A brand new historical setting! | First Impressions - Total War: PHAROAH

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It’s been a while since I played a Total War game. I've been a fan since the mid-2000s, starting with Total War: Rome and Medieval II, then moving on to Shogun 2, Rome 2, and sporadically beyond. Now, I've had the opportunity to play Total War: Pharaoh, and there are many things that I love about it, but not everything.

Total War: PHARAOH stays true to the franchise's core formula, which combines turn-based grand strategy and real-time battles. Players step into the role of an Egyptian ruler, overseeing the grandeur of an ancient civilization as they vie to become the Pharaoh. The game offers a refreshing change of pace from the recent fantastical settings of Total War, and returns back to its historical roots as it immerses players in the complexities of managing an Egyptian dynasty.

The game introduces new campaign mechanics, expands upon existing ones, and offers a balanced and nuanced approach to the multi-resource economy. Battles are more extended and bloodier, providing fluid unit movement and more options to maintain formations. The game effectively captures the impending collapse of the Bronze Age world, from its visuals to pacing. Although from its core it still feels very much like Total War, cut and dried, copy pasted, and infused with an Egyptian makeover. Dare I say, the ancient Egyptian period is a bit of an acquired taste to get into, compared to more popular time periods like Medieval, Rome, Three Kingdoms, or even completely fictional universes like Warhammer. However, if you get past this or are coincidentally a fan of the time period (personal thanks Assassin’s Creed: Origins), then you’ll enjoy this game as much as any other Total War game you’ve enjoyed in its time. The game is not quite revolutionary or something that elevates the series beyond its norm, but it's a decent entry nonetheless.

For mobile players looking to try out a game of this caliber, you can pretty much play their older titles like Total War: MEDIEVAL II and ROME: Total War or any modern android device and experience mobile grand strategy at its finest.

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