Total War: Pharaoh

Total War: PHARAOH is a smashing success as a grand strategy game and brings the hit franchise to a new historical era. Fascinating leaders and subplots with mechanics to match help make each play session fresh and enjoyable.

65%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

stability, grinding

65% User Score Based on 2,896 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 16 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Total War: Pharaoh" is a historical strategy game set in ancient Egypt during the Bronze Age Collapse. Players can choose to lead Egypt as its Pharaoh, conquer as the Great King of the Hittites, or command the Sea Peoples' hordes. The game features dynamic real-time battles and turn-based empire management, with a focus on the dramatic events that threaten Egypt's destruction. Unearth a vibrant recreation of the Bronze Age Collapse and lead your faction to victory.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

65%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,896 reviews

gameplay337 positive mentions

stability46 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful campaign map and stunning graphics, immersing players in the ancient Egyptian setting.
Innovative mechanics such as the court system, resource management, and outposts add depth and strategic complexity to the gameplay.
The battles are engaging and require tactical thinking, with a focus on unit positioning and terrain advantages.

The game suffers from a lack of unit variety and depth, making battles feel repetitive and less engaging over time.
AI pathfinding issues and unresponsive units can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences during battles.
The campaign map feels limited in scope, with many players expressing disappointment over the absence of additional factions and regions.

