{{Short description|2021 video game}} {{Infobox video game | title = Samurai Warriors 5 | image = Samurai Warriors 5 decalless.jpg |caption = Game cover featuring Nobunaga Oda (front), Mitsuhide Akechi (left), and Nō (right) | developer = Omega Force | publisher = Koei Tecmo | director = | producer = Hisashi Koinuma | designer = | series = ''Samurai Warriors'' | engine = Katana Engine<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/fate-samurai-remnant-ryota-matsushita/ |title=Fate/Samurai Remnant Game Director Ryota Matsushita on Game Systems & Traditions |last=Farrell |first=Andrew |date=September 19, 2023 |website=CGMagazine |publisher= |access-date=2024-11-05 |quote=We're developing this title using our proprietary engine, the "Katana Engine", which we also used for ''SAMURAI WARRIORS 5''.}}</ref> | released = '''Switch''', '''PS4''', '''Xbox One'''{{vgrelease|JP|June 24, 2021|WW|July 27, 2021}}'''Microsoft Windows'''{{vgrelease|WW|July 27, 2021}} | genre = Hack and slash | modes = Single-player, multiplayer | platforms = {{ubl|Nintendo Switch|PlayStation 4|Xbox One|Windows}} }}
{{nihongo foot|'''''Samurai Warriors 5'''''|戦国無双5|''Sengoku Musou 5''|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a hack and slash game by Koei Tecmo, and a reboot of the ''Samurai Warriors'' series, part of the long-running ''Warriors'' series of hack and slash games published by Koei Tecmo. As a "fresh re-imagining" of the franchise, the game features an all-new storyline, revamped character designs, and a new visual presentation.<ref name="First announcement">{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/02/samurai-warriors-5-announced-for-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc|title=Samurai Warriors 5 announced for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC|website=Gematsu|date=February 17, 2021|accessdate=February 20, 2021}}</ref> It was released in Japan in June 2021 for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, with a worldwide release in July for those platforms and PC via Steam.<ref name="GematsuFeb2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/02/samurai-warriors-5-launches-june-24-in-japan-july-27-in-the-west|title=Samurai Warriors 5 launches June 24 in Japan, July 27 in the west|website=Gematsu|date=25 February 2021|access-date=February 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=Gematsu|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/04/samurai-warriors-5-adds-nobunaga-oda-mature-mitsuhide-akechi-mature-hanzo-hattori-sandayu-momochi-magoichi-saika-and-yasuke|title=Samurai Warriors 5 adds Nobunaga Oda (Mature), Mitsuhide Akechi (Mature), Hanzo Hattori, Sandayu Momochi, Magoichi Saika, and Yasuke|date=April 23, 2021}}</ref> A version for Amazon Luna was made available on June 30, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samurai Warriors 5 Strikes its Way onto Amazon Luna |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2022-07-03/samurai-warriors-5-strikes-its-way-onto-amazon-luna/.187323 |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}</ref>
==Gameplay== Like previous games, ''Samurai Warriors 5'' is a hack and slash, in which the player faces against hundreds of enemy soldiers in a battlefield, with the objective usually being the defeat of an enemy commander. The game features a new Hyper Attack, which allows the player to traverse great distance while attacking enemies, and Ultimate Skill, augments that, depending on their type, can be used to continue combos, regenerate Musou Gauge, stun enemies, or deal a barrage of attacks.<ref name="SiliconeraMarch2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.siliconera.com/new-samurai-warriors-5-characters-story-details-and-systems-revealed/|title=New Samurai Warriors 5 Characters, Story Details, and Systems Revealed|website=Siliconera|date=11 March 2021|access-date=March 12, 2021}}</ref> The game uses an art style resembling traditional Japanese painting.<ref name="GematsuFeb2021" />
==Story== The game's scope of the Sengoku period is limited in contrast to previous games. ''Samurai Warriors 5'' focuses on events leading up to the Honnō-ji Incident, with Nobunaga Oda and Mitsuhide Akechi being the prominent figures of the story.<ref name="Livestream ANN">{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-02-25/samurai-warriors-5-ps4-switch-pc-game-trailer-reveals-july-27-release/.169970|title=Samurai Warriors 5 PS4, Switch, PC Game's Trailer Reveals July 27 Release|website=Anime News Network|date=February 25, 2021|accessdate=February 25, 2021}}</ref>
The story is divided between Nobunaga and Mitsuhide's POVs (referred to as ''Nobunaga's side'' and ''Mitsuhide's side''). While Nobunaga's story focuses on his rise as an ambitious and charismatic underdog, and eventual death as the "Demon King" in Honnoji, Mitsuhide's story focuses on his personal friendships, relationship with Nobunaga and eventual falling out after Nobunaga refuses to send support to the Amago Clan, leading to their destruction by the Mori Clan.
