I happen to enjoy Koei games moreso than a great deal of strategy games due to the everchanging ruleset between games.
This one happens to have a strict division between "Planning" and "Active" phases (Real-time and Paused, respectively). I haven't played enough to fully comprehend the battle system (the tutorials are also horrendous, but I don't mind learning everything myself), but I will in time and I'm sure it will be interesting. There appears to be a skill chain-like system in place for skirmishes, as well as a Civilization-like research system (obviously not to the same complexity, but quite an advancement for the series).
Compared to Sangokushi, it is much more adventurous in terms of mechanics (whereas if Koei changed Sangokushi too much, people would cry bloody murder, Nobunaga no Yabou seems to get away with more changes with each game), and it is unfortunate that the series had a nearly 14 year absence in the United States. Let's say that the last entry to be released in English other than Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenka Souhei (i.e. Rise to Power) had little more than "draft troops, get 250 rifles, you win" as its strategy.
It is slightly unfortunate that the multiplayer function of most Koei games has been excised as a result of the increased complexities of the core mechanics and systems, but I suppose that isn't a bad thing for everyone.
