NOBUNAGA'S AMBITION: Taishi

Nobunaga’s Ambition: Taishi has some small bugbears with its presentation, but thankfully nothing that hurts that core strategy experience too badly. It is one of the few of its kind that mixes both the excitement of battles and the mundanity of managing politics, while making both engaging. The UI designs and tutorials making the game an excellent place for genre fans to give it a try. An easy recommend for the kind of player who’s sunk hundreds of hours into Civilization or Total War.

55%Game Brain Score

gameplay, replayability

graphics, story

63% User Score Based on 88 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $48.99

Buy NowGet on Steam$59.99

About

"Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi" is a historical simulation strategy game that allows players to experience the tumultuous period of the Warring States in Japan. As a daimyo, lead your clan, manage your resources, recruit vassals, and engage in strategic warfare to unify Japan under your rule. With improved graphics and new gameplay features, this installment offers a deep and immersive experience for fans of the series and newcomers alike.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 90 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

graphics4 negative mentions

The battle system has been significantly improved, making combat more tactical and engaging, with morale and flanking playing crucial roles.
The game features a streamlined civil management system that allows players to focus on key decisions without tedious micro-management.
Diplomacy and recruitment mechanics have been enhanced, providing more depth and strategic options compared to previous titles.

Many features from previous games have been removed or simplified, leading to a less complex and engaging experience.
The game suffers from bugs and lacks the promised Power-Up Kit for Western players, leaving it feeling incomplete.
Graphics and overall presentation have been criticized as a downgrade from earlier titles, impacting the visual experience.

gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The gameplay is generally well-balanced and intuitive, focusing on strategic elements while minimizing tedious micro-management. Players appreciate the modernized mechanics and trade systems, although some feel that the simplification of battles reduces player control. Overall, it caters well to those seeking a strategic experience, though it may disappoint fans expecting a more narrative-driven adventure.
- “Different resolves themselves do not necessarily change the gameplay, but they are a good kind of flavor to make clans feel more unique.”
- “People looking for actual good gameplay (since you cannot win diplomatically and battles are 85% of what you are going to do at the end of the day) will like this game, while people looking for a Nobunaga story/cutscene adventure like in SOI will understandably feel disappointed.”
- “Wonderful strategy game with in-depth gameplay.”
- “As far as gameplay, a lot of the quick and direct control has been taken away from the player; instead, players must think on a turn-by-turn basis and leave things up to their officers much of the time. I speak particularly of the battle phase in this regard.”
- “The gameplay is oversimplified, especially the battles where you have even less control of your armies than ever before.”
- “I played 4 hours, and I pretty much caught up with the basic gameplay: expand every month from the highest value market first, make alliances with big forces to conquer all smaller ones, and use big alliance reinforcements to chop down the enemy for speeding up the swallowing of enemy territories within a year.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
53%
27%
The graphics in this game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting a downgrade compared to previous installments, particularly "Sphere of Influence." While some appreciate the improved UI and scaling for higher resolutions, others feel the visuals are outdated and lack the detail seen in earlier versions. Overall, while graphics are not the primary focus in strategy games, the consensus is that they could use improvement, especially given the advancements in prior titles.
- “The artwork really stands out, and it scales really well, so bravo for finally making that happen, Koei.”
- “Graphics are not as good as the previous installment, but I got used to it and my opinion changed; I think it's okay.”
- “Visuals are as to be expected, nothing spectacular but good enough.”
- “The graphics look like something from 15 years ago, which in itself is usually not a problem in strategy games since they aren't the main focus, but it's unacceptable when Sphere of Influence looked so comparatively nice.”
- “Overall, my main complaint is that the graphic system has gone significantly backwards when the last installment clearly improved greatly. It's very head-scratching; even if they just used the last version's graphics, it would still work better.”
- “The last installment's basic version's map was much better; the graphic level of this installment seems to have gone backwards 5 years for some reason.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the control and engagement offered through quests, while others criticize the diminished narrative depth and frequent issues with quest triggers. Compared to previous titles, the current game lacks a robust storyline and mission variety, leading to disappointment for those seeking a rich narrative experience.
- “In my personal opinion, it was because of how much control it allowed the player and the large amount of story/quest events, engaging the player in what they were doing.”
- “People looking for an actual good gameplay (since you cannot win diplomatically and battles are 85% of what you are going to do at the end of the day) will like this game, while people looking for Nobunaga story/cutscene adventure like in SOI will understandably feel disappointed.”
- “I assume some of them, like Okehazama, will trigger as well, but compared to the Sphere of Influence's vast storyline/quest system, that is pretty much nothing.”
- “Now the story is almost non-existent.”
- “There are story events, but before they trigger, the AI will already mess up the map to the point where there is no chance of them ever triggering.”
- “People looking for an actual good gameplay (since you cannot win diplomatically and battles are 85% of what you are going to do at the end of the day) will like this game, while people looking for Nobunaga's story/cutscene adventure like in SOI will understandably feel disappointed.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be well-balanced and intuitive, with an interesting farming system that offers seasonal variety and delegation options. While the combat has seen significant improvements, some players still find certain elements, like battles and farming, to be tedious at times. The game effectively reduces the grind in late-game scenarios through its delegation system.
- “The battles are even more interesting but rather tedious.”
- “The farming system is meh.”
- “It's complicated to handle everything yourself if you want to.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The music in the game is generally considered decent, though some players find it forgettable and lacking in impact. Overall, while the soundtrack does not detract from the experience, it fails to stand out amidst other design elements.
- “Decent music soundtrack.”
- “Decent music soundtrack.”
- “Some really poor presentation through dull map design, cluttered map overlays, and forgettable music.”
- “Lags where it really shouldn’t happen.”
- “One or two smaller UI hiccups in an otherwise very well designed system.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users generally agree that the game offers good replay value, suggesting that players find it enjoyable enough to return to multiple times.
- “The game offers excellent replay value, with multiple paths and endings to explore.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the diverse choices and character interactions.”
- “I love how the game encourages you to try different strategies, making every run unique.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game revolves around the theme of marriage, often blending elements of the funny and the ridiculous to create comedic situations. Players find the portrayal of marital dynamics both entertaining and exaggerated, contributing to the overall lighthearted tone.
- “The humor in this game is both clever and absurd, making every moment a joy.”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations.”
- “The comedic timing is spot on, turning even the most mundane tasks into laugh-out-loud moments.”