Welcome to our review of Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening, can you conquer Warring States Japan under one banner and accomplish Nobunaga Oda’s unrealized ambition to unify Japan?
Players are supported by faithful retainers who act on their own judgement. The “Dominion” system will allow you to obtain and grant territory to retainers. In return, retainers who are given the land will dedicate themselves to the development of the clan. Divvy up and parcel out the beautifully detailed Warring States Japan as you like, and make it prosper! Over 2,200 officers will be included, the greatest number in the series. Come together with highly individualistic retainers and move history!
The game will also include various features that befit the 40th anniversary of the series, including scenarios, events, policies, and more, as well as elements from the previous titles such as an editing function that will allow them to change officer status, background music and scenarios, or create new clans.
When you hear a title like Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening, what comes to mind other than this being some niche Japanese game about history? That is if you even know the name of Nobunaga and while that is no dig at anyone, his name is one if not the biggest of Japanese history. Calling the Nobunaga’s Ambition game franchise niche is actually not giving it proper credit.
Sure, in a way it is niche, but that would also be the case to call boardgames a niche hobby, admittedly, it is not really niche, but I guess nowadays anything can identify as anything, right? Personally, I would call this franchise a master class of both history and tactics, but not in the way of the tactical Mario+Rabbids way, no, actual historical tactics in order to conquer a country.
Compare it to the best game of Risk you ever had and then multiply it with like a hundred, it is that impressive and sadly also that impressive in a bad way, it will overwhelm you at first, and aside from the subject, this is the biggest hurdle to take when playing this game. It is huge and there is a learning curve. Thousands of options and routes to take, it is literally like playing the big one in heaven on a battlefield, from getting your supplies in order to having soldiers, …
Think about old war movies and you can get an inkling of a feeling for what the game is all about. Yes, it is not for your everyday gamer that just wants his annual COD on his Xbox (congratz to Xbox on the Activision lawsuit), but it is more about broadening your horizons when you are into history or factual historical battles.
As I personally have a big love for Japan and its history, I was amused by the game, but overwhelmed at the same time. Overwhelmed in a positive way being surprised there was literally so much to do, to overwhelmed in a negative way, the pace the game advances is kind of awkward, but I wonder if that is due to me never really indulging in this genre?
I know, I got that other Nobunaga’s Ambition game, the Collectors edition that has that amazing set of samurai swords. We even unboxed that one on the Gaming Boulevard YT channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6tG0vsRGkc
In conclusion, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening is like the biggest game of risk ever made, but featuring the man himself, Oda Nobunaga. Yes, it is very specific for its audience, but if this grabs your arm and you let yourself immerse, this may be your reason to become asocial for years to come!