Nobunaga's Ambition: Lord of Darkness

From 1467 to 1600, Japan was in an era of civil war between states – to unify the country, one must conquer all. You begin by choosing from two periods, 1555 and 1571, and selecting a mode: Multi-Play, Historical, or Demonstration (CPU only). Then choose your daimyō, difficulty (unavailable in Historical mode), and whether to skip CPU- only battles. Control is menu-based; maps and menus are appropriately simple and feature good contrast.