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When we got the preview for Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening, the latest in a long line of Historical strategy games made by Koei Tecmo (probably most well known for their Pokemon Crossover Spin-off), I was ready to engage in some methodical samurai warfare but I wasn’t prepared for the incredible intricacies of nation building across my conquest.
Nobunaga truly was an ambitious man, he had to build up the different areas of his provinces, organize policy meetings between his council members, and of course wage war and expand his territory to unify the islands of Japan. This translates as a lot of menu managing, stats to keep track of off, and different factors to appease well before you enter battle. It’s not a game for everyone but it’s you can get past the learning curve, you’ll find a satisfying game of strategy.
Sengoku Period Japan
The plot of Nobunaga’s Ambition Awakening takes place during the Sengoku period in Japan between the 15th and 16th centuries. The emperor has lost all power and is little more than a figurehead leading to different Japanese warlords vying for power in order to become the nation’s military leader, the shogun. One of the said warlords is a young man named Oda Nobunaga as his crazed ambition to unify the entire nation will leave a bloodstained path of conquest.
You can definitely tell that the game was made with a Japanese audience in mind, as it sort of expects you to have a decent understanding of Sengoku period history to understand each of the events and what makes them significant.
The narrative is a bit odd in general though as it has a lot of visual novel-style cutscenes but these are used more to frame the historical events rather than illicit drama almost like a documentary. The characters feels rather flat which can make some of them hard to remember when there are so many different generals and warlords. Nobunaga himself is a bit fun in how much of a risktaker he is but for a character that has appeared in so much of Japanese media, he doesn’t quite have the larger-than-life persona that he has in other games. That may be due to the more grounded take of the game but still, he’s just not that memorable.
Another issue is despite this being a Japanese game, based on Japanese history, it only features English which seems like a strange omission. The dub acting isn’t bad but I don’t feel the voice actors fit the character, often spouting very stock NPC-style style battle lines that feel very bland.
Setting Up Your Empire
One cool thing about the game is that you can start off with any clan at any time period, although the game does recommend on specific time with Nobunaga’s clan, which will include a rather wordy but necessary tutorial on how to start.
The crux of Nobunaga’s Ambition can be separated into two sections: building up your domain on the overworld map and then using said new resources and soldiers to head into battle. Building your domain is done by clicking on different provinces and selecting one of the many options to build and customize them. Using your limited amount of gold and manpower, you need to plan the construction of different settlements like farms, depots, or markets as well as facilities like canals and training grounds. Each settlement requires time to build so you have to really think about what you need and how you wish to use your land.
Outside of the construction work, you’ll also have to hold policy meetings. This is where you can decide on new policies that affect the stats and growth of the whole domain, as well as appoint your generals to different settlements and even marry off certain units to maintain loyalty. I won’t lie it’s a lot to take in at once and can feel overwhelming when you start.
Accessibility Options
The game expects a lot of the player. There are a lot of numbers and tutorials to keep track of, making this very much a game for the most hardcore strategy fans first and foremost. If you play this game, that’s simply what you’re getting into.
That being said, the game does attempt to be a bit more accessible to newcomers, you can pause the real-time gameplay whenever you need or even fast-forward time to get your building projects made faster.
There are also several difficulty options to make the adventure more digestible and all of your current projects, tasks, and potential objectives are presented in a list on the left side of the screen which helps you keep track of what needs doing which really helps even if it still takes time to understand how each feature slots into the bigger campaign. I found that after a while I did get the gist of the different mechanics but it still felt I was only scratching the surface of everything the game had to offer.
I should note that pre-ordering the game will also get you a bonus feature called the “Power Up Kit“. This is essentially a cheat mode that allows you to further edit the game’s difficulty to make it easier such as making your armies far more powerful. To balance this, however, you won’t be able to play through certain events or unlock achievements while in this mode. It’s a good way of helping newer players while also promoting them to try to higher difficulties later on.
Overall, it’s very much a game for those that want challenge but it does truly get you into the feeling of being a daimyo and all the variables you need for successful warfare. Speaking of which…
Warfare
It wouldn’t be a samurai strategy game without going into battle and the game gives you several options for it. You can choose specific territories under your rule to expand into other factions by invading and occupying neighboring provinces as well as targeting enemy castles which will cause your troops to militarize. It starts off as pretty risky and takes time to build up troops.
Once they’re ready however they’ll ride across the map and attempt siege castles and occupy land, you can even incite revolts in your neighbors and use the opportunity to take them for yourself. Like all things in the game, war can take time but with greater numbers and well-placed troops, you can take over more land which then requires defending and building to secure it as your own.
Triggering certain requirements however will take you to the main event, full own battles with multiple soldier units fighting it out Total War style. This mode of combat is full of real-time strategy with you having to select between different troops to attack the enemy and lay siege to their castle or base, this can include figuring out the right routes to approach the enemy and where to move them.
The first battle I was put in placed importance on leading certain troops of enemies away so the main force could quickly sweep the enemy’s leader. It can get pretty tricky figuring out what the best course of action may be but with some good preparation and thinking quickly on your feet and you should be able to find victory (and if you don’t, the game is pretty lenient able letting you restart the battle).
Nobunaga’s Ambition Awakening
Nobunaga’s Ambition Awakening is a complicated game that requires a lot of forethought and attention. The story is pretty bland and the different amount of stats and skills to customize and build can feel very overwhelming but for strategy game fans this could be just what you’re looking for. I’ll give them credit for trying to address the learning curve with the quality of life difficulty options but at the end of the day, this game caters to a specific niche and simply won’t be for everyone
Once you come to understand each of its different parts it does start coming together to make for a grand tale of conquest as taking over new provinces and crushing opposing armies as a result of your hard work comes with a definite feeling of satisfaction.
It’s not a game for everyone but if you feel the surge of ambition racing through your bones and are ready to get your hands dirty in a tale of war and strategy, this could be the game for you.
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening will launch on the PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, and PS4 on the 20th of June 2023.
