Genghis Khan 2: Clan of the Gray Wolf is one of those Sega Genesis gems that makes you realize how much strategy games have changed—and not always for the better. You start off with a handful of provinces, a few loyal generals, and this gnawing sense that everyone around you wants to stab you in the back (because they do).

The first thing that hits you is how much it expects you to think. You’re not just moving armies—you’re juggling food supplies, managing marriages to secure alliances (yes, really), and deciding whether to bribe a rival clan or just crush them outright. The diplomacy system is weirdly deep for a 16-bit game, and half the time I found myself negotiating instead of fighting, which somehow felt even more ruthless.

Combat’s simple on the surface—rock-paper-scissors with cavalry, infantry, and archers—but terrain and morale actually matter. I lost a battle once because my troops got stuck in a swamp. Classic.

It’s got that old-school jank—menus are clunky, and the translation’s a bit rough—but there’s something satisfying about outmaneuvering an enemy with pure cunning. If you like strategy games that don’t hold your hand, this one’s still worth a play.