I am Shogun!
There are few games that directly feed into ones respect for historical warfare, a self-diagnosed god complex and the undeniable romanticised bad-assery of Japanese Samurai. The slow methodical plate spinning map game married with the intense and tactical real time battles, create a juxtaposition that transforms a day bound in a dressing gown, into a stoic rule, one turn at a time.
So far from home, the cold winters assail General Fujikto’s men, their morale has waned during this campaign, so much blood and glory, carved by their katana and snatched at spear point, but all for naught in the eyes of the scorned general. The trail of broken souls left in his wake, have taken him to the steps of Kyoto, though where he sought promotion, he has found betrayal by his brother, his place usurped, he knows in the eye of his Daimyo, he is expected to throw himself at the gates of the great citadel, for it is the Samurai who serve.
No one should question the loyalty of the General. Without hesitation, he forfeits his life and leads his troops forward. The river greets them first, though the sky also sends its welcome as it spits fire from the heavens. Kyoto will be mine, though I’ll just make a cup of tea first.
You see I’ve spent a day slowly increasing my technology, the firework rockets (mulan style) have proven an incredible effective weapon for informing the Shogunate, there’s a new king in town. General Fujikto had been the harbinger of my invasion, he’d defended my outlying provinces, weakened a clan to the point of their subservience and almost single handily driven my reach to the throne at Kyoto, I loved him, he’d only retreated once and even though he’s just an artificial intelligence, he knows I’ve never forgiven him, now was his chance to claim immortality, as he charged across the bridge, I marvelled at the apocalyptic rage of gunfire and zoomed in as my Samurai drove the defenders back into the river. I marvelled as one katana wielding honour guard seemed to suddenly realise he was in a movie and held off an entire unit of spear wielding peasant samurai, I’ll never know what happened to that heroic samurai, as lost in the spectacle general Fujikto fell, honourably I might add. The generals men pressed on though, no amount of brimstone or farm equipment could hold them back and as I invited all to regale me as the benevolent shogun I was, my advisor tapped me on the shoulder. I burnt my tongue on tea, they were coming…all of them. What do you mean Mori declare war! Heavy wears the crown, but another cup of tea and another thousand turns, I’ll have them all under my reign.
I love this game.
