Battles take place in real time with you instructing your various generals on where to lead their troops who to engage and what special actions to perform. These special actions such as firing your cannons charging your opponent or unleashing a flight of arrows are depicted in close-up cinema-like cut-scenes. Before after and sometimes even during battles you'll be shown cut-scenes that depict the personal struggles of your various subordinates. This supplies the battles with story and drama. Koh Shibusawa the head designer and producer of this project even states in the opening screen that his goal was to try to create an interactive war movie.