Nobunaga’s Ambition: Iron Triangle can be split into two paths. The first is the more popular path, in which you have a group of allies you direct to destroy all enemies a la Shining Force. The second path follows the old board game Risk, in which you attempt to conquer the field. This method has been attempted several times with varying results. Not many gamers are aware of console-based strategy games, such as the old Caesar games on the Sega Genesis and Gemfire, which has you trying to conquer an island to free the citizens from a corrupt ruler. Those are the major games that stick out in my mind. Koei is adding another to the mix: Nobunaga’s Ambition: Iron Triangle.
Nobunaga’s Ambition is about the warlord of the same name. Taking place in feudal Japan in the 16th century, you follow Nobunaga’s clan (or any other of them) to victory. Due to all the feuding, the various clanships are starting to crumble. So to save the land, you must conquer everything on the map. And that’s about it. There are historical events (this game is heavily inspired by actual events), but they are pretty much in the background. So yeah, there is not much of a plot &mdash at least from what I’ve played. And all those Japanese names look the same to me. Yet I take comfort in the fact that Japanese people probably say the same thing about English names.
There are three game modes (Unification, Region and Challenge, which consists of challenging scenarios), but they pretty much come down to conquer everyone and everything that comes across your path. But how is this done?
First, there are two “modes” of gameplay. There is the planning mode, which gives you the luxury to plan all of your actions. This is the mode that lets you plan the structures that need to be built, march your army to war, research, etc. Anything you do here will be executed in the active mode. Active mode is the mode in which everything plays out. To accomplish things, you must play in active mode. Also, you need generals or shoguns to accomplish things. These are the folks that motivate your peasants to work well. Furthermore, certain stats and aptitudes (sieges, archery, musket, cavalry) are better for certain activities. For example, if you are building structures, the politically minded generals encourage peasants to build faster than non-politically minded generals. Siege technology is created faster with those who are experts in that field.
If this all sounds complex, you’re right. Or maybe it’s just complex to me. Thankfully the game comes with a decent tutorial. And here’s the best part: It actually teaches you how to play! What? That’s a crucial aspect of any review and gameplay. It’s one thing to have in-game info but not do anything with it, and it’s another to have the game actually teach you (and I like that). There are a few options for when you start a new game, such as changing life span of characters, general deaths, including edited officers (no, I’m not joking. You can create your own and modify historical figures), and whether or not to include historical figures. Time marches by rather slowly, and food and gold increase by the season. But let me make this perfectly clear: As good a job this game does of teaching, this is a difficult game. If you make a major mistake, it’ll kick your butt. Even on easy. Or maybe I’m just bad at strategy games.
Graphically, the game is beautiful. It looks like something that would exist in a traditional Japanese garden; it’s soothing. It is easy to tell what is going on, though the game does give you a zooming option. But even then it isn’t as clear or as large as one would like. Again, this isn’t a PC game or something on a newer console, so it is forgivable. If there is one thing I love about the graphics is how the game changes seasons. Clouds fly by and then a characteristic of the season occurs. Summer has the bright sun and cherry blossoms; winter has the snow flying by with patches of white covering the ground. It shows how much detail went into this game.
The audio is a little dull. Yes, the perquisite strategy game sounds are there. However, there is no voice acting besides grunting noises. And then there are only a few music tracks. It is mostly traditional Japanese music. This is not to say it is bad. On the contrary, it is rather soothing. Thankfully, the battle music keeps everything moving.
Overall, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Iron Triangle is a really solid strategy game. It’s a throwback to the old console strategy games. But unlike those old games, this one is a lot more accessible. This is something that a history buff could easily get into. However, because it so complex many gamers probably won’t get into. It is not my cup of tea, but again, that’s a personality thing and not a reflection of the game. Regardless, give it a whirl. It might surprise you.
