Sengoku BASARA 5

Sengoku BASARA 5 is the latest entry in CAPCOM's Sengoku Basara series. The game is a sequel to Sengoku BASARA 3, and mainly focuses on the events after Sekigahara. As with most SB games the history is very much altered and has a greater emphasize on absurdity and fun. Though, the later stages of the game has a much darker theme and atmosphere compared to what the franchise is known for.

The game was released late 2017 for Playstation 4 and PC.

Characters
(*) represents characters returning after being absent in the last game

(**) represents a character who originates from the anime series who makes their debut in the games

(***) Amango Haruhisa was promoted even further from Roulette opponent to recurring NPC, once again due to his darkhorse esq popularity in Japan

Playable Characters
New

Returning
 * Hattori Hanzo
 * Hosokawa Gracia
 * Imagawa Ujizane
 * Kushihashi Teru
 * Murukami Yoshikiyo
 * Sugitani Zenjubo
 * Yasuke
 * Akechi Mitsuhide/Tenkai
 * Ashikaga Yoshiteru
 * Azai Nagamasa
 * Chōsokabe Motochika
 * Date Masamune
 * Fūma Kotarō
 * Gotō Matabei
 * Hōjō Ujimasa*
 * Honda Tadakatsu
 * Ii Naotora
 * Ishida Mitsunari
 * Itsuki*
 * Kasuga
 * Katakura Kojūrō
 * Kobayakawa Hideaki
 * Kuroda Kanbei
 * Kyōgoku Maria
 * Nōhime*
 * Maeda Keiji
 * Maeda Toshiie
 * Matsu
 * Matsunaga Hisahide
 * Mogami Yoshiaki
 * Mōri Motonari
 * Mori Ranmaru*
 * Oda Nobunaga
 * Oichi
 * Ōtani Yoshitsugu
 * Ōtomo Sōrin
 * Saika Magoichi
 * Sanada Masayuki
 * Sanada Nobuyuki
 * Sanada Yukimura
 * Sarutobi Sasuke
 * Sen no Rikyū
 * Shibata Katsuie
 * Shima Sakon
 * Shimazu Yoshihiro
 * Tachibana Muneshige
 * Takeda Shingen
 * Takenaka Hanbei
 * Tokugawa Ieyasu
 * Toyotomi Hediyoshi
 * Tsuruhime
 * Uesugi Kenshin
 * Yamanaka Shikanosuke

NPCs
New Returning
 * Asakura Yoshikage
 * Iio Tazu
 * Takahashi Jōun
 * Amago Haruhisa***
 * Gohonyari/Hachonyari/Shihonyari*
 * Miyamoto Musashi
 * Miyoshi Trio*
 * Naoe Kanetsugu
 * Sakai Tadatsugu**
 * Sasaki Kojiro*

Area Warlords
New Returning
 * Kodera Masamoto
 * Sue Harukata
 * Suwa Yorishige
 * Tsutsui Junkei
 * Anegakōji Yoritsuna*
 * Nanbu Harumasa*
 * Satake Yoshishige*
 * Utsunomiya Hirotsuna*

Gameplay
The gameplay retains much of what SB4 what introduced. With the base levels going up to three, the ability to cycle through a characters 3 super moves, the evading mechanic, and the same weapon system.The main change is the increase character mobility with the addition of doge rolling, dashing, and higher emphasize on ariel combos, which garners the player extra rewards and Zenny for performing these. Certain characters also had their move sets slightly altered to better perform these combos. Such as Itsuki (whom appears to have grown in similar sense to Ieyasu's growth in SB3) attacking much faster and smoother and Nōhime's pistols now having much more visually and mechanically interesting techniques.

However the weapon system has further extended with the ability to hold 60 weapons per character and collectible metals and gems gathered through combat which can be used to craft and enhance weapons. Each character has 12 weapons available to them.

The War Buddy system makes a return, along with the return of normal NPC bodyguards. With the option to choose between the two systems. Normal bodyguards have the advantage of providing different buffs to the player and or debuffs to the enemy characters. However the War Buddy has the advantage of being able to switch between the two characters at any time.

