I played shoga during my school years. The game was in English, and therefore I did not understand how and why to use some functions.
But still, a friend spent the whole night translating the basic mechanics, and we learned to play it.
The game is simply cool, the smallest details are well worked out.
Army: many different types of troops, each country has its own types of troops, its own types of generals. Generals need to be appointed managers of lands wisely, because there are also betrayals and revolutions, which often infuriated.
Family: you can marry your daughters to generals, and the boys, after their 10th birthday, can themselves become generals and fight, after death, the heir to the throne is chosen among them.
Politics: you can enter into alliances from 3 to 10 years, threatening or peacefully asking to take money.
Trade: in the market you can invest in cheap goods in order to later sell at a higher price, etc.
Strategy: I often used the technique we called “big stick”, sent an army, and only after the victory I moved there myself, taking the remaining food and money. And he himself was alive, and the reliable general was left behind.
Wars: you can take part in battles yourself, choose a method and route for attack, sometimes hidden troops jump out and do a lot of damage. In the detachment where the khan himself is located, the battle was already going on 4x4, and oh, how I didn’t want to lose there, because then I had to start again.
There are also many similar points, such as interaction with the population, army training, management of all lands and wealth, etc.
9.9 - because not all countries are available for play, but I wanted and want to play for anyone.