Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence

[Destin Faroda]

Koei has just released the newest Nobunaga's Ambition: http://www.nobunagasambition.eu/
It's a strategy game set in the Sengoku jidai. Pick a starting date, choose a daimyou, develop your clan, conduct diplomacy, gain Imperial offices and wage war against your enemies.
There are hundreds of officers and you can even create your own ones with the editor. Dozens of events will allow you to replay history if you choose to do so.
The map is huge and features lots of historically correct provinces, clans, castles and fortifications.
Warfare is rather simple as there is only one troop type: a mixed formation that can be improved by equipping them with horses and arquebuses. Troop leaders usually have some kind of special attack to improve your men or to weaken the enemy.
Looks like a worthy competitor to Shougun II.

[The Despondent Mind]

I would say nobody is even trying to compete with TW, but even if it is great, it worries me that it's a Japanese developer aka has no idea that/how people play games on PC.
In fact I think KOEI has a history of horrible PC ports.

[leviath]

Well, Nobunaga Ambitions is very very old series, older than TW so Shogun TW is inspired by Nobunagas Ambitions actually.

[The Despondent Mind]

Call Of Duty, Battlefield or Counter Strike are far from the first FPS yet they perfected a successful formula and invented some genre stables.

[daneus]

Wasn't this game already made by Paradox Interactive? They made the game Sengoku, and this game uses a system remarkably similar to what Sengoku uses.

[Knight of Heaven]

What you mean already made? they are different games. Besides Nobunaga Ambition is quite an old series. Older then Paradox sengoku game.

I think it is quite different from a paradox game... but that is just me.

[daneus]

I just mean that the game Sengoku has a very similar diplomacy settings, army to build up, buildings to create to support the economy of the state you are controlling. But since you say that this is an older series, I retract my statement.

[ccllnply]

I just mean that the game Sengoku has a very similar diplomacy settings, army to build up, buildings to create to support the economy of the state you are controlling. But since you say that this is an older series, I retract my statement.

It's more of a sub-genre (or maybe genre). Paradox just happen to have an almost monopoly on it. Same genre, same setting, doesn't mean it's the same game.

I mean how many FPS have been set in WW2? They are almost identical but it doesn't make them the same game.

[daneus]

Ofcourse. I suppose that since I played Sengoku first, that it seemed to me to be a copying of elements from it. But I suppose it is more to do with the sub-genre being the way it is.

[Destin Faroda]

In fact I think KOEI has a history of horrible PC ports.

You probably mean Omega Force (Warriors games, Bladestorm, Toukiden Kiwami).
Koei on the other hand has been developing pc games for over 32 years and they know what they're doing. Nobunaga - which was primarily developed as PC game - runs fine, even on older hardware.
By the way, Koei also have announced a new version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms as the 30 year anniversary of that series is approaching. According to rumours, it might be a spiritual successor to RoTK 8 and 10 which allowed you to experience the setting from the eyes of an officer.

Wasn't this game already made by Paradox Interactive? They made the game Sengoku, and this game uses a system remarkably similar to what Sengoku uses.

Nobunaga's Ambition easily beats Sengoku. Sengoku was just a simple test game for the new Klausewitz engine while Nobunaga's Ambition has much more content to offer:
- beautiful map of Japan with big castles, small castles, plains and mountain roads, fortifications, sea routes and harbours.
- hundreds of historically correct officers (with common/true names as well as the lifespan)
- guided campaign -> The game offers you historical missions you can follow to recreate history (Takeda gets opportunities to annex castles in South and North Shinano which leads to conflict with the Nagao clan)
- several resources: provisions, money, horses and arquebuses
- 3 upgradable castle districts: agriculture, crafts and military
- ability to expand the castle with bigger tenshuus, earth/stone walls, towers and more
- automatical real-time battles on the campaign map or a player-controlled battle on a battlefield (there's only one unit type: a mixed formation that can be outfitted with horses and arquebuses to increase their performance)

[daneus]

Nobunaga's Ambition easily beats Sengoku. Sengoku was just a simple test game for the new Klausewitz engine while Nobunaga's Ambition has much more content to offer:
- beautiful map of Japan with big castles, small castles, plains and mountain roads, fortifications, sea routes and harbours.
- hundreds of historically correct officers (with common/true names as well as the lifespan)
- guided campaign -> The game offers you historical missions you can follow to recreate history (Takeda gets opportunities to annex castles in South and North Shinano which leads to conflict with the Nagao clan)
- several resources: provisions, money, horses and arquebuses
- 3 upgradable castle districts: agriculture, crafts and military
- ability to expand the castle with bigger tenshuus, earth/stone walls, towers and more
- automatical real-time battles on the campaign map or a player-controlled battle on a battlefield (there's only one unit type: a mixed formation that can be outfitted with horses and arquebuses to increase their performance)

Thanks for the information. Do you have any idea as to how sophisticated is the AI in the game? And does diplomacy actually work in this game unlike the butchered diplomacy system in RTW?

[Ciciro]

Thanks for the information. Do you have any idea as to how sophisticated is the AI in the game? And does diplomacy actually work in this game unlike the butchered diplomacy system in RTW?

AI is pretty good on the higher difficulties. If you don't plan ahead and make sure your neighbors wont interfere in your conquests, you get completely wrecked.

