PC gaming offers a unique advantage to players – access to multiple generations of game releases. One genre that has seen numerous entries over the years is the Musou or Warriors games developed by Omega Force and published by Koei Tecmo. These hack and slash action games have players taking on hordes of enemies on the battlefield, capturing forts, defeating bosses, and more. The formula has been applied to various collaboration projects like Fire Emblem Warriors, Hyrule Warriors, One Piece Pirate Warriors, and even action RPGs like Dragon Quest Heroes and Persona 5 Strikers.
With the release of the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming device by Valve, players now have the opportunity to experience these Musou games on a portable platform. However, not all older ports of Koei Tecmo’s games run optimally on the Steam Deck. This article aims to provide insights into how these games perform on the Steam Deck and help players decide whether to play them on this platform or another.
I conducted extensive testing of various Koei Tecmo published Musou/Warriors games on my Steam Deck OLED, using different Proton versions to assess performance and identify any issues. Here are some of the key findings from my testing:
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Samurai Warriors 4 DX: This game runs at a 60fps target but drops to the mid-40s during busy combat at 720p. While it looks good on the handheld screen, achieving a locked 60fps at 720p seems challenging.
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Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate Definitive Edition: After setting the resolution to 720p, the game runs smoothly at 60fps. No additional adjustments were needed for optimal performance.
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Touken Ranbu Warriors: This game runs fine at 720p and medium graphics quality on the Steam Deck, offering a better experience than the Switch version.
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Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires: While playable using Proton GE, the game lacks controller glyphs and struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, making it a less than ideal experience on the Steam Deck.
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Samurai Warriors 5: Despite being unsupported on the Steam Deck, the game can run well with Proton GE, offering a smooth gameplay experience.
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DYNASTY WARRIORS 7: Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition: This game runs at 60fps after setting it to 720p, but may experience occasional frame rate drops during intense combat sequences.
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Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate: The game may require disabling fullscreen to display correctly, but once adjusted, it runs smoothly at 60fps at 720p.
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Dynasty Warriors 9: Considered one of the worst-performing games on consoles, Dynasty Warriors 9 struggles to run optimally on the Steam Deck, even with Proton GE.
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Warriors All-Stars: After setting the resolution to 720p and disabling fullscreen, the game runs between 40-60fps, offering a decent gameplay experience.
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Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada: While unsupported on the Steam Deck, the game struggles to maintain a locked 60fps, making it less than ideal for portable play.
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Berserk and the Band of the Hawk: Despite being unsupported, the game runs at 60fps in the early stages, offering a better experience than the PS4 version.
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Arslan: The Warriors of Legend: While not tested by Valve, the game runs at around 40fps on the Steam Deck, with some issues related to cut-scenes and audio.
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Samurai Warriors 4-II: Despite being unsupported, the game can be made to run on the Steam Deck with Proton, but performance may vary due to shader-related issues.
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Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires: Surprisingly, the game offers solid performance on the Steam Deck, with Steam Cloud support and minimal issues during gameplay.
- DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition: While unsupported, the game runs smoothly after disabling fullscreen, offering a decent gameplay experience.
In conclusion, the Steam Deck offers a unique opportunity for players to experience Musou/Warriors games on a portable platform. While some older ports may require adjustments to run optimally, newer releases like Samurai Warriors 5 and Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate Definitive Edition perform well on the Steam Deck. Players looking to enjoy these games on the go should consider the performance and compatibility of each title before making a purchase decision.