The Style Gauge returns with the ability to significantly increase your characters attack and elemental power once filled. The gauge however can be swapped out for the new Tactical Gauge, which when filled slows down time and increases the power of your character's skills, or the Frenzy Gauge, which when filled turns ones character into a furious glass cannon mode with the potential to run through enemy officers effortless. Sanada Yukimura and Date Masumune also receive their own signature gauges, Burning Tiger Gauge and Thunder Dragon Gauge: which when activated gives them their Sanada Yukimura-Den movesets.

Giga BASARA is somewhat replaced by the new BASARA Unleashed, a new mechanic where the BASARA and whatever gauge is chosen are both fully used to unleashes an explosive attack that not only damages all the enemies in the area but allows the user to become temporarily invincible.

Enemy AI increase even more as the difficulty increase with the options being: Easy, Normal, Hard, Very Hard, Heaven, or the new Hell option. Very Hard, Heaven, and Hell options allow the enemy to use gauges, while the latter two go as far as to allow enemies to use BASARA Unleashed and basic troops to use minor BASARA attacks. Variations with enemy soldiers continue as shown with the new formations, mini boss machines, and new gimmicks; all of which reflect whomever they serve. Bosses also once again have a defensive and attack buff, along with a few receiving enemy only skills.

Tenka Medals and Roulette are somewhat removed. Roulette appears as a stage gimmick in stages that Yoshiteru appears in, while Tenka Medals are treated as rare Zenny coins worth 1000.

Sengoku Story Mode
The main gameplay mode, tells the story of the chosen players character. The story can be played down several paths depending the stages chosen.

Every character receives at least two paths: a Blue and red path. While others receive more extending to a Green, Purple, Tragic, Victory, or Anime path. Of the paths: Tragic path tells the darker and more dramatic story of the game, while Victory often features the chosen characters conquest of the land. The Anime paths cutscenes are once again animated by Production I.G.

Servant of Demons
A mini tale only lasting 5 stages, follows a mysterious worshiper of Oda Nobunaga whom wishes to resurrect the fallen Demon King. The man is nameless and fights as weaker version of Nobunaga and only has a single super skill instead of 3. His BASARA attack and super skill is personalized to him however.

This story is unlocked after completing all the Tragic and Victory paths in the game.

Invincible Heroes Story!
Unlocked after completing all the other stories. Only time where the player is allowed to play as Naoe Kanetsugu (outside of Roulette in Ashikage Yoshiteru's stages). This plays the same as the main story with the added challenge of playing Kanetsugu whom can one shot all foes...but can only last one hit himself.

This is also the only story that can access the Tournament of Champions stage.

Free Battle
Choose any stage to go play with any character.

Unification Mode
Returns from SB3U and SB2, allows the player to conquer all of Japan in a non linear path and gamble Zenny on the performance of other forces.

BASARA 100 man Trial
A gauntlet of 100 tasks and challenges of increasing challenge the player must survive through, with the 99th being a boss rush of all the playable characters in the game. After which ending with a 1v1 with Naoe Kanetsugu himself.

Story
This is meant to describe the more serious and plot driven paths.

As the Battle of Sekigahara rages on, Ieyasu and Mitsunari meet at the top of a mountain. The two discuss their history as they gaze upon their allies fighting on below them. Mitsunari once again swears to kill Ieyasu as he unsheathes his blade, regretfully but determined Ieyasu raises his fist. The two clash toward each other, each strike getting more and more intense. The moon shines even brighter as each of their attacks get closer and closer to connecting with each other. However, soon the sound of a shot stops their fight as they gaze upon a bullet zooming between their face to face vision.

