Sengoku Dynasty Review | A Good Depiction of Feudal Japan City-Building (PC)

After approximately one year in the Early Access phase, Sengoku Dynasty, developed by Superkami, has officially launched its Version 1.0 Update, which many players have anticipated. During the early days of the game, we have seen many features that Sengoku Dynasty presented to us; ranging from the backstory of the main protagonist, who’s currently estranged in the Sosogi Region and attempts to rebuild a village there, to the gameplay mechanics that is more city-building sided. And now, with the full release already underway, this review will attempt to explain the differences between Sengoku Dynasty and what it currently offers to the players, alongside the game’s strengths and weaknesses. 

We’re going to delve into many aspects of Sengoku Dynasty, ranging from its story to the way the gameplay is presented to the players, alongside the graphical and sound aspects that accompany other elements and enhance the overall Feudal Japan setting that Superkami intends to show us after a year full of updates and quality of life improvements. Let’s begin.

Sengoku Dynasty is available on Steam for $15.99.

Story | The Untold Horrors of Sengoku Jidai

With its recent launch in Version 1.0, Sengoku Dynasty delves deeper into the untold stories of Japan’s Sengoku Period—specifically, the challenges faced by ordinary people striving to survive amidst turmoil. Unlike many games that glorify battles or the rise of warlords, Sengoku Dynasty focuses on the struggles of individuals and communities as they work to rebuild after devastation. This thoughtful perspective on an often-overlooked side of history sets the game apart in a genre dominated by war-centered narratives.

One significant enhancement since its Early Access phase is the introduction of meaningful choices in village management. These options allow players to connect more deeply with their communities, as decisions directly impact the village’s growth and future. While this change might seem minor, it carries substantial weight in enriching the overall gameplay. However, the absence of voice acting for characters remains a missed opportunity. Despite the well-crafted and diverse personalities, their silence sometimes makes interactions feel flat, limiting the emotional impact of their stories.

While Sengoku Dynasty still has room for improvement, its storytelling approach remains one of its strongest assets. The game paints a compelling narrative of resilience and hope, focusing on the strength of its characters in a post-war setting. Although the mission structure can occasionally feel restrictive, the heartfelt story shines through, offering a journey that resonates with authenticity and humanity. This game is worth exploring for players seeking a fresh and meaningful perspective on Japan’s Sengoku Period.

Gameplay | Become the Ultimate Ruler

Once we get to know the story that Sengoku Dynasty is trying to portray, let’s move on to the game’s bread and butter, which is its gameplay. I’ll divide this section of the review into two categories: the village/city-building aspect and the combat mechanics.

City-Building | A Tedious and Lone Work

While I do respect Superkami’s efforts in ensuring that building your village from scratch is less tedious, as seen with updates on making the Quick Wheel feature that allows ease of access between your different tools (Axe, Hammer, etc.), the actual building processes themselves feel lackluster and sometimes inconsistent, especially when an NPC is standing around the building site, which completely blocks any attempt in building that specific structure.

Another thing that I feel is a missed opportunity is the inability to immediately submit all resources needed for a single piece of furniture/other buildings, as opposed to hammering each resource individually, which takes too much time, especially after a few hours of playthrough.

However, when things do work, it’s highly satisfying to see your village becoming livelier and full of people and refugees that you rescue throughout the story/exploration. My hope is that the developers keep on polishing this side of Sengoku Dynasty as I believe there’s a massive potential that awaits players when everything becomes smoother.

Combat Mechanics | Fun, but Needs Polishing

The combat in Sengoku Dynasty is one of its more enjoyable aspects, though it feels familiar rather than groundbreaking. It borrows elements from games like Dark Souls, emphasizing timing and deliberate actions, which make fights feel engaging and rewarding when done right. The ability to customize difficulty settings is a great touch, allowing players to adjust the challenge based on their preferences, whether they’re in it for the story or the thrill of battle. The recent addition of historically accurate samurai armor and weapons has improved immersion, helping combat feel more authentic to the Sengoku period. While it’s not the most innovative combat system, it’s fun and adds a layer of excitement to the game.

While the combat itself can be satisfying, the lack of strategy and leadership elements is a glaring issue. As a game about becoming a Daimyo/Ruler, it’s frustrating to have no followers to lead into battle or help manage tasks. Instead, you’re left fighting solo against large groups, which doesn’t make you feel like a powerful leader. 

Graphics and Sound Design | A Fitting Feodal Japan Depiction

Now that we know what to expect in Sengoku Dynasty‘s story and gameplay departments, let’s move on to the third and last major aspect that I will touch on in this review; its graphics and sound design. At first glance, there’s nothing substantially different from the Sengoku Dynasty‘s Early Access stage. The graphics and the in-game nature remain more or less the same with several minor fixes and updates, though one thing that I immediately notice is the game’s performance.

The performance was quite atrocious when Sengoku Dynasty was still in its Early Access stage. The loading time while booting up the game and waiting for the main menu was very long, and when loading a Save file, the amount of time the game needed to get us back playing was also too tedious for my liking. Fortunately, these technical issues are fixed and non-existent in the Sengoku Dynasty‘s Version 1.0. 

As for the game’s sound design, everything we do within the game produces a sound that feels realistic and as intended. I’ve never encountered any sound bugs that destroy or interrupt my immersion within the game’s world. From the clangs of the swords to the hammer strikes when building something, everything fits the narrative that Sengoku Dynasty is trying to convey in its own ideas of what Feudal Japan feels and looks like.

This Sengoku Dynasty PC review is possible thanks to the game key provided by Games Branding.