Published , by Donovan Erskine
Published , by Donovan Erskine
The Total War franchise has long delivered real-time strategy excellence across a diverse range of settings. For its latest release, the series is heading to Ancient Egypt, one of the most pivotal eras in the country’s history. I sat in the commander seat during a recent preview to get a better idea of what Creative Assembly is bringing to the table for the new entry.
In Total War: Pharaoh, you can step into the shoes of iconic Egyptian figures such as Ramesses, Seti, Amenmesse, and Tausret. Each of them have unique traits that inform the pros and cons of their respective armies. For example, Ramesses' military is a bit small, but the individual soldiers make up for it in sheer strength. Tausret, on the other hand, is a more diplomatic leader and that’s reflected in his skills and abilities.
I also got a glimpse at some of the unique units in Total War: Pharaoh. These are specific to the individual leaders who have skills not found in other units. Seti’s Levy Soldiers aren’t the strongest troops, but there’s a whole lot of them. They also have the Expendable trait, which prevents associated units from being shaken by the death of other units. Amenmesse’s archer units can devastated enemies from a distance with long-range attacks.
Total War: Pharaoh is a fascinating new direction for the franchise that combines a rich historical setting with the gameplay and formula that’s made the series such a hit among RTS fans. Players can command their own armies when the game launches in October 2023.