Wednesday 20 July 2016

The latest Sengoku Basara: Sanada Yukimura-den news from Weekly Famitsu magazine

The 4th August 2016 issue of Weekly Famitsu is now out in Japan, and here's a summary of the latest Sengoku Basara: Sanada Yukimura-den information from within its pages.

Story Mode

The article opened up with a summary of the next few chapters of story mode.

Chapter 6 - The Second Ueda Conflict: The Path To Sekigahara
Characters: Yukimura, Masayuki
Objectives: Control both Yukimura and Masayuki, and defend the Sanada water well!
Description: After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the confrontation between Ishida Mitsunari and Tokugawa Ieyasu divides the whole country in two for the Battle of Sekigahara. While Yukimura and his father Masayuki support the Western Army led by Mitsunari, Nobuyuki stands in their way as a warrior of Ieyasu's Eastern Army. As both sides press on, they ask themselves about the true 'Path of the Sanada'.

Notes on the page explain that you have to use both characters strategically. For the benefit of those who don't already know, the Sanada well is a famous landmark in Ueda Castle which is said to have a secret passage hidden within it.

Characters: Sarutobi Sasuke
Objectives: Take control of Sasuke and intercept the Tokugawa Army!
Description: Right in the middle of battle with Ieyasu's troops, Kuroda Kanbee loses his way on the battlefield...

There's some kind of shooting game mechanic where Sasuke has to fire shuriken and exploding kunai at the invaders to defend the well.

Chapter 7 - Kudoyama Imprisonment
Characters: Yukimura
Objectives: ???
Description: At Kudoyama, Yukimura and Masayuki clash in a life and death battle. But why would Yukimura be confronting his revered father? Furthermore, there's even a scene where the Sanada Clan's dead former lord Takeda Shingen exchanges blows with Yukimura. What's the true nature of this 'Shingen'? The circumstances behind the usual Sengoku Basara punching match are cause for concern.

There isn't much information about this chapter, sorry! I expect the gaming press will fill in the gaps over the next few days.

Moveset Information

Yukimura's moveset gets stronger as he grows up and progresses through the story. We've seen his special move 風林火山 ('Fuurinkazan') in screenshots - I've been calling it his R2 move because that seems likely - and for the first time it's actually referenced in this article, which says it's one of several of these special moves in the game. When Yukimura uses Fuurinkazan he performs a flurry of chained attacks then finishes up with a Shingen-style uppercut.

The information is placed right next to the screenshot of Shingen on the page, so it's possible Yukimura learns the move at a set point in the story. However, he's also shown as already having it equipped in the Chapter 6 screenshots. Perhaps it's entirely based on character level as usual.

Six Coin Challenges

We've seen these popping up in screenshots quite a few times now and they're finally explained in this article. Each stage in the main story mode contains six special optional objectives called Six Coin Challenges, and completing them awards the Monsen Coins you need to power up your characters. Completing all of the challenges also unlocks the ultimate difficulty level.

A screenshot shows the six challenges in Chapter 3 of the story (I'm guessing this screen appears at the end of a stage):

Reach FEVER status (900 Monsen Coins)
Defeat Fuuma Kotarou with a Basara technique (900 Monsen Coins)
Defeat five fake Eiraku Tsuuhou (??? Monsen Coins)
Defeat Eiraku Tsuuhou in Bushin Denshin (Telepathy) mode (??? Monsen Coins)
Collect 1,000 Monsen Coins (??? Monsen Coins)
Clear Chapter 3 (900 Monsen Coins)

In context the Eiraku Tsuuhou refers to the flags you're supposed to capture in this stage since they have coins on them. I'll start recording the challenges in my reference materials post later tonight.

Rainbow Chance

There are special enemy NPCs with large rainbow-coloured fans on their back called the 'Seven Rainbows'. If you attack them, a 'Rainbow Chance' challenge will pop up with a special objective such as getting a certain combo, defeating enemies, dodging attacks or performing parries. If you manage to complete the challenge within the time limit you'll be rewarded with a substantial number of Monsen Coins. It's well worth looking out for the Seven Rainbows when you're trying to gather coins.

