Warriors Orochi 2

Warriors Orochi 2 (無双OROCHI 魔王再臨, Musou Orochi Maō Sairin, Unmatched Orochi: Rebirth of the Demon Lord) is the sequel to Warriors Orochi. This game features thirteen new characters and eight completely new stages.

Gameplay

 * In the original game, there was a nine-leveled Proficiency attribute that upgrades characters' special attacks to make them more powerful. It could be leveled by a certain number of combos on a character. Proficiency in Warriors Orochi 2 makes characters more resilient to attacks. Defeating five hundred enemies or five generals increases the character's profiency level, to a maximum of 50. Reaching 10 proficiency unlocks the characters' third costume, and in the PSP port reaching 20 proficiency unlocks the fourth costume. Reaching 30, 40 and 50 profiency unlocks more wallpapers of the character in the gallery section.


 * It is easier to switch between characters than before. Characters can be switched whilst mounted and during combos.


 * Each character has also received a Strategy, which is activated after a certain objective is met.


 * Face Off: K.O. three hundred troops; reduces damage inflicted on allied forces.
 * Dance: Defeat a general after ten minutes in battle; heals the life of allied troops.
 * Command: Personally defeat five officers; boosts army's morale
 * Shield: Requires one hundred K.Os. Increases the defense of the allied commander.
 * Volley: Activated after the character defeats two generals. Increases the damage of all ranged attacks.


 * Team members can support one another when the character in the field is in trouble. When the player is hit, tap L1 with or undefined.  will bring out the character left of the player's character icon and undefined will call out the one on the right. This command uses half of the summoned character's musou so it can't be used as often as a R1 counter from the Technique class.


 * Characters can perform a desperation attack called Triple Attack. It can be activated by simultaneously pressing L2 and R2 when the character being controlled has their life in the red and a full musou bar. What follows is a special attack sequence where all three characters will come out and attack the enemy. Certain team combinations have unique versions of this move, each team having some special significance, from certain titles, relationships, similar stereotypes, or similar weapons:
 * Cao Cao, Liu Bei, & Sun Jian, ”The Founders of the Three Kingdoms”
 * Nobunaga Oda, Ieyasu Tokugawa, & Hideyoshi Toyotomi, ”The Three Great Unifiers of Japan”
 * Liu Bei, Guan Yu, & Zhang Fei, ”The Three Sworn Brothers of Shu”
 * Sun Ce, Sun Quan, & Sun Shang Xiang, ”The Children of Sun Jian”
 * Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi, & Zhou Yu, ”The Great Chinese Strategists”
 * Wei Yan, Mitsuhide Akechi, & Lu Bu, ”The Mighty Traitors”
 * Huang Zhong, Xiahou Yuan, & Ina, ”Masters of the Bow”
 * Dian Wei, Zhou Tai, & Ranmaru Mori, ”Devoted Bodyguards”
 * Magoichi Saika, Masamune Date, & Ieyasu Tokugawa, ”Heavy Firepower”
 * Kunoichi, Hanzō Hattori, & Kotaro Fuma, ”Ninja Team-Up”
 * Da Ji, Zhen Ji, & Nō, ”Deadly Beauties”
 * Orochi, Lu Bu, & Tadakatsu Honda, ”The All-Powerful Warriors”
 * Taigong Wang, Fu Xi, & Nu Wa, ”The Mystics”


 * The unique items do not return but are instead replaced by Treasures. They can be collected by completing certain missions in select Story stages. Together with attributes from spare weapons, they can make unique upgrades for characters' weapons, the most well known upgrades being the Almighty and Highflier enhancements.


 * Horse jumping is now an ability limited to Samurai Warriors type characters. The only way a character with the Dynasty Warriors archetype can perform this technique is through a game glitch, which is achieved through turning the analog stick diagonal-upper-left to diagonal-upper- right rapidly; while also jamming the undefined button.


 * Difficulty has also been adjusted, notably on Chaos difficulty. In addition to the player taking much less damage than before, most of the enemy officers' life bars are slightly shorter (though they mostly remain the same for enemy playable officers and the enemy commander). Defense mostly remains the same.

Characters
All characters from the previous title return for the sequel. A total of fifteen new characters have been added into the game. Eight completely new officers are introduced. Two characters return from Dynasty Warriors 3 and the five officers in Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends also make their appearance.

From Previous Games

 * Fu Xi
 * Nu Wa
 * Kojiro Sasaki
 * Katsuie Shibata
 * Toshiie Maeda
 * Motochika Chosokabe
 * Gracia

Newcomers

 * Taigong Wang
 * Yoshitsune Minamoto
 * Kiyomori Taira
 * Himiko
 * Sun Wukong
 * Orochi X
 * Gyuki (Only Vs and Survival mode)
 * Dodomeki (Only Vs and Survival mode)
 * Benkei (PSP Port)
 * San Zang (PSP Port)

Story Mode
The Story Mode is expanded to include a story dedicated to Orochi, which starts before the events of the first title. Stories no longer contain "Gaiden" stages, and consist of eight stages.

