Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
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  1. Digitally Downloaded
    Jun 5, 2018
    100
    This is the kind of game I can sit down to and play for an entire evening without realising how much time was slipping. It's always "just one more turn," or "just one more battle", and even after all these years of playing Koei's strategy and action games set through the Sengoku period, and reading books about it, I'm always impressed that Koei Tecmo manages to teach me something new each time it releases something in the franchise.
  2. 4P.de
    Jun 22, 2018
    79
    Just like Sphere of Influence and Ascension the strategy focuses on development, diplomacy and warfare as core elements, with economic as well as political connections at its center. Overall it feels less refined than the predecessors, though.
  3. 3DJuegos
    Jun 19, 2018
    75
    A deep, engaging and enjoyable strategy sim that requires too many hours of “placid” gameplay… and a hardcore profile as a gamer to really enjoy the whole experience the game has to offer.
  5. COGconnected
    Jun 10, 2018
    75
    Nobunaga’s Ambition: Taishi is certainly the kind of game that you can get lost in, constantly muttering ‘one more turn’ while losing sleeping and playing into the wee hours of the morning.
  6. GameCritics
    Aug 22, 2018
    70
    Sadly, all its clever systems end up centering on warfare, and it is in warfare where Taishi too often fails to deliver. For every pitched battle ending in an exhilarating upset victory, there were a dozen that left me feeling like they were wasting my time. Despite all the clever tools in Kou Shibusawa’s thirty-year vision for historical simulation, I frequently had no way to create a new history for a unified Japan without marching into the inevitable.
  7. SpazioGames
    Jun 24, 2018
    70
    Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi is a turn-based grand strategy role-playing simulation video game which comes out in the 35th anniversary of this series. Maybe this could be one of the reasons why it (pitifully) maintained most of its main features, including many faults that could have been removed or improved.
  8. Hardcore Gamer
    Jun 5, 2018
    70
    The new features, particularly the Resolve system, are cool, but the title still manages to feel incomplete. For those elite, it’s best to wait until the next version.
  9. Eurogamer Italy
    Jun 5, 2018
    70
    Nobunaga’s Ambition: Taishi possesses many good qualities. Its extreme complexity makes it a top notch historic sim for every veteran but, on the other hand, results being inaccessible to all newcomers. Those who will invest their bodies and souls in Koei Tecmo’s new title will get a highly satisfying experience: if you’re not among these brave players, it would better to try something less demanding.
  10. Everyeye.it
    Jul 1, 2018
    68
    As much as Nobunaga's Ambitions: Taishi is a good "grand strategy", the production still sins of different ingenuity and a technical realization that we could define now connatural in the series signed Koei Tecmo.
  11. IGN Spain
    Jun 7, 2018
    65
    Maybe the years are a weigh heavily for this last Nobunaga's Ambition or maybe the consoles are not its home anymore but Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi feels old, clumsy and hard to play on a DualShock 4. It good features are covered by its defects.
  12. Wccftech
    Jun 10, 2018
    60
    Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi is an interesting, but painfully slow and uninvolving strategy game that I want to praise more, but in comparison to its contemporaries, I can't help but feel it still needs work. Shame, as the strategy flavor of Nobunaga's Ambition has always appealed to me, but in practice it feels sluggish and makes me yearn for strategy games I'll enjoy that much more.
  13. Cubed3
    Jun 15, 2018
    30
    Ultimately, the final product is just dull, too simple to appeal to the hardcore, and too dense to appeal to the casual. It's hard to see who could enjoy this outside of hardcore J-History buffs and, even then, a textbook would be more entertaining.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 21
  3. Negative: 5 out of 21
  1. Deian
    Jun 10, 2018
    8
    I would write a longer review, but will save that for my videos. So overall, Taishi is a pretty great addition to the Nobunga's AmbitionI would write a longer review, but will save that for my videos. So overall, Taishi is a pretty great addition to the Nobunga's Ambition lineup, but lacks some core features-creating clans, historical officer editing, creating new bases, etc. However, I feel an expansion pack will take care of this. It is disappointing to see the battles simplified, but this may be overall better for the gameplay, so it's something I can live with. The music is pretty great, though I have nostalgia for Sphere Of Influence's Music, oh well. The Graphics for a strategy game are absolutely fantastic, as are the portraits. The Major Characters all look distinct, and the Resolve system really cements this. At first glance it may look like just the ROTKXII Fame and Strategy PUK Prestige System, but it really is a lot more in-depth, it makes a lot more sense in how the AI acts, and each country has it's goals-not just conquest. This is a lot more realistic and really makes the game feel more authentic, dramatic, and personal. There are some negatives however, the clunky ui, which feels really un-PS4 friendly, though I got used to it, the mandatory tutorial-no tutorial mode, shame. Also, territory is set, so it really accentuates the issue with creating fictional daimyo clans.
    Overall it's a pretty great game, but needs expansion to become worthy for everyone, and I know a lot of people will be disappointed and that's understandable. If it gets a good PUK I'd raise the score to a 9/10, and expect people overall to like it a lot more, but still be upset over needing to pay at least 20 bucks for a PUK to get the full great experience, but I'm ok with it, but can understand people's lowers scores.
    Overall, if you can stomach the lacking issues, along with a good deal more issues-but at least to me nothing game breaking-I will cover if I ever make a video on this, buy it, but if you're ok paying about 20-40 dollars more for the full package later, then buy then and you likely won't be disappointed-unless the PUK is awful.
    If you can't stand either, then...I'm sorry, this game isn't for you, and I can understand why.
    Overall, I give this game a 8.2/10, and really look forward to the Power-Up-Kit.    … Full Review »
  2. mlolo
    Jul 1, 2020
    10
    This is a really long game and it's well worth your time. very accurate historical settings and characters.
  3. lcja
    Jul 1, 2020
    10
    very nicely done and a great addition to the franchise. I think you should definitely get the expansion too.
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