what-if scenarios, and Special Log adds a few fun, bite-sized modes to check out. The attention to detail for each character is astounding, and with over 60 to test out, Pirate Warriors 4 will keep you busy for a long while.
Newcomers may find themselves somewhat overwhelmed if not at least familiar with One Piece and its story. Dramatic Log, while substantial, does not offer a perfect retelling, as it omits multiple arcs and provides a game-original ending for Wano. Additionally, I have some issues with the camera here and there, but they’re nothing that can significantly impact the experience.
At the end of the day, Pirate Warriors 4 is a great One Piece game and an excellent Musou game. The PS5 version, albeit lacking new content, introduces new visual enhancements that make for the best way to play this adventure. Returning players may find less incentive to set sail on this journey again, but new One Piece fans beginning the voyage should be delighted with the extensive content available in the Legendary Edition.
Disclaimer: Bandai Namco provided a PlayStation 5 copy of One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 for review purposes.