The pair turn over to see a woman floating a few meter away from them. She holds a gigantic ax-like double sided scythe, said scythe also appears to be a rifle with yet another string attachment near the blade also making it a bow. She introduces herself as Hosokawa Gracia, the daughter of Akechi Mitsuhide and savior of the land. She then goes on to explain that the late Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hediyoshi were very much unworthy of having such power over the land, nor are either Ieyasu or Mitsunari. The insult to Hediyoshi of course enrages Mitsunari enough to attempt to charge toward her, only to be halted by her firing a volley of arrows that form a cage around the duo. Quickly Mitsunari escapes by slashing through and continues his assault, with Ieyasu charging right behind in an attempt to stop his mindless rage. The two are interrupted by the should be late Azai Nagamasa whom breaks through the ground. Understandably, the two are confused and Ieyasu attempts to reason with the man, only to be greeted with a confused stare and further attacks from him. The trio duel a little further, with Ieyasu and Mitsunari also attacking one another, as Gracia watches them. She soon declares her annoyance due to the time this is taking, and simply opts to destroy the entire mountain. The angry faces of Ieyasu and Mitsunari are shown as they see the surrounding earth around them erupts. The moon turns pale once again, Gracia floats off, whispering to herself that it's time to get some real work done for the country.

Some time after the Japan, the two are presumed dead, and once again spirals into conflict as the chance for anyone to unify the land becomes a reality once again now that the two main powers have fallen. Hosokawa Gracia, with the companionship of an amnesiac Nagamasa and his sister Kyōgoku Maria. She is desperately searching for her father, Oichi, and the family of the Demon King. Her reasons being she "misses" her father and she wants to exterminate any chance for the Oda Army to return. Maria herself only seems to follow her due to Gracia's connections.

Back at Mikatagahara, Ieyasu's loyal general Hattori Hanzo has taken over the Tokugawa in his name. Given his naturally cheery nature Hanzo continually attempts to keep his allies, Honda Tadakatsu, Sanada Nobuyuki, and Sakai Tadatsugu happy. Secretly however, he is determined to avenge his fallen master. The Ishida forces have also regrouped, now being led by Ōtani Yoshitsugu. Unlike Hanzo, Yoshitsugu is more openly upset over his lord's death and has become quite irritable to his own forces. This has led to several arguments with fellow Ishida officer Shima Sakon.

Other changes in forces include: Takeda Shingen and Sanada Masayuki returning to Kai to train after the time Shingen lost from his illness, Uesugi Kenshin and Kasuga preparing to move forward and conquer the lands along with their newest general Murukami Yoshikiyo. Unlike his master whom has the utmost respect, Yoshikiyo wishes to destroy the Takeda despite formally serving Shingen. He holds a bitter hatred toward Sanada Masayuki whom in his eyes stole the position by Shingen's side from him. The Imigawa forces return, now under Imigawa Yoshimoto's son Imigawa Ujizane. Ujizane is a highly competent and powerful general unlike his father, despite that the Imigawa is still as cowardly as they were during Yoshimoto's reign. Ujizane himself is rather delusional as in his eyes his father was the greatest warrior in the land and fears living up to his supposed great legacy. Hōjō Ujimasa has also regrouped the Hōjō forces, along with a newly renewed contract with Fūma Kotarō. However Kotarō splits his time with the still sinister Matsunaga Hisahide, whom desires to hunt Gracia, as he senses something humorously familiar about her.

In the area's hidden to most of the land, Wabisuke is practicing his tea ceremony procedures only for Sabisuke to suddenly a violently take over. The two clash as Wabisuke struggles to remain in control only to become completely immobile as Sabisuke announces that he has sensed the return of the Toyotomi. Sure enough in an area not too distant Tenkai is traveling with Kobayakawa Hideaki, the two however are shown running from what appears to be an undead Toyotomi Hediyoshi and Takenaka Hanbei. Apparently the two desire to kill Tenkai to prevent him from once again resurrecting Oda Nobunaga. Panicked, Sen no Rikyū soars from his den to escape the potential rage of Hediyoshi.

