Kentaro Miura’s magnum opus is a nightmare. It’s a beautiful, blood-soaked, emotionally devastating nightmare that has defined dark fantasy for decades. When Omega Force announced they were tackling the Golden Age and beyond, fans were skeptical. You probably were too. Integrating the sheer, visceral weight of the Dragonslayer into the "one-versus-one-thousand" formula of a Dynasty Warriors game seemed like a stretch. But honestly? Berserk and the Band of the Hawk (known in Japan as Berserk Musou) managed to capture a specific kind of catharsis that other adaptations missed.
It isn't perfect. Not by a long shot. But for anyone who has ever wanted to feel the literal weight of Guts’ struggle, this game occupies a weirdly essential corner of the franchise.
The Problem with Adapting Berserk
Berserk is famously difficult to put on a screen. You’ve got the 1997 anime, which is a masterpiece of mood and still photography. Then there are the Golden Age movies, which were polarizing but technically impressive. Then... well, we don't talk about the 2016 CGI series.
Gaming hasn’t fared much better. We had the Dreamcast title, Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage, which was a technical marvel for 1999 but felt like a fever dream. Then the PS2 game, which never officially left Japan, leaving Western fans in the dark.
Enter Berserk and the Band of the Hawk.
The developers at Omega Force had a massive task. They had to bridge the gap between the flashy, fast-paced action of a Musou game and the heavy, grinding despair of Miura's world. If Guts moves too fast, he’s just another anime protagonist. If he’s too slow, the game is a chore. They landed somewhere in the middle, and while the "Band of the Hawk" moniker suggests a focus only on the early years, the game actually pushes far into the Falcon of the Millennium Empire arc. It’s the most "complete" story we’ve gotten in a single interactive package.
Why the Musou Formula Actually Works for Guts
Most people dismiss Musou games as mindless button-mashers. That’s a fair critique if you’re looking for Dark Souls precision. But think about Berserk for a second. Think about the 100-Man Slayer moment.
That is literally a Musou level.
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Guts is a character defined by his ability to endure and overcome impossible odds through sheer, stubborn violence. The gameplay loop of Berserk and the Band of the Hawk leans into this. When you swing the Dragonslayer, the screen doesn't just show enemies dying; it shows them being bisected, crushed, and erased from existence. It’s loud. It’s messy. It’s exactly what happens when a man carries a "heap of raw iron."
The game uses the "Frenzy" system to mimic Guts' descent into bloodlust. You build a meter, you pop it, and suddenly the world turns a shade of crimson. It’s satisfying in a way that’s hard to describe unless you’ve spent hours reading the manga and wishing you could just do that to a group of Apostles.
The Roster Dilemma
Here’s where things get a bit polarizing. In a typical Warriors game, you might have 50 or 80 playable characters. Here, the roster is tiny. You’ve got:
- Guts (in various forms/armors)
- Griffith (pre and post-Eclipse)
- Casca
- Judeau
- Casca
- Schierke
- Serpico
- Wyald (a surprising but welcome addition)
- Zodd
Some fans were annoyed by the lack of Skull Knight or Silat. Honestly, though? The focus on a smaller cast allowed the developers to make Guts feel distinct. Playing as Schierke feels like an entirely different genre. You’re not swinging a sword; you’re managing area-of-effect spells and keeping distance. It breaks up the monotony.
The Eclipse and the Tone Shift
Let’s talk about the mood. Berserk and the Band of the Hawk uses a mix of footage from the movie trilogy and in-engine cutscenes. It’s a bit jarring. One minute you’re watching high-budget theatrical animation, the next you’re looking at a standard PS4-era character model.
But when the Eclipse happens? The game doesn't blink.
