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Sengoku Basara 4 is an action stragety game and the fourth main installment in the Sengoku BASARA series. It was released for the PlayStation 3 on January 23, 2014 exclusively in Japan. The game apparently takes place in a parallel world set in the Muromachi period (the time before the Sengoku period began). Because of this, a lot of characters from earlier games in the series return. Sengoku BASARA 4 was produced by Hiroyuki Kobayashi and directed by Makoto Yamamoto. For this game, character design was passed to Tooru Ookubo, instead of Makoto Tsuchibayashi.

Sengoku_Basara_4_Opening_Movie_戦国BASARA4_HD

Sengoku Basara 4 Opening Movie 戦国BASARA4 HD

Opening Movie

In 2015, an expansion titled Sengoku BASARA 4 Sumeragi was released in Japan.

Gameplay

Players choose characters from a diverse roster to face out against entire battlefields of enemies by themselves. The gameplay is accessible enough so that any player can jump into the action, but rewards players for mixing up their combos by offering them more gold or power. This installment introduces new mechanics to the series while retaining older mechanics from previous games.

Universal mechanics

Every character moves with the analog stick. Tapping a direction twice will make the character enter a dashing state, which will last as long as you hold the direction and never return to neutral, use a move, or get hit. Jumping during this state, even if it's immediately after dashing, will make character go further and faster than a normal jump would take them.

By pressing L1, a character will block. This prevents damage so long as it doesn't break through repeatedly being hit or blocking especially strong moves. Blocking just before being hit will perform a Parry, doing damage and potentially staggering/knocking enemies down, allowing for a follow-up combo. Specific enemies and bosses in general can utilize this as well.

By holding L1 and tapping a direction, characters do a semi-invincible evade/roll animation in the direction you tapped. Doing this with proper timing can enter an enemies defense and even bypass certain attacks. New to Sengoku Basara 4, performing it at the last second, similar to a Parry, will trigger a "Detect"[1] which has a different animation and maneuvers you around an attacking opponent.

Combat system

By pressing and continuing to press square, every character does a string of basic attacks, often referred to as a "square string". The amount of hits, as well as potential properties to each of these attacks, differ on a per-character basis, but every character can general cancel any one of the hits into one of their many special moves. These special skills come in the form of several different inputs. Every character has one tied to the following; Triangle, Direction + Triangle, R1, L1/Guard+Triangle, and by holding the Square button. The names change on a per-character basis, as do what they actually do, and their properties, much like the square string. Depending on the character, some moves can also be done in the air, and may have different effects when used here as well.[2]

Each character also has 'Secret' skill tied to the R2 button. In the two previous installments, the player would select one between three total skills before a battle. New to Sengoku Basara 4, the player can now switch between them on the fly with by holding L1 and pressing R2.[1] The name of the secret skill currently equipped is also shown on the HUD above the players health bar.

A super move also exists. By pressing Circle when the Basara gauge, found right below the health bar, is full, the character will perform a unique sequence of movements and attacks. This move, called a BASARA, is very damaging and can be used in both crowd control or boss fight scenarios. Players fill the Basara gauge by hitting enemies, getting hit, performing long combos, picking up items that fill the gauge manually, taunting, or by letting it refill over time when dangerously low on health. The character is fully invincible during the move until it ends. Enemy generals no longer have access to these moves like in the previous game.

Another gauge on screen, the Style Gauge, is filled only by combos and specific items, and the rate at which it fills is increased by how large your combo is. When it's full, a player can press L1+R1 and enter Stylish Climax, a mode similar to Sengoku Drive or Hero Time found in previous titles. When active, time slows slightly and the player gains a lot of strength, making it useful in many possible places. As a bonus, utilizing a Basara during this mode turns it into an Stylish Basara for drastically increased damage.

Additional benefits of the combat system come from the Dash and Evade mechanics. Certain characters can cancel specific moves with these mechanics, though which of the two is another specific thing!, allowing for much more comboability in certain scenarios. Kanbei, a slow and combo unfriendly character from first glance, benefits from this exceptionally, allowing much longer combo strings through the use of this mechanic.

Characters

BASARA 4 Art

Promotional key art.

Returning Characters

New Characters

  • Katsuie Shibata
  • Maria Kyogoku - (playable only in Sumeragi)
  • Naotora
  • Sakon Shima
  • Sen no Rikyū - (debuting and playable only in Sumeragi)
  • Matabei Gotō - originally a warrior in the Kuroda forces, now he drifts around Japan with no master. Matabei is very proud and holds a strong grudge against anyone who wounds his pride, vindictively stalking them and writing their name in his mark book.
  • Shikanosuke Yamanaka - a retainer of the Amago family. Shikanosuke is a boy who is traveling in search of Haruhisa Amago. Unfortunately, his detective skills haven't yet matured and he frequently leaps to the wrong conclusion. He's accompanied by a deer called Oyassan.
  • Yoshiteru Ashikaga - (playable only in Sumeragi) - The 13th Ashikaga shogun who longs for heated battles. He relinquishes the shogun rule back to the heavens, which in turn causes the Sengoku Genesis. He has a prominent role in the game, appearing in multiple drama routes as the last boss for the character in question and is likely the hardest boss in the game. Ashikaga’s weapon of choice is a scepter that has the ability to transform into other weapons.

Sengoku BASARA 4 Sumeragi

Sengoku BASARA 4 Sumeragi is the expansion to Sengoku BASARA 4, released summer 2015 on both Playstation 3 and Playstation 4 consoles. There are some new features added to the gameplay. "Sumeragi" is translated to Emperor in English, signifying that the game mostly revolves around the character of Yoshiteru Ashikaga.

Roulette

Stages now have 'roulette camps' or 'roulette troops' which, as the name suggests, activate a roulette. The following outcomes have been observed:

  • Black (変化,Transforming):
    • Transform into a bomb trooper. Enemies killed in this form will drop Tenka Medals.
    • Transform into Kanetsugu. Enemies killed in this form will drop Tenka Medals.
    • Transform Motochika's Akatsukimaru. Enemies killed in this form will drop Tenka Medals.
  • Red (天貨,Tenka):
    • Enemy Tenka Medal troops appears. These enemies will drop Tenka Medals when killed.
    • Special enemy Haruhisa Amago appears. He will drop Tenka Medals every first hit after he emerges from sand.
  • Skull (罰天,Punishment)
    • Miyamoto Musashi appears. Drops Tenka Medals when defeated.
    • Bomb rains. Enemies killed while this effect is active will drop Tenka medals.
    • Player character is hit on the head and angels will retrieve his/her soul. Analog stick prompt appears. Successfully performing the analog prompt will reward players with Tenka Medals
  • Gold (天金,Gilt )
    • Tenka Medals rain. Additional Tenka Medals can be acquired by defeating enemies.

Stages with Roulette camps/troops will have a breakable green box, which when broken will affect the colors of the next roulette wheel depending on the contents of the box. Red/Blank arrow from the box will change all non-gold colors to red/black. Gold arrow from box will change all sections of the roulette to gold. Purple arrow will increase the skull sections in the roulette.

Tenka Medals can be traded in the shop for various items from four categories: Costumes, Weapons, Techniques, and Speech. There are 167 rewards in total.

Skills gained from Tenka Medal rewards are activated with L1+Square.

When importing save data, characters already level 50 or higher will already have these skill revisions unlocked.

Tag Team

When the R3 button is depressed, the player may switch back and forth between the character they picked and the character's partner in battle.

Gallery

Characters

Box Art

Books and Magazines

References

External Links

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