The rumor of Hediyoshi's return spreads further, which catches the attention of Sanada Yukimura. Fearing the safety of his lord and his family he embarks off with only his loyal ninja Sarutobi Sasuke by his side. Coincidentally, Date Masamune, the eternal rival of Yukimura, also catches wind of this news and rides off with his forces to find Hediyoshi. The two meet on their similar journey which leads them to make a contest out of this search. Masamune's loyal guard, Katakura Kojūrō, is the only one of them however to suspect something strange about this sudden revival.

Deep underneath Honnoji, lies a hidden bunker. Here Nōhime and Mori Ranmaru hide and wait as they take care of the now toddler son of Nobunaga. The two await Nobunaga's return as they are well aware of Tenkai's efforts to permanently revive him. They are fed information of the outside world and taken care of by Yasuke, a former slave and the one of the few who sees good in Nobunaga. His loyalty stems from Nobunaga long ago saving him from torture by his owners. He occasionally enters the outside world to search for supplies and as such is more aware of how the land has been since the Incident at Honnoji.

Saika Magoichi is currently traveling with Maeda Keiji, whom has left the Maeda clan to follow her, the two encounter a mysterious gunman by the name of Sugitani Zenjubo. He rather eerily speaks of Oda Nobunaga in great detail to them, only to reveal that apparently it was he who slayed the demon. He runs off and calls out Magoichi's real name, Sayaka, much to her shock. The Mercenaries chase after him, but he escapes by air, being carried off with the shadowy hands of Oichi. Magoichi looks out at him and fires shots, only to be blocked by more shadowy hands. Still enraged, she begins to give chase as Keiji follows behind her.

Near the end of the chosen path, the nature of these people and their actions are revealed. At Honojji Gracia is revealed to have been long abandoned by her father. She was left with her sick mother who died soon after Mitsuhide left. Her true reason to find her father is to use his blood to revive her mother. The reason for her vast strength and the familiarity of her aura is explained by who ended up raising her, the still powerful Ashikaga Yoshiteru, whos arrival cause Hideaki to run off fearfully. Yoshiteru is also responsible for the mechanical nature of her weapon and for saving Nagamasa's life, even convincing the land that he had died as he spent the following years brainwashing him to be Gracia's bodyguard. Maria herself only follows due to her loyalty to Yoshiteru, as she herself still could care less for her brother. She is shocked to learn from her father that resurrection is only possible when the blood of someone blood related to the fallen is sacrificed. Much to his amusement, she already knew but still wishes to kill him. Whether she succeeds again is dependent on path or character chosen, but her fate still ends the same. She says goodbye to Yoshiteru and Maria, and thanks them for their help as she kills herself to return her mother to the world. Confused and disappointed by his protege, he awaits with Maria as Gracia's mother rises from the ground.

Back at the fields of Sekigahara, Hanzo and Yoshitsugu find Ieyasu and Mitsunari still alive and still fighting. The two cheerfully reunite with their respective masters, as they all notice in the horizon Sen no Rikyū clashing with Hediyoshi and Hanbei. Excited Mitsunari quickly abandons his battle to join Hediyoshi's side. His excitement is soon replaced with anger, as it is revealed that these two are not the true Hediyoshi and Hanbei, instead they are replicas created by Sen no Rikyū himself. Wabisuke is of course initially confused only to realize the birth of these replicas came from his subconscious guilt after allowing Hediyoshi to die, as it is revealed he is the one who encouraged Ieyasu to follow his own path and even showed him where Hediyoshi was at the time. Once again ballistic Mitsunari slays the replicas and Sen no Rikyū. Depending on the path either Tokugawa or Ishida reinforcements arrive to assist their lord. If Ieyasu wins, he slays his former friend and his supporters and tearfully says goodbye for the last time as Mitsunari fades off. He then looks to his men and swears to them he will bring peace. If Mitsunari wins, he manages to slay the Tokugawa forces. Initially he remains calm in front of Yoshitsugu and Sakon only to break down as he mourns both Hediyoshi and Ieyasu, he also is shown striking himself as he sees himself as a traitor for mourning Ieyasu.

Done for now, Oda and Zenjubo plots coming next time.