This game has potential. I actually enjoy playing and wish the studio the best. However, a lot of things are ill-optimized or buggy. For example, dropped rotten food doesn't despawn after (sometimes) restarting and hours in game, a common computationally saving measure in many games. While trivial as a benefit for freeing memory, I understand not implementing it because of complexity of making a garbage collector--but I suspect a rush to core features is present in other parts of the game as well. The game right now is okay, and coming from M&B as a modder and almost lifelong player, I seriously hope these guys succeed with this title so that it doesn't stay this mediocre.

The roadmap addresses some shortcomings of the game as it is. However I'd compare this game to Bannerlord while it was still in Early Access. As a 1.0 release this is kind of lacking.

This title brings some pretty cool things to the table, but nothing industry-pioneering. This is essentially a thematically consistent version of Conan Exiles with more extensive village management and more cookie-cutter buildings. It brings the quintessential single player experience--something always-online games lack. I like this over Conan Exiles for exactly this reason. The cookie cutter buildings reduces complexity while also bringing a nice custom experience to gameplay.

Combat is somewhat satisfying. It mixes a lot of good things from different games, but is fundamentally almost Dark Souls like. There is also custom difficulty settings, which is always welcome. This game also has a nice perk system. This games brings a bunch of awesome features from other games into one.

Things aren't fully implemented. There is a "Daimyo" system, and they have only recently implemented 14-15th century Samurai armor as well as respective weapons, which is comical that anyone played this before this update as this would've been more accurately "Peasant Kingdom" than "Sengoku Dynasty" prior to this release. Furthermore, there is no currently implemented follower mechanics . You are literally just roaming around everywhere by yourself, with no army or force to speak of, cheesing camps of sometimes 20 combatants. You are nowhere close to being a "Daimyo" let alone some sort of "Sengoku" character.

Quests and the world is kind of... meh. Interfacing with NPCs is essentially reading walls of text. You aren't particularly compelled to be immersed in the open world. In comparison to something like Kingdom Come: Deliverance this is almost amateurish in world building. This feels lackluster in comparison, but I still recommend this game because it is so difficult to design and implement and hope they improve.

The way they implemented security as well is...meh. You can give them weapons, but they essentially don't do much and stand around looking busy. They also keep their refugee clothes while using high-end weapons, while having high-end armor just sitting in storage. You don't feel like a "Daimyo" with a samurai army in "Sengoku" Japan as much as you are a heavily armored babysitter.

Performance is also incredibly surprising in a bad way. This game chugs along and drops frames for a pretty minimal benefit-to-cost.

This game also has so much marketing material that I'd wish they spent those man-hours on game development.

Their promotional video talks about "supporting Sengoku Dynasty long after release". Arguably this is not a finished game. Other studios like Taleworld have somewhat dropped the ball by releasing a barebones game--a mistake that has costed them their reputation, and one I hope this studio does not replicate.

• A follower system to properly play as a "Daimyo"
  
• Performance optimization
  
• A more dynamic map/combat
  
• More strategy elements for combat and map dynamics
  
• Extended cosmetics--Sengoku era samurai often had clan-specific crests (kamon).
  
• Steam Deck support
  
• More free-flowing decision making (i.e. being able to fight friendly NPCs or play as a bandit)

Honestly an okay title if it improves. A lot of great things and core features available. An offline-available single player experience. However, it REALLY needs to be improved on.

[h1] A Positive But Scathing Review: Decent With BIG Caveats [/h1] This game has potential. I actually enjoy playing and wish the studio the best. However, a lot of things are ill-optimized or buggy. For example, dropped rotten food doesn't despawn after (sometimes) restarting and hours in game, a common computationally saving measure in many games. While trivial as a benefit for freeing memory, I understand not implementing it because of complexity of making a garbage collector--but I suspect a rush to core features is present in other parts of the game as well. The game right now is okay, and coming from M&B as a modder and almost lifelong player, I seriously hope these guys succeed with this title so that it doesn't stay this mediocre. The roadmap addresses some shortcomings of the game as it is. However I'd compare this game to Bannerlord while it was still in Early Access. As a 1.0 release this is kind of lacking. [h2] What it Does Well: [/h2] This title brings some pretty cool things to the table, but nothing industry-pioneering. This is essentially a thematically consistent version of Conan Exiles with more extensive village management and more cookie-cutter buildings. It brings the quintessential single player experience--something always-online games lack. I like this over Conan Exiles for exactly this reason. The cookie cutter buildings reduces complexity while also bringing a nice custom experience to gameplay. Combat is somewhat satisfying. It mixes a lot of good things from different games, but is fundamentally almost Dark Souls like. There is also custom difficulty settings, which is always welcome. This game also has a nice perk system. This games brings a bunch of awesome features from other games into one. [h2] Critiques: Oh Boy... [/h2] Things aren't fully implemented. There is a "Daimyo" system, and they have only recently implemented 14-15th century Samurai armor as well as respective weapons, which is comical that anyone played this before this update as this would've been more accurately "Peasant Kingdom" than "Sengoku Dynasty" prior to this release. Furthermore, [b] there is no currently implemented follower mechanics [/b]. You are literally just roaming around everywhere by yourself, with no army or force to speak of, cheesing camps of sometimes 20 combatants. You are nowhere close to being a "Daimyo" let alone some sort of "Sengoku" character. Quests and the world is kind of... meh. Interfacing with NPCs is essentially reading walls of text. You aren't particularly compelled to be immersed in the open world. In comparison to something like Kingdom Come: Deliverance this is almost amateurish in world building. This feels lackluster in comparison, but I still recommend this game because it is so difficult to design and implement and hope they improve. The way they implemented security as well is...meh. You can give them weapons, but they essentially don't do much and stand around looking busy. They also keep their refugee clothes while using high-end weapons, while having high-end armor just sitting in storage. You don't feel like a "Daimyo" with a samurai army in "Sengoku" Japan as much as you are a heavily armored babysitter. [b] Performance is also incredibly surprising in a bad way. This game chugs along and drops frames for a pretty minimal benefit-to-cost. [/b] This game also has so much marketing material that I'd wish they spent those man-hours on game development. Their promotional video talks about "supporting Sengoku Dynasty long after release". Arguably this is not a finished game. Other studios like Taleworld have somewhat dropped the ball by releasing a barebones game--a mistake that has costed them their reputation, and one I hope this studio does not replicate. [h2] Wishlist: [/h2] [list] [*] A follower system to properly play as a "Daimyo" [*] Performance optimization [*] A more dynamic map/combat [*] More strategy elements for combat and map dynamics [*] Extended cosmetics--Sengoku era samurai often had clan-specific crests (kamon). [*] Steam Deck support [*] More free-flowing decision making (i.e. being able to fight friendly NPCs or play as a bandit) [/list] [h2] Conclusion [/h2] Honestly an okay title if it improves. A lot of great things and core features available. An offline-available single player experience. However, it [b] REALLY [/b] needs to be improved on.