About This Game

Warlord: Awaji is the second entry in a series of immersive strategy games created by Darkmatter Games. Step into the shoes of a legendary samurai warlord, given special command and orders from the Emperor to conquer an entire island and save a regime teetering on the edge of collapse.

Immersive Strategy

A unique combination of first-person strategy elements places Warlord: Awaji in a genre of its own. Immersive strategy, pioneered by Darkmatter Games, fixes the player in the shoes of their character, while presenting them with complex strategic gameplay. Lead an army, construct your camp, conquer villages and forts, and disrupt dynamic enemy forces in a sprawling open world–entirely from this immersive strategy perspective. Turn the tide of battle by engaging directly in the action yourself, fighting alongside your own hand picked warriors fully in real time.

Dynamic Open World

The world of Warlord: Awaji is a sprawling island created using real heightmap data of its eponymous location, replete with dozens of temples and shrines from real life. Travel the roads cautiously and keep your eyes on the treelines, as civilian convoys and roaming warrior bands criss-cross the open world in real time. The local clans will react aggressively to your exploits, so choose your actions carefully. Strategically target strongpoints to weaken enemy quick-reaction forces. Capture rival clans' shrines to boost your spiritual aura and harm theirs. Work with esoteric warrior monks to curse your enemies and coordinate powerful coalition attacks.

Massive Battles

Your warriors are your most important weapon. Recruit and maintain a powerful retinue of samurai. Use conquered land to promote leaders and expand your army's capacity while organizing its battle formation in any way you like using an intuitive drag-and-drop menu. Each individual has a unique name and gains experience over time through heroic action. Give your best warriors advanced weapons and armor to boost their lethality in combat. Form diverse groups of melee, ranged, and cavalry troops. Mix and match to find the best army composition and crush the opposition.

Base Building

Construct a samurai war camp anywhere in the open world. Pitch tents and provide your troops with a variety of needs, including sleep, rest, and sustenance. Put up screens and fences to establish a perimeter. Set guards to keep watch in the dark hours of the night. At any time, you may pack up and relocate your camp, allowing for complex strategic maneuvers. Decide where and when to set up your base, and which direction to move in as you explore the vast open world.

Japanese History

All of the weapons, armor, structures, names, and gameplay elements are inspired directly from extant literary, iconographic, and archeological sources. Darkmatter Games, with the help of world leading experts on samurai warfare, has painstakingly recreated the 14th century world of medieval Japan in unrivaled detail. Historical authenticity is the core element of the Warlord franchise. Prepare to experience the visceral world of the samurai like never before seen.

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

Stylized blood and dismemberment. Depictions of samurai ritual suicide.