Nobunaga No Yabou – Zenkoku Ban is one of those deep, old-school strategy games where you spend half your time staring at menus and the other half nervously watching tiny pixel armies clash. It’s Japan’s Warring States period, so expect a lot of daimyo politics, sneaky betrayals, and figuring out whether to bribe or bash your neighbors.

At first, it feels overwhelming—like, why are there so many rice stats?—but once you get the hang of managing troops, marriages (yes, really), and castle upgrades, it clicks. The battles are simple but tense, especially when you’re outnumbered and praying your cavalry flanks work. And good luck keeping Oda Nobunaga alive if you pick him—history repeats itself a little too well sometimes.

If you’re into slow-burn conquest with a side of feudal drama, this one’s a time sink in the best way.