Difficulty Levels

The standard difficulty levels you can select are Standard and Hard. However, once you have completed all of the Six Coin Challenges on all of the chapters, you unlock a brand new ultimate difficulty level: Sanzu River. When you select this, enemy attack power increases and their attacks drain your Bushin level - which in turn lowers your combat power.

Save Data Import

If you import your Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi save data when you start the game, you'll receive a reward as usual. This time, the reward is pretty simple; simply having a Sumeragi save file will give you a flat bonus of 5,000 Monsen Coins when you start Sanada Yukimura-den for the first time.

Collaboration Costumes

This is sneaky as they promised several collaboration costumes but the article only actually 'reveals' the NJPW Gotou Hirooki Ver outfit for Masamune which was shown earlier in the week. As previously explained, that new costume is going to be paid DLC for Sanada Yukimura-den.

The rest of the section about costumes explains that a bunch of the DLC costumes from Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi will be returning for the new game and they'll be included right from the start. The list includes all of the Biohazard (Resident Evil), Street Fighter IV, Devil May Cry and Monster Hunter costumes, Muneshige's Jumbo Xavi-kun outfit and the seven preorder costumes from Sengoku Basara 4.

It was also explained that the costumes will be available in modes such as survival mode (Sanada Trials). Unless they only mean that Yukimura and Masamune can wear their costumes in story mode, this implies to me that there will be additional modes where the old characters can be used too - probably even better news than everything else in the entire article!

13 comments:

  1. ¡Yay, Sasuke is back, I knew it! It's a shame he is not playable in the main chapters, but at least will appear in the backstory stages *O*

    So, chapter 7 is... incredibly strange, to say the least. Yukimura fighting against his father? TAKEDA SHINGEN punching Yukimura?? (I don't know why I am imagining a "YUKIMURA! O-YAKATA-SAMA! KOSEGARE-DONO! OYAJI-SAMA! MASAYUKI! SHINGEN-SAMA!" fight between Yukimura, Masayuki and Shingen XD XD ). But, I think this Shingen is Sasuke's work. I mean, he can use ninjutsu and transform himself in someone else, right? And we know finally he will appear in "Sanada's life" Mode.

    Anyway, I will wait until the game's website updates to see more and images n_n This game is just getting better and better and BETTER!!

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  2. WAAAIT A MINUTE!!!

    If chapter 7 is Kudoyama, then what about the remaining 3 chapters? Does that mean that the last chapters are about Siege of Osaka? *O* That would be great! I mean, Siege of Osaka was a very large and complex conflict. Three chapters about Osaka just sound wonderful n_n

    In the other hand... If I suppose they are following more or less historical facts, Kudoyama is the place where Masayuki died. I'm afraid that Chapter 7 will be the last one we see Masayuki in this story ;_;

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    1. I think you're probably right...

      It does sound like a weird chapter, but they will probably use the bittersweet Shingen fight to signify another 'passing of the torch' from Masayuki to Yukimura. Whatever happens, Yukimura is in for a hard time.

      Even if the last chapter is just made up Masamune versus Yukimura nonsense, I'm guessing we'll at least get two chapters about Osaka! Good news.

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  3. Shingen showing up in spite of it being said he wouldn't... hmmm... hmmmmmmmm.... mmmmm.... Interesting. That's something that's very exciting to hear! Interesting it's so vague though. I'm guessing the reason he and Masayuki are fighting Yukimura is to train him. I do wonder what Shingen's deal will be though- it'd be odd and out of character for him to just have him hide out and let his clan die out. So my guest is he'll either be a ghost or Masayuki (or Sasuke, as AZ suggested) transforms into him as a magic trick.

    Maybe one of the women will have a shot of having a role after all, too, since they "lied" about Shingen. I still like the idea I heard a while back about Maria taking Yodo-gimi's spot. The historical Yodo-gimi could easily be interpreted in a way similar to Maria and apparently some historical accounts mention Maria having something to do with the Osaka Sieges on the Toyotomi side to support her niece...

    Kinda disappointing it seems Sasuke is only in the side story modes... :< Also seems I was completely wrong about Hasedo being a stage, which is really weird as that means Masamune would only make sense to be playable at Odawara in the story really, making me wonder what the point of his playstyle upgrade was.

