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Sengoku

The first few times I tried Sengoku, I was lost, but the more I played this game, the more I enjoyed it.
Sengoku Game Cover
61%Game Brain Score
gameplay, music
graphics, replayability
60% User Score Based on 292 reviews
Critic Score 71%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Sengoku Game Cover

About

Sengoku is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with warfare and historical themes. It was developed by Paradox Development Studio and was released on September 15, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and neutral reviews from players.

Sengoku is a warfare Real-Time Strategy game set in 16th century Japan, where you play as a Japanese nobleman aiming to unite the country under your rule. Manage relationships with family, friends, and enemies, conquer provinces, and make alliances with religious factions to increase your influence and become Shogun. The game features a detailed map of Japan divided into 350 provinces and offers multiplayer and single-player modes, accompanied by good music.

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Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Sengoku screenshot
Skip User Reviews

60%
Audience ScoreBased on 292 reviews
gameplay9 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Sengoku offers a unique blend of strategy and political intrigue set in the fascinating Sengoku period of Japan, allowing players to engage in complex relationships and manage their clan effectively.
  • The game features a compelling honor system that influences diplomacy and warfare, adding depth to the gameplay and encouraging players to think strategically about their actions.
  • With its historical context and engaging mechanics, Sengoku serves as a decent entry point for players new to Paradox's grand strategy games, providing a simpler experience compared to titles like Crusader Kings II.
  • The game suffers from a steep learning curve and lacks a comprehensive tutorial, making it difficult for new players to understand its mechanics and objectives.
  • Many players find the gameplay repetitive and shallow, with limited depth in diplomacy and combat, leading to a lack of engagement over time.
  • Sengoku feels unfinished and less polished compared to other Paradox titles, with several bugs and design flaws that detract from the overall experience.
  • gameplay
    59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Sengoku has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it initially engaging but ultimately shallow and repetitive once the mechanics are mastered. While the game offers interesting political and honor-based systems, it suffers from a lack of depth and polish, leading to frustration with its mechanics and limited replayability. Overall, it is seen as a less refined alternative to other grand strategy titles, particularly those from Paradox, and may appeal primarily to dedicated fans of the genre.

    • “The gameplay becomes simple enough quickly; if you're a history buff like me, you can derive some pleasure through roleplay.”
    • “With a gameplay similar to Crusader Kings II, decent graphics (but that's not the point when you play a wargame), and historical accuracy that can be perfected with mods, Sengoku is a game worth the money.”
    • “Very addictive, fun, and has challenging gameplay.”
    • “I wish there was a bit more depth—not complexity necessarily, as some games add needless complexity, but real depth—to the systems and core mechanics of the game.”
    • “The gameplay is a mess.”
    • “One of the major hang-ups with Sengoku is that, because the war aspect is so limited, you rely heavily on court and political gameplay for entertainment - but this is incredibly lacking.”
  • graphics
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising its aesthetic appeal and distinctive visuals, particularly in the terrain map mode, while others criticize the interface and overall simplicity. Although it runs well on older hardware, many reviewers feel that it falls short compared to more modern titles, leading to a perception of it being a visually underwhelming experience despite its atmospheric qualities. Overall, the graphics are seen as decent for an older game, but not enough to elevate the gameplay.

    • “But seriously, why does it have better graphics than CK2?”
    • “Really nice map/visuals too - quite possibly the best looking of all the Paradox games and gives birth to an atmospheric experience.”
    • “Graphically, for a game on either the old EU engine or Victoria 2 engine, it looks good. I'd even go as far as to compare the terrain map mode to the current Hearts of Iron IV map; it has a distinctive look to it as opposed to the games that came next.”
    • “Graphics: 4/10 [it's a pretty old game, you can't expect a lot from it]”
    • “No tactical combat, subpar graphics, and an ugly UI.”
    • “Terrible explanations, bad gameplay, so-so graphics, overall not worth it... wouldn't even pay free.”
  • music
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread praise, with many users highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers describe the music as gorgeous and enjoyable, often noting that it can be appreciated even outside of gameplay. Some even consider it superior to soundtracks from other popular titles, such as Crusader Kings.

    • “The soundtrack is amazing, as well.”
    • “The music, on the other hand, is amazing.”
    • “Sound wise the music and sound effects are really good, I like them.”
    • “I can put the game on just for the background music.”
    • “It was something of a warmup for Crusader Kings 2, I believe, and it feels thus: a lightweight, pared back real-time grand strategy game with some pacific art and music working together with simple but effective gameplay.”
    • “Just don't forget the music mod someone made for it too.”
  • replayability
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers strong replayability due to a wide variety of factions and geographical locations to explore, with some users noting that the replay value can feel virtually limitless. However, there are concerns about potential repetitiveness and gameplay limitations that may lead to boredom over time. Overall, while the replayability is praised, it may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.

