DMM GAMES and NITROPLUS have never made their mobile game Touken Ranbu available in the west, so given the games heavy exclusivity to the Japanese market, us receiving any spin-off game in the franchise would be very unlikely. Yet here we are in May 2022 having bucked those odds, with Koei Tecmo officially publishing Touken Ranbu Warriors in western markets. Developed by Ruby Party and Omega Force, Touken Ranbu Warriors sets out to deliver an experience which merges the otome game experience of the former, and the 1 vs 1000 hack’n’ slash gameplay of the latter into one experience.
In Touken Ranbu Warriors, famous swords take on the form of warriors known as the Touken Danshi (swordsmen). Fifteen Touken Danshi have been drifting through time without their master to guide them when they are suddenly attacked by the menacing History Retrograde Army (HRA). After the fighting breaks out, the Touken Danshi are approached by the Government of the Time, and are sent on a mission into the war-torn Sengoku Era where the revision of Japanese history is already underway.
This is the first time that fans of the franchise have been able to experience a selection of the Touken Danshi in full-3D, as they take on missions against the History Retrograde Army. Sadly, my favourite character from the franchise, Gokotai, did not make the cut. Utilise the powerful abilities and graceful actions of the Touken Danshi, including Hissatsu attacks which perfectly capture each character’s personality as they elegantly defeat any enemy in their path. Two characters can also partner up on the battlefield to unleash electrifying co-operative attacks — the more they fight together their bonds deepen and special conversation events can take place. The game also features two different control modes: Easy Mode allows simple button commands for those new to the action game genre, while Regular Mode allows for a wider range of actions for fans already accustomed to musou-style controls.
Touken Ranbu Warriors also features the Honmaru, the main base for the Touken Danshi, where players can get a glimpse of the daily life of their favourite characters. Occasionally mini-games will take place between missions. For example: if two Touken Danshi are together in the kitchen, they can work together to create mochi. If the mini-game is cleared, materials or koban can be obtained which can be used to upgrade the Honmaru or the Touken Danshi.
Touken Ranbu Warriors is now available on the PC and Nintendo Switch only. A standard edition is available to purchase which comes with a digital copy of Touken Ranbu Warriors, while a Digital Deluxe Edition also comes with a copy of the game and access to an assortment of DLC. Special DLC packs featured in the Digital Deluxe Edition include the “Honmaru Backdrop”, which enables gamers to change the season of the honmaru; the “Additional Music” DLC, which includes 5 additional music pieces from Touken Ranbu -ONLINE- specially arranged for this title; and the “Uchiban Outfit” 16 piece set, which allows gamers to change the outfits of the Touken Danshi.
