

This is what's called the "Sengoku jidai," or "Warring states" period. Those of you who are new to the series, however. We'll get into the new stuff a few paragraphs down, so if you're a returning champion you can feel free to skim on down past the introductory stuff.

If you've buffed up your fifth digit on the games before it, however, you'll quickly notice that while Samurai Warriors 2 is a lot like the previous games, it does present several new features. Much like Dynasty Warriors before it, the Japanese-set Samurai Warriors features huge battlefields, lots and lots of enemies, collectable weapons and unlockable characters (get them all!) and enough button-whacking to put you in a thumb cast. Thus they gift us with Samurai Warriors 2, sequel to Samurai Warriors. Koei decided that, perhaps along with the Three Kingdoms-based games, they should also make some games for the action-starved and just-as-large Nobunaga's Ambition fans. The right answer is nobody worth mentioning, and that's why the Dynasty Warriors series is up to installment number five. Everybody set? Here's your question: Is there anyone alive who doesn't enjoy using ridiculously oversized weapons to fling hundreds of faceless ancient Asian soldiers violently around a battlefield at the push of a button? Close your textbooks and get out your notebooks – it's time for a pop quiz.