    I hope they are splitting Osaka up. It really was a very complex conflict, and it's disappointing to see so much media try to boil it down to one battle.

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    1. They seem to be treating the backstory missions as separate from the main story, and Sasuke isn't even officially one of the main characters but he's playable in an actual story chapter... I guess there's a chance we'll get a little more feminine influence. I'm not going to get my hopes too high (if they blow it, I hope they can redress the balance in the next game following the fan reactions to the all-male story).

      As for Masamune, I'm guessing he was mainly upgraded because they didn't want Yukimura to overshadow him. Though seeing them promoting Kojuurou (and knowing what a big deal the real life tourism campaigns in Touhoku are like) I'm going to theorise that Masamune and Kojuurou will get a major role in the Osaka chapter(s), probably involving Kojuurou's clash with Matabee, or at the very least there will probably be a backstory chapter for Kojuurou. So Masamune will stay somewhat relevant there even if it wouldn't be unfair to say there are more deserving characters who could have used the additional exposure.

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    2. Yeah, my mistake. Interesting it's a part of the main stage. I'm gonna guess Sasuke, rather than doing any infiltrating proper, will be manning a shooting range like that at, say, the Sanadamaru, hence him not really counting as a proper main character for the story.

      I'm not expecting it at this point because of their words and given how hard they seem to be pushing the women in the marketing for the Sanada Trials. If they were confident the people who really like the girls would get the game regardless of the side mode, they wouldn't need to do it. But hey, you never know! Either way, I hate to say it given the stink I threw up before, but even if they do include the women in 8~10 somewhere, I'm probably not going to be able to get it at launch given my preorder of the Honnoji play and knowing now how much my proxy of choice charges for special orders from sites they don't usually buy from... :x

      That makes sense I suppose, but you'd also think they might save it for a potential Masamune-den... I find the real Masamune's life a whole lot more interesting than the real Yukimura's life. I guess it'd be kinda hard to do, though, given a lack of northern clans- only really Satake and the Nanbu, who IIRC the Date didn't even really fight. So maybe they're trying to make a "Masamune-den" with this game, or something?

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  4. The new video... Lots of feelings... WOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!

    You · just · have · to · see · IT!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOnw6TEToO0

    I noted a lot of things here:

    -According to the website, Sasuke stage is NOT a backstory one, is part of Chapter 6! And in the video, lots of Sasuke fall from the sky. Probably is not the only stage he will appear.
    -There a backstage too for Kanbei-Matabee, Ieyasu-Hideyoshi and Mitsunari-Ieyasu.
    -I also noted that some of the other characters' weapons has changed from Sumeragi, particularly those who appear in Story Mode. See for example Mitsuhide's scythes.
    -In chapter 3 (the stage in which Ujimasa and Kotarou appear) there is no map... Things will be difficult here.
    -Masayuki dies! In Yukimura's arms!
    -Ouch... That punch from Nobuyuki must be really painful. Poor Yukimura.
    -Apparently in Kudoyama Takeda army will be appear as an enemy... Really, what is happening in chapter 7???
    -LOOK AT THAT ROKUMONSEN GIGA-CANNON!!!! O___________________O
    -The last part of the video is really emotive. I almost cry of joy and epicness.

    Today was really a great day XD XD

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    1. You're right, that was a great video. I only just managed to squeeze it in last night before bed but there was a whole ton of information in there flashing up really quickly, plus the general coolness of the story scenes :)

      Going to watch it again a few more times tonight! It looks as though Sasuke fans have a few reasons to celebrate.

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  5. There's also a new trailer that showed up in the middle of the night. Not sure if it was on my twitter feed or not - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOnw6TEToO0

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    1. Thanks :3

      I'm having a lot of fun with the trailer.

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  6. I know it says u can copy sb4 sumeragi saved data but do you think it will copy the levels and other stuff?

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    1. I don't think so; it doesn't mention importing the data at all, just rewarding you for having it. Hopefully it won't be too gruelling to level all of the bonus characters back up.

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  7. Ohh ok thanks. Thank God because my ps3 data got wiped lol

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