The game introduces Mitsuki, a fictional kunoichi who is the orphaned daughter of Nobunaga's younger brother Nobuyuki Oda, who believes that Nobunaga is her real father and tries to win his approval by joining his cause while refusing to believe Nobunaga's continuous claims that he's not her father.
A major subplot is the mystery regarding the person inciting major rebellions against Nobunaga and Ieyasu Tokugawa following the fall of the Ashikaga Shogunate, which is eventually revealed to be the Iga ninja and Hanzo Hattori's friend Momochi Sandayu (a fictional character based on folklore) whose real motivation was the destruction of the Samurai-class. Momochi is later defeated by Ieyasu and Hanzo following Nobunaga's death but it's implied that he managed to cheat death.
Mitsuhide is later defeated by Hideyoshi Toyotomi at Yamazaki, with him dying from his wounds in Mitsuki's arms.
The game ends with both Hideyoshi and Ieyasu Tokugawa stating their desire to continue where Nobunaga left off and unite all of Japan, setting off their eventual rivalry.
==Characters== The entire cast of characters has been vastly redesigned from previous incarnations (with the exception of Katsuyori Takeda, who retains his original design from ''Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada''). The number of playable characters has also been cut when compared to the previous mainline game, ''Samurai Warriors 4'' (which featured 55 playable characters), with only 37 playable characters being featured, 21 returning and 16 new (10 of the characters are supporting characters which means that they are not playable in Story Mode, and do not have unique Power Attacks, and a unique Ultimate Skill).<ref name="SiliconeraMarch2021" /><ref name="NintendoPower">{{cite magazine|url=https://nintendo-power.com/samurai-warriors-5-expands-its-cast-and-welcomes-ten-new-characters/|title=Samurai Warriors 5 expands its cast and welcomes ten new characters!|magazine=Nintendo Power|date=28 May 2021|access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref>
''* Denotes supporting characters who are not playable in Story Mode, and do not feature unique Power Attacks, and a unique Ultimate Skill''<br> ''** Denotes characters with two playable versions consisting of Youth, and Mature counterparts''<br>
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! ''SW'' !! ''SW2'' !! ''SW3'' !! ''SW4'' !! ''SW5'' |- | Hanzō Hattori || Ieyasu Tokugawa || Hanbei Takenaka || Hisahide Matsunaga || Dōsan Saitō* |- | Hideyoshi Hashiba || Katsuie Shibata || Kanbei Kuroda || Katsuyori Takeda* || Fujihide Mitsubuchi* |- | Kenshin Uesugi || Nagamasa Azai || Motonari Mōri || Takakage Kobayakawa || Kazuuji Nakamura |- | Magoichi Saika || Toshiie Maeda || || || Mitsuki |- | Mitsuhide Akechi** || || || || Motoharu Kikkawa* |- | Nobunaga Oda** || || || || Motonobu Okabe* |- | Nō || || || || Nobuyuki Oda* |- | Oichi || || || || Sandayū Momochi |- | Shingen Takeda || || || || Sena |- | Tadakatsu Honda || || || || Shikanosuke Yamanaka |- | Yoshimoto Imagawa || || || || Terumoto Mōri* |- || || || || || Toshimitsu Saitō |- || || || || || Yasuke |- || || || || || Yoshiaki Ashikaga* |- || || || || || Yoshikage Asakura* |- || || || || || Yoshitatsu Saitō* |}
==Music== Unlike the electronic and traditional Japanese music collaborations in the previous ''Samurai Warriors'' games, ''Samurai Warriors 5'' largely replaces the electronic music in favor of rock and orchestral music, while keeping the traditional Japanese music entirely intact.