It’s heavy. It’s uncomfortable. For a game published by Koei Tecmo, it pushes the boundaries of what you’d expect from a mainstream action title. They didn't sanitize the horror of Griffith's betrayal. Seeing the Band of the Hawk—characters you’ve actually played as and leveled up—get torn apart in the background while you fight for your life as Guts adds a layer of emotional weight that most Musou games lack. You aren't just fighting for territory; you're fighting because the world has ended and you're the only one left with a sword.
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Endless Eclipse Mode: Where the Real Game Lives
If the story mode is the appetizer, Endless Eclipse is the main course. This is basically a "Bloody Palace" or "Horde Mode" on steroids. You descend through layers of the Abyss, completing missions and fighting bosses under increasingly impossible conditions.
It gets hard. Really hard.
This is where the gear system actually starts to matter. You’re not just looking for higher attack power anymore. You’re looking for "Death Blow" rates and health regeneration because, by floor 80, a single hit from an Apostle can end your run. It mirrors the feeling of Guts’ post-Eclipse life: a never-ending, exhausting struggle against the tide of darkness.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often say this game is "just for fans." Well, yeah. Obviously. But more specifically, people claim it’s a "low effort" skin of Dynasty Warriors. I’d argue against that. The inclusion of the Berserker Armor mechanic changes the gameplay entirely. When Guts dons the armor, the game stops being a tactical battle for bases and becomes a survival horror action game where you are the horror. Your health drains, your speed triples, and the goal shifts from "winning" to "decimating everything before you die."
It captures the cost of Guts’ power.
Also, can we talk about Wyald? Including the Black Dog Knights arc was a bold move. Most adaptations skip it because it’s so incredibly grotesque and, frankly, weird. Putting Wyald in the game as a playable character was a nod to the hardcore manga readers who felt the movies played it too safe.
Technical Realities and the 2026 Perspective
Looking back at this game now, especially after the passing of Kentaro Miura, it feels like a time capsule. The graphics are dated. The environments are often sparse and brown. The PC port is... finicky. You’ll probably need a controller and some patience to get it running at 4K without it acting up.
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But the soul is there.
There’s a specific nuance in how Guts’ animations change. Early Golden Age Guts swings with a certain youthful recklessness. Black Swordsman Guts swings with a heavy, bitter finality. It’s a detail that only a team that actually likes the source material would bother with.
How to Get the Most Out of It
If you’re going to play Berserk and the Band of the Hawk today, don't rush the story. The temptation is to blast through the cutscenes to get to the "cool stuff" in the later arcs. Don't do that.
- Focus on the Accessories: The crafting system is surprisingly deep. You can stack attributes that turn Griffith into a literal god or Guts into an unkillable tank.
- Play the Side Missions: They provide the "Behenit" collectibles which unlock the gallery images. If you’re a fan of Miura’s art, this is the best way to see it in-game.
- Switch Characters: Don't just play Guts. Playing as Zodd and turning into his Apostle form is one of the most satisfying power trips in gaming.
Final Thoughts on the Struggle
Berserk is about the "Struggler." It’s about fighting against a fate that has already been written. Does a Musou game perfectly encapsulate that? Maybe not perfectly. But Berserk and the Band of the Hawk gives you the tools to feel that struggle. It lets you be the storm.
It’s a flawed, bloody, loud, and repetitive experience. And in that sense, it’s a weirdly perfect tribute to the life of Guts.
Next Steps for the Aspiring Hawk:
- Check the Platform: If you’re on PC, look for the "Berserk FPS Fix" on community forums; the game is natively capped at 60 but can be unstable on modern high-refresh monitors.
- Difficulty Spike: Be prepared for a massive jump in difficulty once you hit the "Slaying of the 100 Man" mission. Invest in health-leeching accessories early.
- Manga Reference: Keep a copy of Volume 13 nearby. Comparing the in-game Eclipse to the panels is a grim but fascinating way to see what the developers prioritized.
The game is often on sale during Koei Tecmo publisher events. Grab it then. It’s worth the price of admission just to see the Berserker armor in motion.
Stay struggling.