Bushido Blade 2 expands on some of the aspects of Bushido Blade, while limiting or removing others. The story mode is changed from one large connected level to a series of skirmishes, each set on a different map. Playable characters are chosen from groups which represent two opposing schools of assassins, known as the Shainto and Narukagami, and are armed with swords or polearms of varying types. The fights in Bushido Blade 2 mark the progress of the chosen character who, depending on the character, either fights to regain a legendary sword, or to destroy the opposing school. Levels involve a pattern of fighting several generic ninja followed by a boss, who is one of the playable characters from the opposing school. Two characters in Bushido Blade 2 are exceptions to the typical opponent roster: the gun-wielding Tsubame and Katze. They have sworn loyalty to opposing schools, and battles involving them provide a different, arguably greater kind of challenge. With proper tactics, such as monitoring the opponent's remaining ammunition, however, the player can defend against the firearms with his melee weapons. Most of the weapons are straight from the first game, excluding the yari and the M16. The yugiri (a sword which is quite similar to the nodachi but wielded like the katana), which was used by the original Bushido Blade's final boss Hanzaki is now a selectable weapon, but is only accessible in the final battle versus the unarmed "last member of the Kagami clan".