Total War: Pharaoh

🔥 What is Total War: Pharaoh

Total War: Pharaoh is a captivating turn-based strategy and real-time tactics game developed by Creative Assembly Sofia and published by Sega. Set during the tumultuous period of the Bronze Age Collapse around 1200 BC, the game invites players to rewrite history by guiding their chosen faction through a time of great upheaval and transformation.

The game beautifully recreates the ancient world spanning from Anatolia to Nubia, with the 2025 Dynasties expansion extending the map to include Greece and Mesopotamia. Players navigate the winding Nile River-which serves as a strategic highway for rapid movement-while contending with punishing desert terrain that causes attrition to armies that venture too far from established paths.

What truly sets Total War: Pharaoh apart is its atmospheric representation of a mysterious historical period. The interface draws inspiration from tomb walls in the Valley of Kings, and the detailed environments capture everything from flood plains to rocky desert peaks, creating a strong sense of place that influences tactical decisions.

Historical Setting

Total War: Pharaoh immerses players in the beginning of Egypt’s decline and the destruction of the once-mighty Hittite Empire. This period of technological advancement saw the rapid adoption of ironworking across the ancient world, adding another layer of historical authenticity to the gameplay experience.

The game’s narrative revolves around the Bronze Age Collapse, with mechanics specifically designed to represent this historical watershed moment. As your campaign progresses, you’ll face increasing unrest, civil war, and the inevitable invasion of the mysterious “Sea People”one of the many factors that contributed to the crumbling of numerous civilizations during this period.

👉 Features of Total War: Pharaoh

Diverse Factions and Cultures

The base game offers three distinct cultures to play as: Egyptian, Canaanite, and Hittite, with eight playable factions, each offering unique perks and gameplay styles. The Dynasties expansion adds four new playable cultures: Babylon, Assyria, Mycenae, and Troy, along with 25 minor factions, significantly expanding the gameplay possibilities.

Dynasty System

The Dynasties expansion introduces a comprehensive dynasty system focused on lineage. Players can choose a legitimacy path, either by being adopted into a dynasty or becoming the Supreme Leader. This system adds depth by allowing players to bridge gaps between family members from different factions through mechanics like Forced Inheritance, creating an intricate web of political relationships.

Dynamic Environment

Total War: Pharaoh features dynamic weather and fire systems that dramatically impact battles. Thunderstorms create mud that slows heavy units, sandstorms reduce visibility and render archers ineffective, and fires spread across battlefields, destroying buildings and units in their path. The day night cycle and changing seasons further affect resource production and battle conditions.

Bronze Age Collapse Mechanics

The game’s “Pillars of Civilization” mechanics represent the Bronze Age Collapse, with the inevitable invasion of Sea People threatening your empire regardless of your choices. The Dynasties expansion overhauls the Sea People system, making their movements more organic as they actively conquer territories and expand across the map.

Gameplay

Total War: Pharaoh combines turn-based grand strategy on the campaign map with real-time tactical battles. Players manage their economy, diplomacy, and territories while leading armies into massive historical conflicts.

The game introduces a new unit stance system where units can advance, hold (forming shield or spear walls), or fall back while maintaining formation. Armor degrades during confrontations, making units progressively more vulnerable. The new Lethality system adds another layer of complexity, with units having a probability of instantly killing enemy combatants with each attack, making battles more deadly and realistic.

Siege battles have been redesigned with three capture points per settlement, each providing unique boosts to the controlling army, such as improved morale or stamina.

The court dynamics, while not as complex as games like Crusader Kings 3, allow players to generate intrigue and plot against rivals. Players can eventually become Pharaoh themselves by occupying Sacred Land to build Legitimacy. Multiple victory conditions, including religious dominance, provide alternatives to military conquest.

Pros and Cons

✔️ Pros

• Atmospheric Setting: The beautifully detailed map of the Nile Valley and striking interface create an immersive ancient Egyptian experience.
• Strategic Depth: The geography of Egypt, with the Nile serving as a highway and deserts causing attrition, creates meaningful strategic choices.
• Multiple Victory Paths: Unlike previous Total War games, Pharaoh offers various win conditions beyond military conquest.
• Challenging Gameplay: The game provides a satisfying level of difficulty that keeps players engaged throughout the campaign.
• Dynasty System: The Dynasties expansion adds a rich layer of political maneuvering and succession planning.

❌ Cons

• Performance Issues: During Sea People invasions, the game can experience frame rate drops and stuttering between turns, even on high-end PCs.
• Uneven Quality: Areas further from Egypt may lack the same level of detail and polish as the core Egyptian territories.
• Anticlimactic Endgame: The final wave of Sea People invasion can feel underwhelming if players have already established a strong empire.