Sengoku period aficionados will cherish the game, dedicating several hours trying to control Edo. Simple fans of strategy will also like it, but its limited scope might keep them engaged for a shorter period. In any case, Nobunaga's Ambition - Sphere of Influence is a remarkable effort, worthy of its pedigree.

Generally speaking, this is probably one of the better strategy games in this sort of time period you could get. There are a few flaws, and it’s certainly far from perfect, but even that helps to make the game endearing, and it’s just deep enough that it doesn’t get too dull too quickly. There’s a pretty much limitless amount of replayability, and there’s always something happening within the game, which helps to tide you over while you wait for the next major objective.

Its pace may be too plodding for some and it certainly seems somewhat backwards or dated in relief with other modern strategy games, but Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence still remains an ornate and absorbing title that kept me engaged for hours on end and surely will continue to do so.

The diplomacy is well done, but without a robust battle system and satisfying nation-building to back it up, the game feels like its missing something – it’s all build-up with no pay-off. It’s a shame, because Sphere of Influence does some interesting things with the standard grand strategy formula.

Comeback of a respectable series made be a respectable company – what could go wrong? Turns out, a lot. [Nov 2015, p.70]

It starts to fall apart if you look hard at the minutiae: the simplistic economy, infrastructure development, and the somewhat directionless AI. It’s charming and evocative, but the more I play it, the less substantial it gets.