KOEI’s long-running series of grand strategy games continues to expand its canon with the release of Nobunaga’s Ambition: Iron Triangle. The player, just like in the previous installments, takes on the persona of a Japanese feudal lord during the renowned Sengoku period (which lasted from the 15th to the 17th century).
The primary screen of the game displays an above-rendered 3D picture of the environment, depicting moving armies and buildings associated with each of the different clans. The player uses a menu with a list of commands, which branches out with several options, to issue orders. These options include City (to construct buildings), Personnel (to employ officers), Military (to move and attack with the army), Strategy, Diplomacy (to negotiate treaties and exchange technology), and other options to review the available resources. When an order is given, the game pauses, and it is only when the player is in Active mode is the demand carried out, at which point time continues to pass and the seasons change.
The changing seasons affect various resources and activities, including harvesting and draft horse riding. On a separate screen, at any time, one can look at the acts that are scheduled to take place and the rank position of the clans. The game features several different situations and unique modes. It also includes historical commentary triggered whenever the game’s time synchronizes with significant events in Japan’s timeline.