    • “It performs well, has no bugs that I could observe, and provides good replayability as your choice of faction to play is indeed quite big.”
    • “Replayability is good; any faction can be played from any of the geographical locations in Japan.”
    • “The replay value is theoretically infinite - theoretically because one can easily get bored seeing the same map again and again.”
    • “Virtually limitless replay value.”
    • “So many great things about this game, but there are also many bad things as well. If you love this era like I do, then you learn to love it because it has so much replayability going for it.”
  • story
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is highly engaging, offering players a unique interactive narrative with each playthrough, as they navigate relationships with various religious factions like Shintoists, Buddhists, and Christian missionaries. The gameplay is likened to a strategic version of Risk, enriched by a compelling plot that allows for endless story generation, despite occasional frustrations such as character deaths.

    • “For me, every playthrough feels like a unique interactive story.”
    • “Every playthrough becomes a short story like that.”
    • “But if you can imagine the stats and the simple portrait of your character and other characters as being real, and manage to connect the dots, this game is an endless story generator.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the repetitive nature of character deaths and ineffective diplomacy mechanics. The ability to easily manipulate clan relationships through grinding undermines the intended complexity of the campaign, leading to a sense of imbalance and dissatisfaction.

    • “As such, it can be tedious to play at best, downright frustrating at worst.”
    • “Having the character you are playing constantly dying on you gets a little tedious after a while.”
    • “The biggest issue is that the clan and daimyo diplomacy segments don’t even work as intended and make no real sense. You can easily ruin the entire campaign by simply relationship grinding through giving them titles and exchanging a hostage to max out a positive relation with a rival clan.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is highly praised, with users noting that its performance surpasses that of any other titles from Paradox, showcasing impressive efficiency and stability.

    • “The game's performance is unparalleled by any other Paradox game; it's quite impressive, really.”
    • “The optimization in this game allows for smooth gameplay even during intense moments.”
    • “I've never experienced such efficient resource management in a game before; it truly enhances the overall experience.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is appreciated for its cleverness, particularly in the context of its steep learning curve compared to other Paradox titles. Players find it amusing that those familiar with similar games can easily navigate it, while the game's artistic beauty and Japanese setting add to its charm. However, some users note that the limited exploration time may undermine the overall assessment of its humor.

    • “A great game for those who are familiar with other Paradox games. It's quite simple, but this game is really beautiful, funny, and a piece of art. If you like RTS and Japan, you should probably pick this game; it's totally worth it.”
    • “Kind of funny because Paradox games have a steep learning curve, but if you play Sengoku right after CK2, you won't need to learn anything.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is noted for its impressive visuals and map design, making it one of the best-looking titles in the Paradox lineup. However, some players find the overall experience can become monotonous despite its aesthetic appeal.

    • “The atmosphere of this game, even during slower moments, is still somewhat worth experiencing.”
    • “The map and visuals are really nice - quite possibly the best looking of all the Paradox games, creating a truly atmospheric experience.”
    • “Even then, the atmosphere of this game, although it becomes quite boring, is still somewhat worth it.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting numerous bugs and a lack of clear guidance, leading to a frustrating and clunky experience.

    • “The game is buggy and gives you no idea what to do.”
    • “Boring, buggy, clunky.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Sengoku effectively merges the expansive leadership and empire-building mechanics of the Europa Universalis series with the intricate character development and personal politics found in Crusader Kings, creating a compelling and engaging experience for players who appreciate deep character interactions.

    • “Sengoku combines the grand leadership and empire building of the Europa Universalis series with the character development and personal politics of the Crusader Kings series, and once you get into it, that is one great combo.”
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71%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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10h Median play time
10h Average play time
10-10h Spent by most gamers
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Frequently Asked Questions

Sengoku is a role playing game with warfare and historical themes.

Sengoku is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 10 hours playing Sengoku.

Sengoku was released on September 15, 2011.

Sengoku was developed by Paradox Development Studio.

Sengoku has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its graphics.

Sengoku is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Knights of Honor II: Sovereign, Crusader Kings III, NOBUNAGA'S AMBITION: Sphere of Influence, Knights of Honor, Imperator: Rome and others.