Sengoku Musou - Samurai Warriors

Working with Omega Force once again, Koei is set to launch Sengoku Musou (Samurai Warriors, as it will be titled for the US release) for the PS2. This time around, it's not from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms era. They've taken the initiative and started a whole new potential series, focusing instead on feudal Japan (Age of Civil Wars). The game will not be strictly historical and true to actual events, however, which is somewhat of a change from the past RotK titles. Actual facts, characters and events are going to be twisted and altered to fit the new gameplay and storyline so the game will be less of a history lesson in motion.

At first I was expecting another rehash of the Shin Sangoku Musou releases, and initial screenshots seemed to confirm this. Koei didn't exactly make dramatic changes to anything following the first Shin Sangoku Musou. New characters, new stages... Same button-mashing. Sengoku Musou apparently has a few new elements that could spice up the rather bland mix. 'Active Missions', in-battle tasks you must complete, seem to be the biggest change. Multiple endings per battle are also offered as objectives are completed or missed. At least it's better than the continual cycle of find enemy group, eliminate, kill boss. The fighting itself looks to be about the same, with only a few new attacks and specials. I've yet to hear of any drastic changes to the fighting system.

http://www.gamecity.ne.jp/sengoku/to...pop/if07_2.jpg


Environments and characters (the entire roster has yet to be released) look dishearteningly similar to what I've seen far too many times already. The graphics have been given a very slight boost, and scenarios are a bit more complex and crisp, but it reeks of its predecessor's style.

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images..._screen011.jpg

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images..._screen004.jpg


Set for Japanese release on February 11th, I'm hoping Sengoku Musou will prove to be more than a direct offshoot of Shin Sangoku Musou with different characters and backgrounds.

I enjoyed the Shin Sangoku Musou games, but if there isn't something very new to liven this up a bit, I think I'll have to pass on it. Hitting circle a few thousand times per battle got old a few releases ago.

So has anyone heard of a single thing to confirm Koei's claim that this will be a fresh, new addition to their lineup?

This is the same company that has basaically rehashed DW 2 over and over and over again.

I didn't expect something new, except for the setting. It'll be good to not have to play the yellow turban battle AGAIN.

And I thought DW 4's missions were a breath of fresh air, they added alot more to do than just find the boss and end the level.

I wouldn't mind if it's a straight DW rip just as long as there's a draw distance this time.

I'll probably pass on it, After playing part 2 and 3 of Dynasty Warriors to death and hating 4 I can't see this making me come back for more. Infact every installment since DW2 has become worse. They need to stop until the next generation comes around.

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images..._screen004.jpg

Ugh, as much as I loved Koei on the NES and SNES, this is just shoddy art. To make matters worse they only make the Uncharted waters series only the PC now and ONLY in CHINESE! Fucking port the damn thing to the Xbox if you need a freaking HD.

I actually fell asleep (literally) playing DW2 way back at PS2 launch, and as such, never played any of the other ones. But, I'm looking forward to this one.

Shame it's not online.

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Originally Posted by Nomi

The game will not be strictly historical and true to actual events, however, which is somewhat of a change from the past RotK titles. Actual facts, characters and events are going to be twisted and altered to fit the new gameplay and storyline so the game will be less of a history lesson in motion.

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Actually the RoTK games, Dynasty Warriors in particular, completely mangle both the actual history and the semi-fictional historical novel on which they're based. Things happen out of sequence, multiple events are condensed into single battles, and a ton of shit is just plain made up. This should be par for the course.

Anyway, I actually suggested this very idea in a DW thread about a year ago, so you'd better believe I'm there to see it in execution. The idea of demolishing legions of ashigaru with Masamune Date or Kosaka Masanobu greatly appeals. Heh, I can't wait to see Toyotomi Hideyoshi's musou attack.

I've got to say though, I'm hoping for an Xbox version. DW4 came out for it, so there's defintely hope.

If you don't like the Dynasty Warriors series, you are not going to like Samurai Warriors. Shin Sengoku Musou goes platinum instantly in Japan, and they are not going to change the core gameplay too much. It does fix a couple problems plaguing Dynasty Warriors though, different music and improved draw distances. Create a Warrior looks a lot better to now.

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Originally Posted by StriderKyo

Actually the RoTK games, Dynasty Warriors in particular, completely mangle both the actual history and the semi-fictional historical novel on which they're based. Things happen out of sequence, multiple events are condensed into single battles, and a ton of shit is just plain made up. This should be par for the course.

