The latest installment of Koei Tecmo’sSamurai Warriorsseries comes to PC and consoles later this year. The company announcedSamurai Warriors 5duringthe Nintendo Direct eventearlier in the month, and a new trailer released this week confirmed that the game will release on July 27.
Like the other games in theDynasty Warriorsspinoff series,Samurai Warriors 5takes place during Japan’s Sengoku, or warring states, period, and features 27 different playable characters. The plot follows 16th-century samurai warlord Oda Nobunaga in his quest to unite a fractured Japan.
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One of Japan’s “Three Unifiers,” Nobunaga is a frequently used characterin Japanese samurai media. Koei Tecmo itself featured him in multiple titles, and he is the namesake of the company’sNobunaga’s Ambitionseries of RTS games. Of the 27 playable characters inSamurai Warriors 5, nine have been announced so far. Almost all of them are real samurai from the period, including Nobunaga himself.
The plot focuses on the relationship between Nobunaga and his vassal-turned rival Mitsuhide Akechi. Their interactions are anotherstaple of historical epics, with Koei Tecmo promising a “high action Sengoku drama told from two different perspectives.” Given the trend in previous games to depict one or the other as the unambiguous villain, a potentially more nuanced take could be a breath of fresh air to some fans.
Samurai Warriors 5also breaks from tradition in another way. Based on the trailer, the game features a semi-cel-shaded art style that is not present in earlier installments. While not as noticeable as something likeBorderlandsor even thecel-shading inThe Legend of Zelda:Breath of The Wild, the effect is definitely there. Based on the trailer’s YouTube comments, at least some fans are on board with the new art direction.
In addition to the standard game, Koei Tecmo is offering a digital deluxe edition with special bonus content. These include four exclusive weapons, a horse, and other in-game items. There will also be a pre-order bonus announced at a later date. Information on pricing for the standard and deluxe editions is not available at this time.
Samurai Warriors 5releases on July 27 for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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