==Reception== {{Video game reviews | MC = NS: 78/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/samurai-warriors-5/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch |title=Samurai Warriors 5 for Switch Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=July 28, 2021}}</ref><br />PC: 74/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/samurai-warriors-5/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Samurai Warriors 5 for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=July 28, 2021}}</ref><br />PS4: 75/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/samurai-warriors-5/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=Samurai Warriors 5 for PlayStation 4 Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=July 28, 2021}}</ref><br />XONE: 77/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/samurai-warriors-5/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |title=Samurai Warriors 5 for Xbox One Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=Red Ventures |access-date=July 28, 2021}}</ref> | Fam = 35/40<ref name="FamitsuRev">{{cite web|title=Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1698|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/06/famitsu-review-scores-issue-1698|publisher=Gematsu|first=Sal|last=Romano|date=June 16, 2021}}</ref> | IGN = 7/10<ref>{{cite web|title=Samurai Warriors 5 Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/samurai-warriors-5-review|accessdate=July 31, 2021|publisher=IGN|date=July 27, 2021}}</ref> | NLife = 8/10<ref>{{cite web |title=Samurai Warriors 5 Review (Switch) {{!}} Aces high |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/samurai_warriors_5 |website=Nintendo Life |date=30 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref> | PSQ = 8/10<ref>{{cite web |title=Samurai Warriors 5 Review (PS4) {{!}} Aces high |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/samurai_warriors_5 |website=Push Square |date=30 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref> | NWR = 7/10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rudek |first1=Jordan |title=Samurai Warriors 5 (Switch) Review |url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/57919/samurai-warriors-5-switch-review |website=Nintendo World Report |date=30 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref> | SN = 8/10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Denzer |first1=TJ |title=Samurai Warriors 5 review: A stylish conquest |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/125779/samurai-warriors-5-review-a-stylish-conquest |website=Shacknews |date=30 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref> }}
''Samurai Warriors 5'' has received "generally favorable" reviews according to Metacritic, becoming the highest rated entry in the series. ''Famitsu'' gave all versions of the game scores of 9/9/8/9 for a total of 35/40.<ref name="FamitsuRev"/> The game sold a total of 94,366 physical copies during its first week on sale in Japan (PS4: 55,675/Switch: 38,691) with the PS4 version being the second best-selling game of the week, and the Switch version being the third best-selling game of the week.<ref>{{cite web |last=Romano|first=Sal|date=July 2, 2021|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/07/famitsu-sales-6-21-21-6-27-21|title=Famitsu Sales: 6/21/21 – 6/27/21 [Update]|publisher=Gematsu|accessdate=July 2, 2021}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}} ==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.koeitecmoamerica.com/sw5/ Official North American site] * [https://www.koeitecmoeurope.com/sw5/ Official European site]
{{Musou series}}
Category:2021 video games Category:Crowd-combat fighting games Category:Katana Engine games Category:Koei Tecmo games Category:Nintendo Switch games Category:PlayStation 4 games Category:Video games about samurai Category:Video game reboots Category:Samurai Warriors Category:Video games developed in Japan Category:Video games set in 16th-century Sengoku period Category:Windows games Category:Xbox One games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games