This weeks issue of Famtisu magazine in Japan has given more details on Koei Tecmo’s new game Samurai Warriors: Sanada Maru.
Below is all the information translated into English…
Overview
Focused on the House of Sanada, this is a Sengoku era story depicts the 48-year life of Sanada Yukimura’s 48. The game is being directed so that players can feel the flow of time all throughout, as Sanada Yukimura changes in appearance from childhood, to adolescence, to the prime of his life. (Childhood Sanada Yukimura is voiced by Yuka Saito, and adolescent Sanada Yukimura is voiced by Takeshi Kusao). The 3D maps of Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence used by NHK Taiga drama Sanada Maru will be reintroduced in this game. They’ll appear in the scenes that describe the battle progress.
Samurai Warriors: Sanada Maru uses the Samurai Warriors series as its base, but features completely new systems.
Castle Town System
- Prepare for battle while enjoying mingling between military commanders.
- In previous Samurai Warriors games, game modes were chosen from the menu screen, but now all the mode functions are your Castle Town.
- There are stables throughout the city, and you can buy horses to ride using money.
- There is a fishing mini-game you can enjoy, and the fish you catch can be used as materials for item synthesis, or you can give them as gifts to other characters.
- You can trigger special events by giving characters their favorite items as presents.
Exploration
Sanada and Yukari can freely adventure throughout the game’s deep landscape, and obtain items for use in synthesis or as presents. Also, on specific maps, missions such as “transport the Takeda Army’s goods” may spring up. Enemies will also appear.
Battle
Battles are “Long-Term Battles” that span several battlefields. For example, in the “Battle of Kawanakajima” between the House of Sanada and House of Uesugi, you’ll need to clear three battles—the “Saijosan Breakthrough,” “Battle of Hachimanpara,” and “Zenkouji Pursuit”— in order to advance to the next battle.
During battle, you can trigger a “Next Move” secret strategy to give you the upper hand, as well as call reinforcements, or build a bridge on the map. Sanada’s Rokumonsen, which you need to trigger the Next Move, can be obtained by meeting certain requirements in battle or by gathering information in the Castle Town.
Sanada Yukimura’s father Sanada Masayuki (voiced by Kenta Miyake) is also playable. He fights wielding a flag and spear, and can use tricky techniques like rotating his flag to trigger a tornado.
Miscellaneous
- All of the military commanders that have appeared so far are playable. They’re also working on a different gameplay system that is similar to previous games’ Free Mode.
- Sanada Nobuyuki and Sanada Yukimura will both grow up from the same childhood. New military commanders are also planned to appear.
- As for Sanada Maru, Koei Tecmo is considering ways to go deeper than just the name.
- The release date will be “around the time the Taiga drama reaches its climax.”