Shu
Liu Bei, recognizing the threat that Da Ji still poses, leads his men on a hunt for her. He is joined by Ieyasu Tokugawa's and Yoshimoto Imagawa's forces, the two lords having gained great respect for Liu Bei and his noble heart. During the hunt for Da Ji, he receives aid from the mystic Zuo Ci and the mysterious Taigong Wang, who has a connection to Da Ji, and ulterior motives for giving Shu aid...


 * Starters
 * Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Xing Cai, Sun Shang Xiang, Ieyasu Tokugawa, Tadakatsu Honda, Inahime, Hanzō Hattori and Yoshimoto Imagawa


 * Unlockable
 * Taigong Wang, Zuo Ci, Zhao Yun, Wei Yan, Lu Xun, Mitsuhide Akechi, Gracia, Zhang Liao, Zhuge Liang and Yue Ying
 * Bonus: Himiko

Battles

 * Shi Ting
 * Saika Village
 * Nagashino
 * Wuhang Mountains
 * Jia Meng Gate
 * Odani Castle
 * Koshi Castle
 * Wu Zhang Plains

Wei
The ambitious Cao Cao is raising an army of his own, wanting to assert his power in this new land. He is aided by the mysterious Nu Wa, who gives him aid but is concerned that Cao Cao might be as much of a threat as Orochi himself was... Meanwhile, a mysterious monkey-like warrior is aiding the remnants of Orochi's army...


 * Starters
 * Cao Cao, Nu Wa, Dian Wei, Zhang He, and Kunoichi


 * Unlockable
 * Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Yuan Shao, Jiang Wei, Taishi Ci, Magoichi Saika, Toshiie Maeda, Cao Pi, Cao Ren, Zhen Ji, Pang Tong, Nagamasa Azai, Oichi, Mitsunari Ishida, Katsuie Shibata and Nobunaga Oda
 * Bonus: Sun Wukong

Battles

 * Si Province
 * Si Shui Gate
 * Shizugatake
 * Ji Castle
 * Komaki-Nagakute
 * Yamatai
 * Tong Gate
 * Guan Du

Wu
Longing for peace for his people, Sun Jian adopts a stance of total defense, not wanting war to shatter the delicate peace Wu has obtained in the wake of Orochi's destruction. He will aid those in need, but will not raise arms to attack. When Ranmaru Mori rescues the powerful warrior Yoshitsune Minamoto, his resolve to stay out of the growing war will be tested, especially when Lu Bu and the mysterious Kiyomori Taira raise arms against Wu...


 * Starters
 * Sun Jian, Sun Quan, Huang Gai, Zhou Tai, Ling Tong, Okuni, Ranmaru Mori, Ginchiyo Tachibana and Motochika Chosokabe


 * Unlockables
 * Yoshitsune Minamoto, Zhou Yu, Xiao Qiao, Goemon Ishikawa, Meng Huo, Zhu Rong, Sun Ce, Da Qiao, Xu Zhu, Pang De, Ma Chao
 * Bonus: Lu Bu and Diao Chan

Battles

 * Ru Xu Kou
 * Kanegasaki
 * Nan Zhong
 * Itsukushima
 * Okehazama
 * Yang Ping Gate
 * Yamazaki
 * Chi Bi

Samurai
Enjoying a peaceful moment in the wake of Orochi's defeat, Sakon Shima comes across Dong Zhuo attacking a peaceful Yellow Turban village, the bloated warlord believing that Orochi's absence means that he can get away with anything now. Alongside several warriors who were in the area at the time, Sakon frees the village and gains Zhang Jiao's aid. In the midst of the battle, he is aided by a mysterious man named Fu Xi, subsequent battles revealing that Orochi is on the verge of being revived. Sakon must reunite the three legendary generals of Japan yet again, otherwise Orochi will overwhelm everything...

Starters
 * Sakon Shima, Musashi Miyamoto, Yoshihiro Shimazu, Huang Zhong, Guan Ping and Xu Huang


 * Unlockables
 * Zhang Jiao, Shingen Takeda, Yukimura Sanada, Kojiro Sasaki, Kenshin Uesugi, Kanetsugu Naoe, Fu Xi, Sima Yi, Lu Meng, Gan Ning, Nobunaga Oda, Nō, Nene and Hideyoshi Toyotomi
 * Bonus: Kiyomori Taira

Battles

 * Lou Sang Village
 * Ji Province
 * Hasedo
 * Chang Ban
 * Liang Province
 * Hu Lao Gate
 * Bai Di Castle
 * Sekigahara

Orochi
Da Ji and Orochi come to the mortal realm to fight legendary warriors. Creating his own inter-dimensional world, the snake demon marches his army to conquer the heroes of China and Japan. It serves as a prequel to the series and answers many questions regarding the Serpent King's rise to power.


