Ara: History Untold

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 927 reviews
  • gameplay
  • optimization
  • graphics
Ara: History Untold Game Cover
Ara: History Untold is a vast strategy game that gives you plenty to do, but success consistently rewards you with new ways to play.
Starting at $59.99Buy now
Get on Steam

In "Ara: History Untold," players build and lead nations across history, faced with exploring new lands, developing arts and culture, conducting diplomacy, and competing against rivals. The game offers a rich and vibrant presentation with innovative mechanics such as a national crafting economy, true simultaneous turn resolution, and a non-linear technology tree, all with cloud-backed synchronous/asynchronous multiplayer. With endless possibilities, your choices have the power to define your world, your experience, and your legacy.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 927 reviews
gameplay62 positive mentions
optimization38 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique blend of 4X and city-building mechanics, focusing heavily on resource management and crafting.
  • Visually stunning with a living world that immerses players in the gameplay, allowing for detailed zooming in on cities and units.
  • The simultaneous turn system enhances gameplay by eliminating wait times between player turns, making for a smoother experience.
  • The UI is clunky and overwhelming, making it difficult to manage resources and buildings effectively, especially in the late game.
  • Combat mechanics are simplistic, lacking depth and strategic options, with no ability to upgrade or reorganize units once deployed.
  • The game suffers from performance issues, with many players experiencing lag and crashes, particularly on lower-end systems.
  • gameplay231 mentions

    The gameplay of "Ara: History Untold" is characterized by its deep and intricate mechanics, particularly in crafting and resource management, which diverge significantly from traditional 4X titles like Civilization. While many players appreciate the complexity and strategic depth, they also note a steep learning curve and a need for better tutorials and UI improvements. Combat and diplomacy mechanics are seen as underdeveloped, and some players find the gameplay can become repetitive over time, despite the engaging core loop and innovative features.

    • “Ara: History Untold puts the 'grand' in grand strategy, pushing the boundaries of the 4X genre with complex and far-reaching new management mechanics that allow for precise control over the player's regions, down to the smallest buildings and the goods they may be tasked to produce.”
    • “Every decision, from internal politics to choices on the global stage, has a tangible impact on your civilization’s destiny, making the gameplay deeply rewarding.”
    • “While the main civilization franchise has been repeatedly simplifying mechanics and streamlining to appeal to a broader audience, Ara takes the complexity dial and turns it to 12, for a very refreshing experience once you wrap your head around it.”
    • “The gameplay was very micromanagement focused, and not in a fun way like some games are.”
    • “Unfortunately, I don't think there is a way to balance this game because it tries to mix complex resource management mechanics with civilization mechanics.”
    • “The ui is terrible and some of the mechanics (like the ridiculous inability to take deployed units and group them together into formations) are just incredibly poorly implemented--not to mention this is not really explained anywhere.”
  • optimization161 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, even on high-end systems, leading to stuttering and low frame rates. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay after recent updates, others still find the game unplayable at times, particularly on lower settings. Overall, there is hope for improvement through future patches, but the current state of optimization is a major concern for many players.

    • “Update 1.1 does a lot of small and medium-sized things to make the game smooth (performance and gameplay loop), so if it is a reflection of the continued support the devs will give, then expect a very polished product in the near term.”
    • “The game runs smoothly, it's responsive, barely any bugs, loads incredibly fast, constantly above 50-60 fps, all by having a mid-high tier laptop, running medium-high settings.”
    • “Managing this economy is central to the gameplay, and for someone who enjoys optimization games (like myself), this is a really fun addition to the 4x experience.”
    • “The performance was so bad that I dropped to low settings just to make it somewhat playable—and even then, the experience was far from smooth.”
    • “Until the developers address these performance issues, I can’t recommend the game, especially to fans of civilization and humankind, who expect smooth and strategic gameplay, not a stuttering mess.”
    • “Unfortunately, my experience with the game left me deeply disappointed, primarily due to its abysmal performance, even at the lowest settings.”
  • graphics156 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and detail, with many players noting the immersive visuals that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some users have reported performance issues, including graphical glitches and frame drops, particularly on certain hardware configurations. Overall, while the graphics are considered stunning and a significant improvement over many competitors, optimization remains a concern for some players.

    • “The graphics are stunningly beautiful, though they demand high-performance specs to run smoothly.”
    • “Great visuals: the game’s graphics are beautiful, making the world come to life in vibrant detail.”
    • “Absolutely beautiful graphics and it feels like a mix of Civ & Millennia.”
    • “Annoyingly, there are also some graphical glitches (maybe only on NVIDIA cards?), which is a shame on something so lovely to look at.”
    • “The graphics are 3rd grade all over the game.”
    • “The pretty visuals, when you can actually appreciate them between the frame drops, just aren’t enough to save the experience when the performance is this terrible.”
  • grinding77 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and overwhelming, particularly in the mid to late game where micromanagement of crafting and resource management becomes a chore. Players express frustration with the complex economy and unintuitive UI, which complicates the management of numerous cities and production chains. While some appreciate the depth and potential for future improvements, many feel that the current experience is marred by excessive tedium that detracts from overall enjoyment.