Anyway, I actually suggested this very idea in a DW thread about a year ago, so you'd better believe I'm there to see it in execution. The idea of demolishing legions of ashigaru with Masamune Date or Kosaka Masanobu greatly appeals. Heh, I can't wait to see Toyotomi Hideyoshi's musou attack.

I've got to say though, I'm hoping for an Xbox version. DW4 came out for it, so there's defintely hope.

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Hideyoshi and Masanobu aren't in the game.
15 characters and 15 CAW(looks much better then DW4 version) characters.
Character Screens
Character roster
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Initials
Sanada Yukimura(the Zhao Yun of the game)
Kunoichi(made up character, member of the Sanada 10 hereoes)
Hattori Hanzo(duh)
Maeda Keiji(LU BU)
Akechi Mitsuhide(Samanaosuke's Uncle, and the person who killed Nobunaga)
Unlockables
Takeda Shingen(the Wei Yanish dude, and my personal fave, the Tiger of Kai)
Uesugi Kenshin(looks like Xu Huang, and Shingen's rival)
Oichi(the Qiao of the game, looks way different than Oyu from Onimusha 2)
Okuni(fights with umbrella)
Magoichi(if you played oni 2 you know who he is)
Ishikawa Goemon(Xu chuish)
Date Masamune(I like the Kessen look so much better, looks too young now)
Mori Ranmaru(Nobunga's general, has a gender crisis)
Nouhime(Nobunaga's wife, think Zhen Ji)
Nobunaga(duh)

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Originally Posted by Tigana

It does fix a couple problems plaguing Dynasty Warriors though, different music and improved draw distances.

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Good. The draw-distance thing was my biggest dissappointment with DW4.

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Hideyoshi and Masanobu aren't in the game.

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Masanobu's relatively obscure, but no Hideoyoshi? I don't see Ieyasu, either. They'd better be in there as hidden characters or something; otherwise, that's pretty messed up. I was hoping for a roster like DW3's, which was reasonably comprehensive.


Sanada Yukimura(the Zhao Yun of the game)

-Holy Onimusha flashback.

Maeda Keiji(LU BU)

-What an odd choice to make into the powerhouse.

Akechi Mitsuhide(Samanaosuke's Uncle, and the person who killed Nobunaga)

-They added him, but no Hojo? Hmm...

Takeda Shingen(the Wei Yanish dude, and my personal fave, the Tiger of Kai)

-That character model is just so wrong for him.

Uesugi Kenshin(looks like Xu Huang, and Shingen's rival)

-Going by those shots, he's the coolest looking design.

Date Masamune(I like the Kessen look so much better, looks too young now)

-Well, he should look young. I'd have to check my dates, but I don't even think he was born before Nobunaga died. Possibly not even before Shingen died.

Hopefully there are more hidden characters, or they've got a sequel in the works that will expand the roster. There's plenty of Sengoku Jidai era characters they could/should toss in. Not a single Ashikaga? Not a single member of the Imagawa clan? No Shimazu or Mori? DW had Chinese gods - why not toss in Hachiman or Raiden or something? There's a ton they could do.

Oh well, I guess what they have will do for now - I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

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Originally Posted by StriderKyo

Good. The draw-distance thing was my biggest dissappointment with DW4.

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Ayup, the smaller amount of enemies made the draw distance even worse and less excuseable in DW4. They are doing it by making the maps much smaller, but who knows how successful they will be. They were a couple vids on ign, but I'm to lazy to look them up now.

Each characters has three musous now, and there are horses have lifebars. They have palanquins in the game now too.

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Masanobu's relatively obscure, but no Hideoyoshi? I don't see Ieyasu, either. They'd better be in there as hidden characters or something; otherwise, that's pretty messed up. I was hoping for a roster like DW3's, which was reasonably comprehensive.

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CAW, I beleive Omega Force wanted to emphasize CAW as you can have CAW characters as bodyguards now(and they fixed my biggest problem with CAW, they have portraits on the life bars now) I believe all the DW4 characters will be available as CAWs . Toyotomi and Tokugawa should have definitely been in the game though

Maeda Keiji(LU BU)

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What an odd choice to make into the powerhouse.

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Not so odd really, he is the battlefield Musashi, known for his colorful life and successful fights while fighting on losing sides.I know there is one successufl manga about his exploits, and I also believe Samurai Deeper Kyo is based on him.

Takeda Shingen

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-That character model is just so wrong for him.

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While I wouldn't use that model and use something representing his likeness in Heaven and Earth. It is actually accurate to drawings of him.