 * Starters
 * Orochi, Da Ji, Dong Zhuo


 * Unlockables
 * Kotaro Fuma, Keiji Maeda, Zhuge Liang, Sun Ce, Sun Quan, Sun Shang Xiang, Zhou Tai, Da Qiao, Ieyasu Tokugawa, Inahime, Hanzō Hattori and Masamune Date

Battles

 * Odawara Castle (West)
 * Cheng Du
 * Kawanakajima
 * He Fei
 * Edo Castle
 * Yi Ling
 * Mikatagahara
 * Hinokawa

Dream Mode
Known as "Dramatic Mode" in the Japanese version, this mode offers a storyline different from the ones offered in Story Mode. Stages are unlocked when certain criteria are met in Story or Free Modes. Characters are formed in preset teams and are often linked in some way. Aside from experiencing unique stories, completing all the stages unlocks Orochi X, known in the Japanese version as "Shin Orochi".

Survival Mode
This is a Tag-Team mode that is a callback to the original Dynasty Warriors. Players choose three characters from those that have been unlocked, and battle with three randomly generated characters in an arena much like fighting games. Examples of these games include Mortal Kombat, Tekken, or Virtua Fighter. The stage walls can be destroyed and characters thrown out of the ring which results in a loss. If the player wins, three other characters are chosen as opponents and it starts again. A player can win a duel if he or she defeats one member of the opposing team. In this mode, level does not matter, as all characters retain their initial statistics.

Versus Mode
Another new mode in Warriors Orochi 2 is the addition of 2 player versus mode. This offers four minigames that pit the players against each other in battle. It includes a total of three games. Tag Team and Elimination takes two players to fight against each other. It differs from the Survival Mode, as it includes two players. Tower's goal is to knock the opponent off of the tower, while being attacked by regular soldiers. Lastly, Steeple Chase, resembles some sort of arcade-style racing game, having participants ride to a finish line.. Items that give players an edge are scattered throughout a track. Players ride a horse, but cannot attack.

Gallery
In the Gallery mode in the selection menu, Wallpapers, Movies, Weapons and the Treasure Guide can be chosen and viewed. The Wallpaper includes concept art, CG renders and special movie images for a character. These Wallpapers can be used by pressing, and viewed by pressing. The various backgrounds can be unlocked by acquiring all abilities for a character, and maxing out proficiency. A feature called the Wallpaper Edit is unlocked by playing as all characters.

Along with the Wallpaper, the Movies option allows players to watch the various cutscenes placed between battles in Story mode, that have been unlocked. There are twenty eight in all - five from each story, the opening, three fillers, and ending. Players are also able to view game previews, which includes Dynasty Warriors 6 and Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends. For the PSP it changes to a preview for Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce. Weapons unlocked can be viewed for each character in the Weapons option, and the Treasure Guide shows where treasures can be unlocked, and the requirements for doing so.

Bugs and Glitches
Other than the horse charge glitch mentioned earlier in the article, here a few other glitches.

Orochi X Glitch: The first one is a minor bug and pretty harmless. Play as Orochi X and defeat Da Ji or Kiyomori. The dialogue will rollback to a previous line rather than play the normal officer defeated line. This seems to happen at Shu's Koshi Castle, Wu's Itsukushima, Samurai's Chang Ban, and Wei's Komaki-Nagakute. There's also the small chance where his C3 will miss one person but completely annihilate two others, regardless of their health or defense. It seems that this bug is more prevalent on the Japanese PSP port than the Playstation 2 or other ports.

Petrified Nagamasa Bug: During the Battle of Kyushu dream stage, players can experience a rare chance of freezing and bugging when they perform a charge attack while they're standing close to the "petrified" Nagamasa. One of the ladies will have their body stuck halfway through the ground and may not attack, move, or switch. The only way to mend the problem is to soft reset. A variation of the same bug may have the ladies levitate a few feet off the ground with no means to get down.

Shingen Throwing Glitch: When Shingen performs his R1 counter, it's possible for him to accidentally throw his foe into the ground. This occurs when players try to perform his counter and a team assist at the same time. Unfortunately, since the enemy is stuck underneath the ground, it's impossible to damage them in anyway. There is a slight chance that the game might freeze when this occurs and any mid-stage saves will need to be erased.

PSP Port
Plays in a similar manner as the PSP port for the first title. Starting in February 26, 2009, for Japanese version only, the Strikeforce Fury forms for Zhao Yun, Sun Shang Xiang, and Xiahou Dun can also be used in the game. They become playable after their respective kingdoms' story modes have been completed. If the characters are in a team with these outfits, they will also perform a unique Triple Attack together.

The extra content introduced in Warriors Orochi Z and a voice option were added to this port for North American, Chinese and European releases.

Related Media
Aside from the guide books and a character illustration book, Koei officially funded the following publications for this game:


 * Comic Musou Orochi Maoh Sairin ~ Another Action - collection of four panel parody comics created and illustrated by fans. ISBN: 978-4-7758-0682-1
 * Comic Musou Orochi Maoh Sairin ~ Super Action - ISBN: 978-4-7758-0683-8
 * Comic Musou Orochi Maoh Sairin ~ Hyper Action - ISBN: 978-4-7758-0684-5

Free samples of all three books -as well as the fan comics for Warriors Orochi- can be seen here.

Image Song

 * Toxic
 * Performed by HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR
 * * used for commercials