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.

Most of the background tracks exclusive to this game were composed by Minoru Mukaiya.

Gameplay
Samurai Warriors 2s 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 (AKA "Unique Arts" in the Japanese script) that can be triggered by pressing R1' to enter a stance (that acts akin to the strafting style of guarding, and can also cancel into a dodge/roll), then pressing either or undefined. From there, a number of other Warriors titles onwards make use of the R1 command as a form of unique skill for the respective character.

Each character is categorized into one of the following moveset types:
 * Charge - This is a style that relies on undefined attacks, with 3 inputs total for each charge attack finisher with 8 total inputs for the normal attack chain. This is the moveset closest to the original title.
 * Normal - intensive moveset up to 12 inputs for the normal attack chain, and is given single-input charge attacks from C1 to C8.
 * 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 (8 inputs total for the former chain, 2 inputs total for the latter). R1 Special Skills of this type have three levels per extra input with varying effects.

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.

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 keeping 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.

Several other in-game mechanics have also been notably tweaked, with the combo system being one example from the rest of the Warriors games onwards (combo count can now be applied to any other targets hit in succession as opposed to chaining attacks on the same target, and by that proxy, combos do not drop on the same target even if they recover from getting hit somehow). Other changes involve new enemy peon behavior and several new hit-effect physics.

As of this game, enemy HP bars can only be toggled on and off in the options like in a few set games, though normal enemy peons will no longer have their HP displayed on the top-left corner of the screen when struck/damaged by the player. Instead, this applies to enemy generals only.

Also new to this game and future Warriors games is a more traditional leveling system up to Lv. 50 max different from the prior installments' rank systems; experience points can be earned through defeating enemies and collecting dropped EXP scrolls as battlefield items, allowing characters to level up for more apparent increases in stats (and leveling up can even occur in mid-battle as opposed to only on the results screen). Leveling up at certain intervals also grants characters new moves as opposed to being determined by their current weapon used, and bonus EXP total is always granted at the end of a completed stage in correlation to the player's performance.

In accordance to the above change, character stats are now solely increased through leveling up and through the new aforementioned skills system; as a result, permanent-stat-boosting battlefield items are removed from this game onwards in the franchise as well as in this series' case, the removal of equippable pre-battle items.

Other new mechanics involve new weapon customization, critical hits (blue spark indicators from connected attacks that are calcuated as a x1.4 damage increase), varying levels of hitstun/flinching (where there also exist attacks that inflict massively slowed-down hitstun), and so forth. Elemental activation with the proper skills unlocked just like in the prior Samurai Warriors, works akin to Dynasty Warriors 4, and requires at least 1 full musou segment out of 3.

Story Mode
Same as the previous title with the exceptions listed above. Players begin with Yukimura, Mitsuhide, Oichi, leyasu, Mitsunari, Ginchiyo and Kotaro 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 Ninja 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
 * Nō
 * Oichi
 * 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

Unique NPCs

 * Katsuie Shibata
 * Kojirō Sasaki

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]
 * Honnōji [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]
 * Sekigahara [West vs. East, 21 October 1600]
 * Osaka Campaign [Tokugawa vs. Toyotomi, Winter 1614 - Summer 1615]
 * Edo Castle [West vs. East, imagined and Uesugi Coalition vs. Tokugawa, imagined]

Trophies/Achievements
Trophies=
 * -|Achievements=

Bugs and Glitches

 * Nene transformation glitches
 * While playing as Nene, a few funny glitches can occur when she uses her R1 transformation skill. Play as Nene and have her transform into Hanzō or Kotarō. Then perform a double jump. She will infinitely "fly" upwards until the players perform a jumping charge attack. When she's transformed into Nagamasa and performs his dashing attack, there is also the slight chance the transformation will cease to exist. The timing is a bit difficult but players can also transform into a dying CPU Nene. When this occurs, there is a chance that the game over music will play and basically cause the players to "die" with her. Should Nene die while transformed, the player will be able to play in the stage for an infinite amount of time but unable to attack enemies or exit the stage unless they restart their console.


 * Odawara Castle mission glitch
 * When Kotarō issues the "defeat 100 soldiers" challenge on the Eastern side of the stage, there is a slight chance that the game will fail to count when the players reach the goal. They'll be unable to finish the mission, but there is no real penalty since the gates still open when the mission's time limit ends.


 * Honnōji glitch
 * While playing as Ranmaru during the Oda forces version of Honnōji, there is a chance the game will say that the mission to rescue Nobunaga has failed. Even if the player has safely rescued him and ended the stage victorious, it will count as a defeat for the player.

Expansions

 * Samurai Warriors 2: Empires
 * Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends
 * Sengoku Musou 2 with Moushouden & Empires HD Version - PlayStation 3 and Vita one pack scheduled for Japan. The Premium Box edition includes the soundtrack for the three games, stickers, and postcards. Aside from the graphical upgrade, HD Version changes the mob AI to be like the third title and adds more customization options for the Empires edit characters.

Spin-Offs

 * Samurai Warriors: Katana
 * Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 - as optional characters
 * Warriors Orochi series

Related Media
Before it was out in Japan, this game as well as its predecessor were among the focuses for the eight volume fanbook publication, Musou Fan Field. It combined information for these games with Dynasty Warriors 5. It included exclusive illustrations, sneak peaks to new features in the games and their expansions, dream match novelizations or coverage between two factions, and a showcase of letters and fans from both franchises. Voice actor commentary, several comics, and other editorials answering questions to fans were also included.

Aside from the guide books, developer commentary and character illustration book, scenario book, and a character encyclopedia, Koei officially funded the following publications for this game:


 * Comic Sengoku Musou 2 ~ Samurai Survivor Vol. 1 - collection of four panel parody comics created and illustrated by fans. ISBN: 4-7758-0444-8
 * Comic Sengoku Musou 2 ~ Samurai Survivor Vol. 2 - ISBN: 4-7758-0455-3
 * Comic Sengoku Musou 2 ~ Samurai Survivor Vol. 3 - ISBN: 4-7758-0456-1
 * Comic Sengoku Musou 2 ~ Samurai Survivor Vol. 4 - ISBN: 4-7758-0474-X
 * Comic Sengoku Musou 2 ~ Samurai Survivor Vol. 5 - ISBN: 4-7758-0498-7
 * Comic Sengoku Musou 2 ~ Samurai Survivor Vol. 6 - ISBN: 978-4-7758-0565-7
 * Comic Sengoku Musou 2 ~ Samurai Survivor Vol. 7 - ISBN: 978-4-7758-0584-8

Trivia

 * Samurai Warriors 2 is the first Samurai Warriors game to be released in PC port.