Taiheiki is a turn-based strategy game based on the Japanese 14th century historical epic of the same name. Like the book, the game portrays the struggle between the Northern Court, ruled by the decadent Hōjō clan (later betrayed by their vassal Ashikaga Takauji), and the Southern Court of the emperor Go-Daigo. The gameplay has strong grand strategy elements and is similar to Koei's "historical simulation" series. The player can choose to control either the Northern or the Southern forces, choosing the actions for the leader and all his vassals. The player can choose to engage in diplomacy with rulers of other provinces, sign agreements, and manage and navigate armies. Combat takes place on a separate top-down grid, on which he player navigates the soldiers in turn-based fashion. Individual battles proceed automatically, their outcome based on the participant's attributes.
