Total War: Pharaoh

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Total War: Pharaoh
Total War Pharaoh cover art.jpg
Developer(s) Creative Assembly Sofia
Publisher(s) Sega
Director(s) Maya Georgieva
Todor Nikolov
Designer(s) Milcho Vasilev
Series Total War
Platform(s) macOS
Windows
ReleaseOctober 11, 2023
Genre(s) Turn-based strategy, real-time tactics
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Total War: Pharaoh is a turn-based strategy real-time tactics video game developed by Creative Assembly Sofia and published by Sega. Part of the Total War series, Pharaoh is set in the New Kingdom of Egypt and its surrounding areas before the Late Bronze Age collapse. The game was released for Windows PC and macOS on October 11, 2023. Feral Interactive publishes the game’s macOS version.

Contents

Gameplay

Total War: Pharaoh is a turn-based strategy real-time tactics video game. In the game, the player can choose from eight leaders, representing the game's three factions: Ancient Egypt (Seti II, Amenmesse, Twosret, and Ramesses III), the Canaanites of the Levant (Bay and Irsu), and the fragmented Hittite Empire under Šuppiluliuma II and Kurunta in Anatolia. New to the series is unit stance. Units in the game can now advance, hold (or forming a shield wall or a spear wall), and fall back. When unit falls back, they will retreat and slowly cede ground while maintaining formation and facing forward. [1] Units armour will also degrade, causing them to become progressively more vulnerable during confrontations. As with Troy, environments and armour will affect unit movement. For instance, heavier unit will become exhausted faster, and become bogged down in mud. Natural disasters will impact the terrain. For instance, a thunderstorm may create more mud and create harsh conditions for heavy units, while a sandstorm will drastically reduce visibility, rendering archers useless. Fire will also spread across the battlefield, destroying buildings and killing units caught in it. As the players progress in the game, they will be able to recruit units that are more adept to Egypt's harsh weather and terrain conditions. [2] Siege battles also underwent changes. Each settlement now has three capture points, with each bringing a unique boost to the army that controls it. For instance, one capture point may boost an army's morale, while another may boost their stamina. [3]

The Sea Peoples serve as Pharaoh's endgame threat, while spawning in "waves" every two ingame years, for instance the scripted "Weshesh wave" in 1200 BCE and "Shekelesh wave" in 1198 BC. The number of Sea Peoples armies spawned with each wave can be customized through Pharaoh's campaign customization menu, and these armies increase in size, number, and quality as society enters a state of collapse. In addition to periodic Sea Peoples invasions, players regularly contend with Libu raiding parties in western Egypt and Phrygian and Kaska invasions in western and northern Anatolia.

The "Pillars of Civilisation" is a world-state metric in a campaign, influencing stability and the severity of negative events leading to the Bronze Age Collapse. Represented as a meter with three sections – Prosperity, Crisis, and Collapse – it's tied to disasters and the strength of the Sea Peoples. This metric, referencing historically significant Cult Centres, impacts the frequency of wars, regional stability, and event occurrences. High scores keep the meter in "Prosperity", reducing disasters, increasing blessings, and weakening Sea Peoples' invasions. Players must strive to maintain this score by controlling Cult Centres through effective province management, resource balance, and fortifications, essential for surviving the Bronze Age Collapse challenges, though full control remains challenging due to the historical context. [4] [5]

Players can opt to pursue two "royal legacies": the Pharaoh of Egypt or the Hittite "Great King". Merneptah starts the game as Pharaoh, but, before or after his pre-scripted death in 1202 BC, rival factions can initiate a civil war to seize control of the throne. Likewise, while Suppiluliuma starts the game as Great King of the Hittites, he can be challenged in a civil war by any rival faction.

Development

The game was developed by Creative Assembly Sofia, which had previously worked on Total War Saga: Troy . Described as a fully-fledged historical Total War game, the team stripped away the more fantastical elements founded in games such as Total War: Warhammer and Total War: Three Kingdoms for an experience that is more grounded in reality. [6] Creative director Maya Georgieva added that as opposed to Troy, the game is a "fully historical title", one that is not "diluted or looking for multiple representations". [2] The pace of battle was significantly slower when compared to Troy, with director Todor Nikolov adding that the team wanted players to make "fewer" but more "impactful" decisions, and that combat now requires less micromanagement from players. [1]

As the game is set in a tumultuous period of time, the game world will become progressively more dangerous. The player needs to guide their civilization through this period of political hardship. Prosperity will result in the game's being brighter visually and will boost production. However, as regions become politically unstable, settlements will be attacked by the Sea Peoples more frequently, and natural disasters will become more intense, ultimately leading to the late Bronze Age collapse. [7]

