Takeda 3 Demo

Back in the day, politics and diplomacy did not work in quite the same way they do today, mostly because almost everyone was out to expand and get more territory under their control. Japan was no different either, especially during the Feudal era, when the entire island was split into clans and each one of them wanted to defeat the others, one way or the other.

Takeda 3 is part of the RTT/TBS series that focuses on this conflict and provides you with the ability to become a feudal lord, or a Daimyo as it was called, in order to be in charge of one of the twenty five clans that disputed their territory in Japan, back in the 16th century. Obviously, the main purpose is to defeat the other twenty four clans and claim their lands, whether by military force, or by using diplomacy instead.

Speaking of which, the game plays out in almost the same way as the Total War series does, since you usually have to switch between the two main modes: an overall view of the entire kingdom, where the strategic, political and diplomatic decisions are taken, and a combat mode, where you get to arrange your troops, watch them fight and come up with the right strategies in order to bring victory to your side.

Beside dealing with the usual diplomatic chaos, you must also take an interest in your kingdom when it comes to troop production, farming, and various other such elements that affect the overall power of your clan. Thus, it is possible to increase troop production by building new barracks, as well as cultivate more farms in order to generate more food and feed the troops for longer periods of time.

On the same subject, the troops differ when it comes to their purpose on the battlefield and the ability with each they can fight against the enemy forces. You can choose to form your army out of spearmen, cavalry, riflemen and swordsmen, all of which have their unique abilities and disadvantages, depending on what they encounter out on the battlefield. Historical formations are also available, but it is also possible to position them manually and see whether you can outwit the greatest strategic minds in history.

All things considered, Takeda 3 is a solid game with plenty of depth and more than convincing mechanics. On the other hand, it can be rather difficult to understand what do you have to do in the beginning, given the fact that the interface is a bit clumsy and there aren’t too many helpful tips along the way.