Sengoku
- September 15, 2011
- Paradox Development Studio
- 10h median play time
The first few times I tried Sengoku, I was lost, but the more I played this game, the more I enjoyed it.
Get on SteamSengoku 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.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Sengoku offers a unique setting in the Sengoku Jidai period, providing an interesting historical backdrop for players who enjoy Japanese history.
- The game serves as a simpler introduction to Paradox's grand strategy mechanics, making it accessible for newcomers to the genre.
- The honor system adds a layer of strategy, influencing diplomacy and warfare, which can create engaging gameplay moments.
- The game lacks depth and complexity compared to other Paradox titles, leading to repetitive gameplay and limited strategic options.
- Many players find the AI to be frustratingly poor, often leading to unbalanced gameplay where larger clans dominate smaller ones without challenge.
- The tutorial and guidance are minimal, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics and objectives, resulting in a steep learning curve.
- gameplay59 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Sengoku has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it initially engaging but ultimately shallow and repetitive once the mechanics are understood. While the game offers some unique features, such as an honor system and political maneuvering, it lacks depth and can become tedious, especially in comparison to more polished titles like Crusader Kings II or Total War: Shogun. Overall, it may appeal to fans of grand strategy games willing to invest time in learning its mechanics, but many recommend exploring other options for a more fulfilling experience.
“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.”
“Constant pop-ups of vassals demanding kokujin titles (seriously, only seconds pass between each time I see that same pop-up) and shallow gameplay turn this game into something which brings me more annoyance than enjoyment.”
“The gameplay is a mess.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
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 outdated 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 general consensus of mediocre graphics quality. Overall, the visuals are seen as decent but not enough to elevate the gameplay experience.
“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]”
“Very much in demand from the depth of Japanese culture/history, and has the unique system of 'honour', but the aesthetics are undermined by the beauty of Shogun: Total War 2's interface and the mechanics are far inferior to CKII: it's a shallow, weak counterpart to alternatives.”
“No tactical combat, subpar graphics, and an ugly UI.”
- music14 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
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.
“Good music, fun mechanics.”
“The soundtrack is amazing, as well.”
“The music, on the other hand, is amazing.”
“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.”
“Better soundtrack than Crusader Kings.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
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.”
- story5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's story is highly praised for its engaging and unique narrative, with each playthrough resembling a short interactive story that evolves based on player choices. Users appreciate the depth of character development and the ability to connect various elements, making it feel like an endless story generator, despite occasional frustrations with gameplay challenges.
“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.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to frequent character deaths and ineffective clan diplomacy mechanics. The ability to easily manipulate 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.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is appreciated for its cleverness, particularly in the context of its steep learning curve compared to other Paradox titles, making it accessible for seasoned players. Reviewers find the game both beautiful and amusing, especially for fans of RTS and Japanese themes, though some note the challenge of fully exploring its depth in a limited time frame. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gaming experience.
“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.”
“Might seem hilarious, considering you can't really fully explore the game in such a short interval; hence, you don't really have a say about its worth.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is noted for its impressive visuals and map design, which contribute to a captivating experience, despite some players finding it ultimately boring. Overall, it stands out as one of the best-looking titles in its genre, enhancing the overall ambiance.
“The atmosphere of this game, even during slower moments, is still somewhat worth experiencing.”
“The map and visuals are really nice too - 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.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
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.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
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 in the most complex scenarios.”
“I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the game to run efficiently on a variety of systems.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Sengoku effectively merges the expansive leadership and empire-building elements 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.”