    • “The game becomes tedious very quickly and it feels like all you’re doing is micromanaging production chains.”
    • “After you had gone through the grand trouble of a long grinding production chain, it makes air units 100% worthless.”
    • “The sheer number of choices becomes utterly paralyzing and tedious, leaving the player begging for a more efficient way to offload some of the work.”
  • music32 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its ability to create a unique atmosphere and enhance the gameplay experience, while others criticize it for being repetitive, messy, or lacking impact. Many users express frustration with the user interface sounds and the overall quality of the soundtrack, suggesting it fails to evoke a memorable or immersive experience compared to other titles in the genre. Despite these criticisms, a portion of players find the music enjoyable and fitting for the game's ambiance.

    • “The music and narration add a unique atmosphere, emphasizing the weight of historical events and the player’s decisions.”
    • “The soundtrack and score create great ambiance.”
    • “The music totally absorbs me into the game; it's super lovely.”
    • “Also, the UI makes a really annoying sound when you hover over an item, and the music is really messy - I think sometimes multiple tracks play, and it makes it hard to listen to.”
    • “What they'll probably never bounce back from are horrifyingly bad music (sound effects in general, in my opinion) and UI from the 90s.”
    • “The soundtrack is honestly a little annoying, and I've found myself turning it off sometimes.”
  • stability17 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs, crashes, and performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems. Conversely, others report smooth gameplay and minimal glitches, suggesting that performance may heavily depend on individual hardware configurations. Overall, while some users enjoy a stable experience, many others face frustrating stability problems that detract from the gameplay.

    • “I have seen people complaining about the game's performance; I think that has to do with your PC, not the game, because it runs great on my RTX 4070 with 16GB.”
    • “Do be aware that it takes a pretty stout graphics card to run this game, but even though my graphics card is not as powerful as I would like, after the GPU shaders finished their compilation, which usually takes around 20 minutes, the game runs great. I have never had it crash yet, and I have really been enjoying Microsoft's and Oxide's take on a large-scale civilization building game.”
    • “I don't see the point in paying $89 if I need to run the game on low settings and endure the stutter and the glitches.”
    • “It's incredibly buggy and not optimized at all.”
    • “I can't even play for more than 10 minutes before it freezes on me.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the diverse early game and balanced mechanics that encourage multiple playthroughs, others find the experience can become repetitive after a few civilizations. There are calls for more unique features, such as civilization-specific units, to enhance variety and keep the gameplay fresh. While some users express optimism about future updates improving replay value, others remain skeptical about its long-term appeal.

    • “The early game is very fun and even on repeated games and starts can be very diverse, which increases replayability.”
    • “Time will tell with replay value, but right now I am more likely to play this than Civ 5, 6, Humankind, or Millennia.”
    • “🔲 Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
    • “Limited replay value: once you've played through a few civilizations, the gameplay might start to feel a bit repetitive.”
    • “Replayability is 'ok' but the game feels the same every time.”
    • “I worry slightly about replay value; each civilization and leader has bonuses that will make them specialize differently, but I think the game would benefit from civ-specific units and buildings, or some other form of specialization that makes different games feel different.”
  • story10 mentions

    The game's story aspect is characterized by a rich tapestry of cultural elements and historical references, particularly through its diverse character representations and the emphasis on storytelling. However, players express frustration with the mechanics that can obscure narrative clarity, such as the overwhelming frequency of events that detract from meaningful engagement with the story. Overall, while the game offers a unique narrative experience, it struggles with balancing storytelling depth and gameplay mechanics.

    • “And it's not because the game is bad, there is a lot to love here with how it has a uniquely human storytelling element, the extremely good leader selection, and its lovely graphics while watching the town be built over time.”
    • “I have had missionaries spend multiple in-game ages trying to convert a single one of my neighbor's cities, to no avail.”
    • “The game also spams you with events extremely often, often times not being worth it to even read the storytelling and just look at the benefits versus the drawbacks.”
    • “I got a spearman and tried to complete the quest; however, I never got a pop-up or even talked to the tribe.”
    • “This is a game about the story of your people; well, how about adding the will of the people?”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by its evocative music and narration, which underscore the significance of historical events and player choices. Reviewers highlight its spectacular and historically accurate presentation, making it both immersive and educational.

    • “The music and narration add a unique atmosphere, emphasizing the weight of historical events and the player’s decisions.”
    • “It is atmospheric, spectacular, historically accurate, and instructive.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating its comedic elements that enhance gameplay, such as quirky character traits and amusing references to historical figures like Swiss guards and British palace guards. Many find it superior in humor compared to other titles like "Millennia" and "Human Kind."

    • “This game is funny; it's much better than Millenia and Humankind.”
    • “Maybe you could give them traits that boost prestige after becoming obsolete, like Swiss Guards or funny British palace guards.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the engaging gameplay and design, while others express disappointment over its focus on micromanagement and perceived greed, reminiscent of issues seen in other titles like Civilization.

    • “I was hoping for a game to fill the void that Civ left when it started going full in on being awful with its greedy monetization, and I got a game that ended up ruining all the hype I had for it by just being a game about micromanagement.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users note that while the game has potential for emotional engagement, it is undermined by the AI's tendency to declare war unexpectedly, particularly in sensitive border situations, indicating a need for improvement in the emotional dynamics of gameplay.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

Buy Ara: History Untold

Play time

12hMedian play time
41hAverage play time
10-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games