The New Kingdom of Egypt was chosen as the game's setting, as the team felt that Egypt has never been properly explored in a Total War title. Director Todor Nikolov added that the empire during the Bronze Age collapse was facing political turmoil, threats from neighbouring states, and a possible invasion from the enigmatic Sea Peoples, making it a great setting for a Total War game. [1] The team studied extensively the three factions featured in the game, in particularly their ways of governance and approaches to warfare. [6] The little-known Sea Peoples serves as the game's endgame threat. They are depicted in the game as a coalition of multi-ethnic seafaring warriors, and their design was based on "fragments of art and written accounts". [8]

Release

After its initial announcement of the game in May, Total War: Pharaoh was released for Windows PC in October 2023. [9] The game was originally announced with "Deluxe" and "Dynasty" editions that were bundled with upcoming paid downloadable content, including a campaign pack and three faction packs. [10] In December 2023, Creative Assembly announced that these special editions would be removed from sale and that the base price of Pharaoh would be reduced from $59.99 to $39.99. Partial refunds were issued to all users who purchased the game prior to these price changes. [11] In addition, it was announced that the first faction pack would be released as a free update for all players. Development of future DLC was cut back in favor on improving the base game through patches and free updates. [12] However, a new patch titled High Tide was released on 25 January 2024, introducing two new factions of Sea Peoples, Peleset and Sherden. [13]

Reception

Total War: Pharaoh received "generally favourable" reviews from critics and "mixed or average" reviews from users, according to review aggregator Metacritic. [16] As of October 2023, Pharaoh received a 'mixed' rating on Steam, with players criticizing the game for its interface and its lack of new features when compared with Total War Saga: Troy . [17]

Leana Hafer of IGN complimented the games battles and the campaign story. [18] Tom Senior of Eurogamer enjoyed the strategy aspect of the game but found the battle experience limited. [19] Rick Lane, a reviewer at PC Gamer , commended Total War: Pharaoh for its captivating strategy gameplay, particularly in an era with limited military tools. He highlighted the innovative "Power of the Crown" system, which allows players to compete for leadership roles through civil wars, creating compelling narratives and interactions on the campaign map. [20]

Related Research Articles

The 12th century BC is the period from 1200 to 1101 BC. The Late Bronze Age collapse in the ancient Near East and eastern Mediterranean is often considered to begin in this century.

<i>Total War</i> (video game series) Computer strategy game series

Total War is a series of strategy games developed by British developer Creative Assembly for personal computers. They combine turn-based strategy and resource management with real-time tactical control of battles. Rather uniquely for real-time strategy games, flanking manoeuvers and formations factor heavily into gameplay. The first of the series, Shogun: Total War, was released in June 2000. The most recent major game released was Total War: Pharaoh on October 11, 2023. As of April 2021, the series had sold over 36 million copies.

<i>Shogun: Total War</i> 2000 video game

Shogun: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics video game developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows personal computers. Released in June 2000, the game became the debut title in The Creative Assembly's Total War series. Set in Japan during Sengoku jidai—the "Warring States" period from the 15th to the beginning of the 17th century—the game has players adopt the leader of a contemporary Japanese clan, attempt to conquer the nation and claim the position of shōgun. The turn-based aspect of the game focuses on a map of Japan where military force, religion, diplomacy, espionage and economics all influence the player's actions, whilst battles are fought in a 3D real-time mode.

<i>Medieval: Total War</i> 2002 video game

Medieval: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics computer game developed by Creative Assembly and published by Activision. Set in the Middle Ages, it is the second game in the Total War series, following on from the 2000 title Shogun: Total War. Originally announced in August 2001, the game was released in North America on 19 August 2002 and in Europe on 30 August for Microsoft Windows.

<i>Rome: Total War</i> 2004 video game

Rome: Total War is a strategy video game developed by The Creative Assembly and originally published by Activision; its publishing rights have since passed to Sega. The game was released for Microsoft Windows in 2004. The macOS version was released on February 5, 2010, by Feral Interactive, who also released the iPad version on November 10, 2016, the iPhone version on August 23, 2018, and the Android version on December 19, 2018. The game is the third title in The Creative Assembly's Total War series, following Shogun: Total War, and Medieval: Total War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creative Assembly Sofia</span> Bulgarian video game developer

Creative Assembly Sofia is a Bulgarian video game developer based in Sofia. It was founded in May 2001 by Vesselin Handjiev. In July 2008, the company was acquired by Crytek, which then sold it to Creative Assembly in March 2017.

<i>Medieval II: Total War</i> 2006 video game

Medieval II: Total War is a strategy video game developed by the since-disbanded Australian branch of The Creative Assembly and published by Sega. It was released for Microsoft Windows on 10 November 2006. Feral Interactive published versions of the game for macOS and Linux on 14 January 2016. It is the sequel to 2002's Medieval: Total War and the fourth title in the Total War series.

