Trial Of Honour: Sengoku Demo Released

Anyone unsure as to whether they want to plot their way to the top in Feudal Japan would be well-advised to download the demo for Sengoku. You won’t get anywhere near the top because there’s a 15 year time limit, but, as is the intention of demos, it should help you to decide if the game is for you. Get it from Fileplanet here or read on for a bit of help if all this strategy business baffles your brains.

Baffled, eh? It’s not unusual. I’ve been playing these things for years and I still get the fear when I load up a new one. It’s the worry that I won’t know about some new feature until it’s too late and then I’ll end up staring wildly at a map while society and the economy collapse around me for rubbish and horrid reasons beyond my ken. I can do that in real life just by loading up Google Earth.

If you do find yourself confused, there’s a (apparently unfinished) copy of the manual here, linked to by good folks on the Paradox forums. I haven’t had a chance to try the demo yet but I have read most of the manual, which was most enjoyable in itself: “If your character’s Honor becomes very low, you can click the Seppuku icon (a small knife)…”

If you want to know more, there’s an informative developer diary with lots of mispronounced Japanese terms here. The game is available tomorrow from some outlets and will be on Steam Friday. Check the site for more details.