Samurai Warriors 2

Samurai Warriors 2 (戦国無双2, Sengoku Musou 2) is the sequel to Samurai Warriors. The focus of this title goes beyond Nobunaga's reign and introduces Sekigahara. To contrast the darker colors planned for the original, the visual planner for this game wanted to make "a gold image" for the setting and characters.

Gameplay
Samurai Warriors 2's gameplay builds on the concepts from the first game by removing the "pose" attacks from the returning characters' movesets and adding two new unique special abilities that can be triggered by pressing R1 and or undefined. Also, characters movesets can evolve in a larger variety as they level up. Each character is also given a unique skill as they level up and are now assigned one of the following moveset types:
 * Charge - style the relies on undefined attacks; the moveset closest to the original title
 * Normal - intensive moveset; relies on normal attacks and is given many different charge attacks
 * Special - a mix of both styles; moveset is structurally close to the Charge type but the character has a balanced reliance on and undefined attacks

A new option for players is buying essentials from the shop with gold earned through battle. It allows players to purchase horses, bodyguards, and skills.

Skills have a higher importance than before and are easier to gain than the previous title. Aside from the shop, characters can "learn" them after defeating an enemy officer. The maximum level for the majority of skills is three. Rare level four skills can also be unlocked by completing a specific playthrough in the Survival mode stages. The newer skill system replaces the need to equip items from the first installment.

Discarding the branching storylines from the first title, Samurai Warriors 2 introduces "Dream Stages", which are proverbial "what if" situations that can be unlocked after completing a character's story. This means that failing or succeeding battle objectives no longer alter the characters' story. However, they continue to award players for fulfilling them and keep ally morale high.

The Create-A-Warrior, Versus Modes, and Challenge Modes do not return in this installment. The dual language option, the ability to ride various vehicles, and the archery option were also removed.

Story Mode
Same as the previous title with the exceptions listed above. Players begin with Yukimura, Ginchiyo, Kotaro, Oichi, Ieyasu, and Mitsunari initially available. If the player starts the game with a Samurai Warriors save, Hanzo and Kenshin can be played from the start. Having a Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends memory also allows Tadakatsu to be initially playable.

Free Mode
Limited to fighting as certain factions on each stage. Players have no access to unique character stages or the dream stage scenarios.

Survival
Survival Mode from the original Samurai Warriors returns in this mode but offers four random missions to choose from, some you must pay, some you do not. To unlock Ranmaru, certain missions must be accepted and completed in this mode.

Sugoroku
A mini-game which allows four players to participate with a character. The goal is to collect the requested amount of gold chosen by the player's predetermined settings. At the beginning of the game, three flags for each player will be divided in the map, and players earn gold and raise their ranks by collecting their respective flags and returning to their home base. Players can buy territories on the map or challenge other players for the control of a territory. Within the game, there are six different challenges:


 * Annihilate - players defeat as many enemies as possible
 * Chase - players defeat as many fleeing Fire Ninjas as possible
 * Destroy - players destroy as many boulders as possible
 * Race - players break through the castle doors and reach the end before the opponent does
 * Reveal - players uncover as many Sky Ninjas as possible
 * Steal - players collect as much gold as possible

Winning one playthrough in this mode is needed to unlock Okuni.

Returning

 * Yukimura Sanada
 * Keiji Maeda
 * Nobunaga Oda
 * Mitsuhide Akechi
 * Hideyoshi Toyotomi
 * Tadakatsu Honda
 * Magoichi Saika
 * Masamune Date
 * Hanzō Hattori
 * Kenshin Uesugi
 * Shingen Takeda
 * Nohime (Nō)
 * Oichi
 * Inahime (Ina)
 * Okuni (Hidden, has no Story Mode)
 * Ranmaru Mori (Hidden, has no Story Mode)

New

 * Ieyasu Tokugawa
 * Nagamasa Azai
 * Musashi Miyamoto
 * Yoshihiro Shimazu
 * Kotaro Fuma
 * Kanetsugu Naoe
 * Sakon Shima
 * Mitsunari Ishida
 * Ginchiyo Tachibana
 * Nene

Cut

 * Yoshimoto Imagawa
 * Goemon Ishikawa
 * Kunoichi

Free Mode Stages

 * Kawanakajima (4th) [Takeda vs. Uesugi, October 1561]
 * Kanegasaki [Azai/Asakura vs. Oda/Tokugawa, April 1570]
 * Anegawa [Oda/Tokugawa vs. Azai/Asakura, 30 July 1570]
 * Mikatagahara [Takeda vs. Tokugawa, 6 January 1573]
 * Odani Castle [Oda vs. Azai, August-September 1573]
 * Nagashino [Oda-Tokugawa vs. Takeda, 29 June 1575]
 * Tedorigawa [Oda vs. Uesugi, November 1577]
 * Osaka Bay [Oda vs. Honganji, Summer 1578]
 * Assault on the Saika [Oda vs. Saika Renegades]
 * Honnoji [Akechi vs. Oda, 21 June 1582]
 * Yamazaki [Hashiba vs. Akechi, 2 July 1582]
 * Shizugatake [Hashiba vs. Shibata, May 1583]
 * Komaki-Nagakute [Hashiba vs. Tokugawa, March-April 1584]
 * Kyushu [Shimazu vs. Ootomo-Chousokabe-Toyotomi, December 1586]
 * Odawara Castle (2 sections, East and West) [Toyotomi vs. Hojo, June-August 1590]
 * Kyoto [West vs. East, 1599]
 * Hasedo [Date-Mogami vs. Uesugi, September 1600]
 * Ueda Castle [Sanada vs. Tokugawa, 12 October 1600]
 * Kusegawa [West vs. East, 20 October 1600]
 * Sekigahara [West vs. East, 21 October 1600]
 * Osaka Campaign [Tokugawa vs. Toyotomi, Winter 1614 - Summer 1615]
 * Edo Castle [West vs. East,imagined and Uesugi Colation vs. Tokugawa,imagined]