KOEI shows the world how it's done. Competitors: Take notes.
Sure, it's not graphically pleasing, compared to other games, but who cares? Honestly, do any of us original strategy gamers care at all about the graphics? All we want is a lot of strategy without getting monotonous. That is exactly the balance that KOEI has always delivered. They are definitely one of the more respectable developers, and have definitely earned that respect.
When you provide the support to play any number of historical and fictional characters, a whole bunch of provinces, and competition against an AI that is -not- on a worldly scale like the EU games, yet still able to deliver a game that is not lacking in size, and contains no noticeable mistakes or bugs, obviously you are doing something right.
This is one of the very few strategy games not designed for kids. If you are a kid, and you like this game, you probably mature enough to be considered an adult, by any standard. I always hated how strategy games started being designed for kids, when the immature gamer will likely never even touch a game like this at all. It really seems like a lot of games are designed for kids these days, and I really wish they wouldn't do that! But, anyway...
There is cheats in this game, but they are not easy to get. To enable the cheat mode, which just lets you start a character with a ton of skills instead of a few random ones, you must beat the game's 9th Scenario. This is the scenario where every single character, from every scenario, and every age, is all alive at the start of the game. They do not age, and if you win that game, you can create a stronger character to play through the story, or found your great custom province, expanding it to imperial glory.
Like every good strategy game, this game has random events, some being story, others being truly random, that break it up between grinding down your enemies. Another thing that has always stood out is an outstanding diplomacy system. It's nothing special, but it's also not unique.. meaning they didn't go overboard on an idea until the idea blew up on itself. They kept it simple, gave it a unique stance, and just let it go. Granted, the Diplomacy and AI of KOEI games are all pretty much the same, but over the years, that is because KOEI has perfected it's design to an art-form.
Anyway, compared to a lot of other strategy games, this series really stands out above the rest, and it does so for good reason. KOEI has come a long way, and has a long honored tradition of catering to the strategy community successfully. From the business ethics, to the design, all the way to the core concepts of what is and is not a game... this game has it all.
If you are new to the genre, maybe started with one of those other not-so-decent games that have been released across the last 6+ years, definitely take the time to check out this very classic game. While all of them may seem related, unlike other developers, such as Paradox, KOEI does this because their system works, and not 1 person can put this game down while liking it at the same time. If you dislike it, it's because it's not your cup of tea, and that's it. KOEI has never once fumbled, and likely won't start fumbling any time soon. Buying this game is the safest bet you can make, and is a sure winner for any true collection.
I usually say something like, "Don't take my word for it", in my reviews, but this time I think I am going to say, "Take my word for it", because it doesn't get much better than this if you ask me.