Total War: Pharaoh
Release Date: October 11, 2023
Strategy, economic, RTS, turn-based, ancient history, war strategy, Egypt, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet
OpenCritic
Steam
Total War: Pharaoh is a historical strategy game set in the ancient Egypt. The gameplay is divided into two layers - turn-based nation management on a strategic map and real-time battles featuring thousands of units.
Videos and Screens
[0:39] Total War: Pharaoh Total War: Pharaoh - High Tide Launch Trailer
[1:55] Total War: Pharaoh launch trailer
IGN: 8 / 10 by Leana Hafer
Total War: Pharaoh's interesting battles complement an impressively rich campaign centered on the Late Bronze Age Collapse.
God is a Geek: 8 / 10 by Chris Hyde
Total War: Pharaoh lets you play your way, and throws a lot at you to deal with. Fans will lap it up once they get to grips with its new mechanics.
Destructoid: 8 / 10 by Steven Mills
In the end, Total War: Pharaoh stands atop the pyramids of grand-scale RTS. It takes the franchise in a bold new direction, adding a slew of new systems and features that enhance the gameplay. Despite choosing to play it safe with battles, the new systems are a big step forward. And while it has its flaws, Pharaoh features one of the best campaigns yet in an exciting and beautiful setting.
The main pros of the game
- Aesthetic and Immersion: Many players praised the game's graphics and the immersive depiction of ancient Egypt, including well-designed cities and a vibrant campaign map that feels alive.
- Campaign Features: The introduction of unique campaign features like outposts and a more complex resource economy (four resources) were appreciated, as they add depth to diplomacy and trade.
- Battle Mechanics: Advanced weather features and terrain effects (like mud) were highlighted as positive additions that enhance the combat experience. Players also enjoyed the fast-paced nature of battles.
- Dynasties Update: The update improved the game significantly, adding more content and addressing some of the earlier criticisms, making it more enjoyable for those who returned to the game after its release.
The main cons of the game
- Technical Issues: Many users reported bugs, including game crashes and save file corruption, particularly related to court and heritage mechanics.
- Micromanagement and Complexity: Some players found the level of detail and micromanagement overwhelming and not user-friendly, detracting from the enjoyment of the game.
- Lack of Naval Warfare: The absence of naval battles was noted as a significant downside, especially given the historical context of the game.
- AI Imbalance: Players criticized the AI for having inflated bonuses, making it frustrating to compete, particularly against the Sea Peoples, who were seen as overpowered.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Naval Warfare: Many players expressed disappointment over the lack of naval combat, which they felt was a missed opportunity given the historical setting.
- Unique Faction Mechanics: Some reviews indicated that the game felt shallow due to a lack of distinct mechanics between factions, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- Balanced Gameplay: Users hoped for better balancing in terms of gameplay mechanics, particularly concerning the power dynamics between factions and the AI's capabilities.
- User-Friendly Design: Suggestions were made for improving the design of mechanics to make them more accessible and less cumbersome for players.
Summary
- Overall, while Total War: PHARAOH has strong aesthetic and gameplay elements, it faces criticism regarding technical issues, complexity, and a perceived lack of depth in gameplay mechanics. The Dynasties update has been a positive turning point for many players, but there are still areas where users feel improvements could be made.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 95 votes. 53 players anticipated the game.
Total War: Pharaoh Description
Total War: Pharaoh is a historical strategy game and a new installment in a popular series. It was developed by Creative Assembly, the same studio as the rest of the franchise.
Plot
The game is set in the ancient Egypt. The story begins with the death of the Pharaoh, Egyptians, Canaanites and Hittites expecting a new leader. Though there are many candidates, only one can come out on top.
Mechanics
Total War: Pharaoh expands upon the ideas from the previous installments. The gameplay is composed of two layers - strategic, tasking us with managing the state, and tactical, that is, combat. At the beginning of the game we pick one of eight faction leaders from three cultural centers, each with unique characteristics that affect gameplay.
The strategic layer is turn-based and takes place on a detailed map, stretching from the fertile Nile shores, through the barren deserts of the Sinai Peninsula to the mountains of ancient Anatolia. The player must develop cities and the economy, conduct trade and diplomacy, recruit and equip armies.