Europa Barbarorum, or EB, is a modification of the PC game Rome: Total War (RTW) based on the desire to provide Rome: Total War players with a more historically accurate game experience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zannanza</span> Hittite prince

Zannanza was a Hittite prince, son of Suppiluliuma I, king of the Hittites. He is best known for almost becoming the Pharaoh of Egypt, and because his death caused a diplomatic incident between the Hittite and Egyptian Empires, resulting in warfare.

<i>Empire: Total War</i> 2009 video game

Empire: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics video game developed by Creative Assembly and published by Sega. The fifth installment in the Total War series, the game was released in 2009. The game, which focuses on the early modern period of the 18th century, was announced at the Leipzig Games Convention in August 2007. The macOS version of the game was released by Feral Interactive on 10 June 2014. The Linux version was released, also by Feral Interactive, on 8 December 2014.

<i>Napoleon: Total War</i> 2010 video game

Napoleon: Total War is a turn-based strategy and real-time tactics video game developed by Creative Assembly and published by Sega for the Microsoft Windows and macOS. Napoleon was released in North America on 23 February 2010, and in Europe on 26 February. The game is the sixth stand-alone installment in the Total War series. The game is set in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. Players assume the role of Napoleon Bonaparte, or one of his major rivals, on a turn-based campaign map and engage in the subsequent battles in real-time. As with its predecessor, Empire: Total War, which included a special United States storyline, Napoleon features three special campaigns that follow the general's career.

<i>Total War: Shogun 2</i> 2011 video game

Total War: Shogun 2 is a strategy video game developed by Creative Assembly and published by Sega in 2011. It is the seventh mainline entry in the Total War series and returns to the setting of the first Total War game, Shogun: Total War, after a series of games set mainly in Europe and the Middle East.

<i>Total War: Rome II</i> 2013 strategy video game by Creative Assembly

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Total War: Warhammer is a 2016 turn-based strategy and real-time tactics video game developed by Creative Assembly and published by Sega for Windows via the Steam gaming platform. The game was brought to macOS and Linux by Feral Interactive. The game features the gameplay of the Total War series with factions of Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy series; it is the first Total War game not to portray a historical setting. It is the 10th title in the Total War series and the first title to be released in the Total War: Warhammer trilogy.

<i>Halo Wars 2</i> 2017 real-time strategy video game

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hittite plague</span> 14th century BC epidemic of tularemia

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Tapsell, Chris (1 June 2023). "Total War: Pharaoh takes the series back to vanilla history". Eurogamer . Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 Brown, Fraser (1 June 2023). "Total War: Pharaoh is making huge changes to battles, from dynamic weather and terrain to armour degradation". PC Gamer . Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  3. ↑ Bishop, Rollin (1 June 2023). "Total War: Pharaoh's battles made me rethink everything I thought I knew about Total War". GamesRadar . Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  4. ↑ Borman, Max (12 September 2023). "Total War: Pharaoh's Pillars of Civilization is a Game-Changer". Game Rant. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "Total War Pharaoh Pillars of Civilisation explained and how to beat the Sea Peoples". VideoGamer.com. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  6. 1 2 Boudreau, Ian (2 June 2023). "Total War Pharaoh ditches fantasy for a more thrilling reality". PCGamesN . Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  7. ↑ Jewitt, Dave (1 June 2023). "Total War: Pharaoh Hands-on Preview - War Like An Egyptian". GameSpot . Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Hafer, Leana (1 June 2023). "Total War Pharaoh: The First Hands-On Preview". IGN . Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  9. ↑ Radulovic, Petrana (23 May 2023). "The next Total War game will mobilize in ancient Egypt". Polygon . Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  10. ↑ Romano, Sal (23 May 2023). "Total War: PHARAOH announced for PC". Gematsu. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "A Message From Total War's Leadership Team". Creative Assembly. 14 December 2023.
  12. ↑ "Total War: Pharaoh Updated FAQ - December 2023". Creative Assembly. 14 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "Total War: Pharaoh High Tide patch notes – two new factions, over 30 units, and more". videogames.si.com. 24 January 2024.
  14. ↑ "Total War: PHARAOH". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  15. ↑ "Total War: PHARAOH Reviews". OpenCritic. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  16. ↑ "Total War: PHARAOH". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  17. ↑ Smith, Ed (13 October 2023). "Total War Pharaoh has fewer players than a TW game from ten years ago". PCGamesN . Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "Total War: Pharaoh". IGN. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  19. ↑ "Total War: Pharaoh review - skip the battles and enjoy a great grand strategy campaign". Eurogamer.net. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  20. ↑ Lane, Rick (10 October 2023). "Total War: Pharaoh review". pcgamer. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
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