Koei Tecmo has released Berserk and the Band of the Hawk for PS4.
Despite the fact that Berserk is a manga that’s been running for nearly 30 years, I can’t say I’m shocked only a handful of games have been released bearing the name of Kentaro Miura’s bleak and bloody work. The same can be said about a number of long-running manga, whether I hold them near to my heart or not. Understandably it’s never an easy task to take the source material and translate it into pixels and polygons.
Only in the past few console generations has the tech existed to solidly replicate the vivid colors and distinct characters and action scenes of works like Dragonball and Naruto. But part of the problem lies in making something more than a fighting game. So when it was announced that Omega Force was taking the reins on a Berserk game it made sense it would be in the same vein as Dynasty Warriors. Of course, what better way is there to portray Guts hacking and slashing his way through armies by himself than in a series known for single characters hacking and slashing their way through legions of enemies?
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk is a retelling of a good portion of the manga, covering the Golden Age arc and the Hawk of the Millennium Empire arc. For those completely unaware of Berserk, this means little and is doubtful to be enough to have you invested in the game in the first place. Even casual fans of the series are likely to be very familiar with the Golden Age arc, as it provides the origins of main characters Guts, Griffith, and Casca.
Guts is one of those characters that resonates through any medium: a lone swordsman wielding a massive broadsword that cleaves through anything. Throughout Berserk audiences are constantly reminded of how much of a badass Guts is. He charges through impossible odds and usually comes out alive, no matter how badly hurt he is.
Band of the Hawk’s ultimate strength lies in giving players that feeling of pure bloodlust and power. As Guts, players can decimate dozens of enemies with a couple swings of his sword, leaving puddles of blood and chunks of bodies in his wake. The Dynasty Warriors games have always been a kind of power fantasy where players are able to rack up KO counts in the hundreds or even thousands and walk out of a level with only a few scrapes.
This game takes that formula and boils it down to its simplest elements. A two-button combo system lets players use quick light attacks or slow heavy attacks. At certain levels a new combo is unlocked that can cause more damage or allow Guts to break through an enemy’s guard. In the end, it’s all about memorizing which couple of combos work best and hammering them constantly. Missions are basically large levels that task players will either killing enemies, protecting allies, or rushing to a point to kill or guard an objective.
A typical story mission in Band of the Hawk has players running from place to place cutting through large groups of soldiers from one objective to the next. Combat is simplistic to the point where it can be shallow and finishing a level is almost as mindless as running from one blinking spot on the map to the next. Controlling zones and regions or other staples of the Dynasty Warrior games are absent here. Players have the option to clear the map of enemies but doing so has no benefit aside from personal satisfaction at doing so. Even when a new objective sprouts up mid-mission, it does little to make players feel like that are doing anything more than just barreling straight to the end of a ten minute or less burst of gameplay.
What truly propels the game forward is the narrative and the world itself. Berserk has an engaging story with its dire world full of fallible characters. The Golden Age arc has been told several times in the anime series and in the recent trio of films; for fans this is old ground. Band of the Hawk includes lengthy scenes from the film to further the narrative between cutscenes which is a treat even if you have seen them already. Thankfully, Omega Force went beyond that well-told arc to give more game and more story for players to experience.
Channeling Guts’ rage and fury through the controller has its exhilarating moments, regardless of the repetition. The game itself is by no means gorgeous but the character models and action ran at a brisk and satisfying pace on a PS4 Pro. For newcomers to Berserk or those who haven’t made it past a certain point in the manga, Band of the Hawk is going to go into a lot of territory that may not be delivered in the best way.
Without CGI cutscenes, Omega Force relies on static scenes and narrative that is drip-fed through missions to tell the story. Reliving big moments from the manga in-game are cool but do lack punch given the gameplay and delivery. One point of frustration is that there is no way to have English audio. Dialog is Japanese with English text popping up whenever someone speaks. While I often prefer the Japanese audio, it can be jarring to move your eyes from the constant action to a box of text; it’s not as if the gameplay is ruined because of it, though.
Free Mode gives a slight break from the main campaign by allowing players to hop into missions as a number of side characters. It’s a joy to play as Griffith as he lithely darts around the battlefield, massacring soldiers with grace. Though different characters can be equipped with multiple skins or offer somewhat different playstyles, it all boils down to the same basics that will have players either bored or hooked. But Free Mode is only available for missions that have been beaten during story mode, which means more repetition to get to something just a bit new.
Band of the Hawk can also be quite easy if the difficulty isn’t notched up a few levels. These games ensure that players face enormous odds without being hurt and the basic combat here cements it. Beating missions and completing specific objectives offers unlocks in the form of art or actual character upgrades. It’s not significant but it does make you feel as if progress is being made by working through the game. One aspect that’s quite enjoyable is finding accessories and equipping them. These raise certain stats like health, damage output, or the ability not to be staggered. They can be further enhanced with gold and items rewarded through missions. It’s a basic touch but sprinkles much needed depth into the combat systems.
Players may find worthy challenge in Endless Eclipse which is an endless dungeon mode. Endless Eclipse tasks players with completing similar objectives as in the story mode which, again, exposes a lot of tedium. However, each new floor or level of Endless Eclipse gets harder and doesn’t refill your health. I hopped into this mode after completing a few missions and quickly realized I was out of my league. Players will rely on building up their Frenzy meter an unleashing one-hit kills more frequently out of survival rather than making the time pass faster. Endless Eclipse does award some nice bonuses like outfits and accessories but the value of these rewards will only last with your enjoyment of the game’s basics.
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk has a lot of heart but does necessarily have the soul to match. The Dynasty Warriors series was never the most complex but Omega Force perhaps went too simple here. But in the end, it’s hard for me to imagine many genres that could translate the manga in a truly accurate and compelling way. The sheer brutality and visceral nature of Guts’ journey does seep through the repetitive gameplay and short list of modes. Actually playing through key parts of Berserk make for a great game with just enough excitement so as not to fall completely flat. Hopefully this isn’t the last time we see this characters in a game. I just hope that next time, it’s in one that is much more diverse and full of magic.
Reviewed for PS4