Battles, on the other hand, are real-time. The player commands thousands of units, their outcome influenced by matters such as terrain and morale.
Aside from a new setting, the game offers a few other novelties as well. One of these is campaign customization, ensuring no two playthroughs are the same. The available options include random starting positions for all factions, detailed resources settings and the possibility of natural disasters.
Battles can also be influenced by sudden weather changes, such as sandstorms. Fire is also a powerful force, the game dynamically simulating its spread across the battlefield.
Game modes
The game supports both singleplayer and multiplayer.
Technical aspects
Total War: Pharaoh features appealing, detailed visuals faithfully depicting ancient Egypt and large-scale battles.
24
GAMES
in Total War Game Series
Game Series
Total War Series
The highly popular series of strategy games by British studio Creative Assembly. The series Total War successfully combines elements of turn-based strategy, based on resource management, as well as tactical battles fought in real time. Since 2005, the series has been under the publishing supervision of Sega. In 2010 it was decided to make a change in the naming of the series, making its main element a member of the Total War, previously being only a subtitle.
24 video games
Total War: Pharaoh Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Sega
Total War: Pharaoh System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i3-2100 3.1 GHz / AMD FX-4300 3.8 GHz, 6 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 660 / Radeon R9 270 or better, 50 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i5-6600 3.3 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 2600X 3.6 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce GTX 1660 Ti / 8 GB Radeon RX 480 or better, 50 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Total War: Pharaoh Dynasties - Lethality Explained and Can You Disable It
If you would like to know more about lethality system in Total War: Pharaoh Dynasties, you've come to the right place. Here you will learn all you need to know.
How to
Aleksander Kartasinski
July 26, 2024
Total War: Pharaoh Campaign Is Going to Change Beyond Recognition in Major Dynasties Update
The Dynasties update for Total War: Pharaoh will transform the game's campaign, introducing a dynasty, a handful of minor innovations, and quite a few changes.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
July 12, 2024
Last Total War: Pharaoh Major Update Finally With Release Date. Dynasties Enriches Strategy With New Factions, Regions, Cultures, and Mechanics
We already know when the Dynasties update for Total War: Pharaoh will be released. The developers presented an atmospheric trailer and reminded us what the upcoming update will introduce.
video games
Maciej Gaffke
July 10, 2024
Total War: Pharaoh Update Surprises Players with Numerous Small Factions
A major update to Total War: Pharaoh will add quite a few small factions and a handful of new civilizations.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
May 31, 2024
Total War: Pharaoh Players Praise Devs for New, Nearly Double-Sized Map
Fans of Total War: Pharaoh are pleased with how the game's map will be expanded in a free update.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
May 11, 2024
Free Update Instead of Paid DLC. Total War Pharaoh: High Tide is Coming
High Tide, a major free update to the Total War: Pharaoh strategy, has been announced. With it, Creative Assembly studio wants to regain the trust of fans.
video games
Zuzanna Domeradzka
January 17, 2024
Total War Devs Apologize; Pharaoh Almost 50% Off as Sign of Goodwill
Creative Assembly has apologized to Total War: Pharaoh and Total War: Warhammer 3 players for its recent actions. The developers announced big changes - including a price cut for TW: Pharaoh and refunds for those who purchased the game earlier.
video games
Hubert Sledziewski
December 14, 2023
Creative Assembly, Makers of Total War, Will Return to Games They Know Best
Following the cancellation of Hyenas, Creative Assembly will be delegated to work on projects in the RTS genre, the games for which the studio is best known.
video games
Kamil Kleszyk
November 29, 2023
Classic Total War Attracts Players With Low Price; Pharaoh Loses Popularity
Total War: Pharaoh is the only part of the series not discounted in the Autums sale on Steam, but the game was already attracting fewer players than Shogun 2 and Three Kingdoms, among others, before it began.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
November 27, 2023
Total War: Warhammer 3 Devs Are Done With Unconstructive Criticism; Apologized for Recent Statement
Creative Assembly, the studio responsible for the Total War series, has issued an unfortunate statement regarding the moderation of the Steam forum of their recent Warhammer game. This is in response to comments from players who, according to the developers, are „sowing confusion.”.
video games
Michal Harat
October 30, 2023