Diplomacy works like this: you send an officer to another clan to increase diplomatic relations. Once relations reach a certain point, you can ask for things like help conquering or defending a province, an alliance, or a marriage. You can also ask for a truce with other clans, as you are basically in a permanent state of war with everyone.

[Destin Faroda]

The AI is pretty decent:
- It upgrades its castles and builds new structures as well as fortifications and roads.
- The AI loves to attack weak castles and runs away when superior reinforcements appear.
- The AI competes with you over the control of tribes.
- The AI can utilize flank and rear attacks, so study the road network when deploying your troops.
I have yet to find out if it starts or takes part in coalitions.

Diplomacy is rather simple. The AI has several stances like neutral, hostile, friendly or "in awe" which ireflects how easy it is to deal with them.
You can improve relations by sending an officer to a clan (requires monthly upkeep) or by sending a gift.
If your relation is high enough, you can ask for favors like military reinforcements, alliances or even a marriage. However, favors lower your influence.
The Imperial Court has also been integrated. You can accumulate respect and spend it on promotions for your daimyou (improves diplomatic relations) or you can ask the court to end a conflict.
When it comes to diplomacy, Paradox games are better.

[Ludicus]

- beautiful map of Japan with big castles, small castles, plains and mountain roads, fortifications, sea routes and harbours.
- hundreds of historically correct officers (with common/true names as well as the lifespan)
- guided campaign -> The game offers you historical missions you can follow to recreate history (Takeda gets opportunities to annex castles in South and North Shinano which leads to conflict with the Nagao clan)
- several resources: provisions, money, horses and arquebuses
- 3 upgradable castle districts: agriculture, crafts and military
- ability to expand the castle with bigger tenshuus, earth/stone walls, towers and more
- automatical real-time battles on the campaign map or a player-controlled battle on a battlefield (there's only one unit type: a mixed formation that can be outfitted with horses and arquebuses to increase their performance)

I have been playing Nobunaga's Ambition, and it's a really great game.

[Knight of Heaven]

Yep im loving it so far. I like this story driven japanase games, or visual novels of sorts. They have a bit of that if you chose to folow the historical steps. its like a step, by step history lesson, from a close point of view on the characters.
It has some ocasional humor in it as well, that i apreciate.

The detail on everything is great. Also very stable and beautifull as well, even in older systems.

[Candy_Licker]

Well, this sounds really interesting, shame on me that I never heard of these games. I only heard of the Samurai/Dynasty Warrior series from time to time.

Reviewers describe it as a mix between TW and Paradox Games/CIV which sounds awesome.

I would also like to give the Romance of the 3 Kingdoms game a chance, how do they compare to this/which one should I try (looks like the newer ones are not available in English)?

[Destin Faroda]

I would also like to give the Romance of the 3 Kingdoms game a chance, how do they compare to this/which one should I try (looks like the newer ones are not available in English)?

Wait for the new Romance of the Three Kingdoms game which will come out on the 10th of December in Japan. This 30th anniversary edition will hopefully be as well-made as Nobunaga 14, although I fear translation is going to take a while.

[prithupaul]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI is one the best strategy games available on PC. I am hugely enjoying Nobubaga's Ambition but in some ways I still miss some features of ROTK XI, such as the council meetings with your officers giving suggestions, the duels and debate minigames, more streamlined city development, the ability to control multiple forces, and the epic turn (& AP) based combat.

Both games are worth buying if you a) like Paradox games like Crusader Kings b) like Total War but feel its unrealistic and lacks depth.

[RubiconDecision]

The battles look cartoony. Too bad, I was excited to play it, but not wanting arcade-like powerups.

[Lyrithus]

I would say nobody is even trying to compete with TW, but even if it is great, it worries me that it's a Japanese developer aka has no idea that/how people play games on PC.
In fact I think KOEI has a history of horrible PC ports.

How odd, that someone with such potential to be intelligent makes such an ignorant statement... I'm disappointed. Ignorance just means lack of knowledge, which by itself does not mean you are stupid, just that you are without a piece of information. What makes your statement actually lack intelligence is that you made it on your own assumption that you knew what you were talking about.

KOEI has a history of horrible pc ports? The company does not PORT to the PC, they ORIGINATE from the PC. No experience making PC games? They started in 1983, when the first Nobunaga's Abmition came out; that had been their first big success. Ever since, they have reinvented the RTS and TBS genres countless times often never credited for owning and creating many aspects that make the genre what it is today, and in fact, they were the first to have a fully 3D, 360 degree over world map, BEFORE TW ever did. They have no idea how people play games on the PC? what? you sir, are a moron. Don't speak unless you are certain of your words. They know more about developing RTS and TBS games on the PC than the creative assembly, especially since CA has nothing but great in-battle physics and individual soldier conduct. The damage formulas and algorithms they use for unit clashes had been in use by KOEI long before, some of them invented BY KOEI. CA just made it look pretty. The controls are still sloppy, and ill never see a CA game from the comfort of my couch with a comfy controller in my hand, cause they are too stupid to cleverly button map the controls so they can PORT to a console, (KOEI can have their games played on both PC and console, originating from PC btw, cause thy're just that good).

Nobody is even trying to compete with TW? maybe not in you small little world. CA's TW series is just another corp Giant with huge budgets to fund grandiose games and dominate the market by buying it all up. Not that I do not like CA's creations, just dont go blabbing about what YOU think you know, when you actually havent even bothered to research any of it.