gameplay
944 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
58%
6%
The gameplay of Total War: Pharaoh has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the introduction of new mechanics such as the court system, resource management, and civil war dynamics, which add depth and replayability to the campaign. However, some critics argue that the game feels like a rehash of Total War: Troy, with a lack of significant innovation in battle mechanics and a narrow scope that limits strategic variety. Overall, while the game offers engaging elements and a visually appealing experience, it struggles with balancing complexity and accessibility, leading to a somewhat fragmented gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay improvements, compared with previous Total War games, are mostly on the campaign map.”
- “The intricate balance of overseeing your populace, managing resources, and erecting monumental structures to assert your dominance creates a deeply satisfying gameplay loop.”
- “The campaign mechanics are very enjoyable in my opinion.”
- “The gameplay in Total War: Pharaoh is nothing short of boring.”
- “The mechanics feel uninspired, and the overall progression lacks depth.”
- “The game fails to engage players in a meaningful way, with repetitive tasks and lackluster objectives that fail to capture the essence of strategic gameplay.”
graphics
302 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
46%
5%
The graphics of Total War: Pharaoh have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and immersive atmosphere, effectively capturing the essence of the ancient Egyptian setting. Many players appreciate the attention to detail in both the campaign and battle maps, with some describing the graphics as the best in the series. However, there are mixed opinions regarding the art style, with some finding it overly cartoonish or saturated, and others noting performance issues on various hardware setups. Overall, while the graphics are a highlight, they are accompanied by criticisms of the user interface and gameplay mechanics.
- “The graphics are amazing, hyper realistic.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous, like when maxed it's strangely gorgeous, this is the first total war to do grass right, and nighttime looks brilliant.”
- “Total War: Pharaoh boasts visually stunning graphics, recreating ancient Egypt with meticulous attention to detail.”
- “Might have a good campaign, tried to endure the shitty visuals of models and UI but I just could not stand it.”
- “This game graphically looks worse than Troy but plays exactly like it.”
- “The graphics are old - they use the WH2/Troy Warscape engine, which is 2017 tech now, and not the WH3 engine.”
optimization
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
36%
9%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its smooth performance and graphical quality, particularly on lower-end systems. However, some users reported significant performance issues, especially during late-game scenarios or large battles, indicating potential memory leaks and sluggish unit responsiveness. Overall, while the game is considered one of the best optimized in the Total War series, it still faces criticism for occasional performance drops and bugs.
- “Overall a really fun, very fleshed out and super optimized game that will only get better once they add the family tree (for free!).”
- “The optimization is perfect.”
- “The game runs smoothly and flawlessly, a testament to the craftsmanship of the developers.”
- “The game is unplayably poorly optimized.”
- “I did get really awful performance when I was sieging a capital city; I don't know what happened because it continued after the battle, so maybe a memory leak or something, but it was literally unplayable even after dropping all the settings to low from ultra.”
- “I am struggling with performance issues so much that it's almost unplayable.”
music
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
46%
5%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its beauty and immersive quality, particularly in relation to the setting and atmosphere. While some players find the soundtrack to be excellent and fitting, others feel it lacks depth or is forgettable at times. Overall, the audio design, including sound effects and music, contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience, though opinions vary on its memorability and originality.
- “The music in this game is off the rails.”
- “There's a lack of depth in the story, the soundtrack feels uninspired at times, and I encountered a few performance issues along the way.”
- “The graphics, the campaign map, the sound design, the music, it's all really well done, but unfortunately that's where it stops for me.”
replayability
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
69%
7%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising the unique mechanics and extensive campaign customization options that enhance replay value, while others criticize the limited number of playable factions and repetitive gameplay in subsequent campaigns. Although the introduction of new features and the ability to tailor experiences provide some depth, many feel that the overall scope and diversity are insufficient for long-term engagement. Overall, while there are elements that support replayability, significant improvements are needed to elevate it to the levels seen in other titles in the Total War series.
- “The ability to fully customize your campaign experience by tweaking both new and traditional features of Total War in general gives this quite a bit more replayability than it would appear.”
- “These paths can focus towards warfare, nation building, religion (such as the custom god creation with Egypt mentioned before) etc. All of these improve replayability and give meaningful choices to your campaign.”
- “All in all, the game is very beautiful, very thematically and aesthetically pleasing, has a great deal of replayability, and, most of all, improves on old systems in a noticeable way.”
- “The main issue is with replayability - most campaigns end up with you as the Egyptian or Hittite leader and using their unique units (instead of your faction's unique units).”
- “In terms of value, this is the Total War game with the least amount of replayability so far.”
- “This game isn't even replayable; all the factions are basically the same, using the exact same tech tree.”
story
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
70%
6%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its immersive campaign mechanics and engaging court system that enhance the narrative experience. However, many critics feel that the overall story lacks depth and innovation, often feeling disconnected from gameplay, and express a desire for more character-driven narratives and meaningful events. While the historical setting of ancient Egypt offers potential for captivating storytelling, some players believe it falls short compared to previous titles in the Total War series.
- “The campaign is actually a pretty awesome story, and as long as you auto resolve every battle you will have no issue.”
- “Its historical accuracy, immersive gameplay, and captivating storyline make it one of the best Total War games in recent years.”
- “As a fan of ancient Egypt, the land of pharaohs and the story of their flashpoint at the end of the Bronze Age is super flavorful, and CA Sofia did a spot-on job representing the era and getting the flavor rounded out!”
- “You are given a story, told to more or less follow it, and that story is inappropriately presented and feels disconnected from the game... this must improve in the future.”
- “No real characters, no storyline, no actual reason to click 'next turn' - it's just a boring slog.”
- “There's a lack of depth in the story, the soundtrack feels uninspired at times, and I encountered a few performance issues along the way.”
stability
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
2%
84%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant bugs and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer modes and with specific units like chariots. While some users report a smoother experience compared to previous titles, others highlight persistent glitches, audio lag, and slowdowns during gameplay. Overall, the game appears to require further optimization and patches to address these stability concerns.
- “The game is honestly gorgeous to see, sounds great and runs great, smoothest of any Total War I've played.”
- “Very well made game, very polished as they say, little to no glitches.”
- “As a Total War fan of almost 20 years, it feels like they finally got down the optimization and it runs great on my meh-tier PC.”
- “I love the game but it's buggy and hangs.”
- “There are some game breaking multiplayer glitches at the moment that make it so that you cannot progress past turn 10 or so because of constant desync then the game gives up and puts you at the main menu.”
- “The game needs updating badly, very buggy, you get confused on who is your faction in battles because they all look the same, very confusing gameplay compared to other titles.”
grinding
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
3%
94%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often requiring a significant time investment without rewarding gameplay. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of managing multiple armies and territories, as well as the cumbersome mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the strategic elements, the consensus leans towards the grinding feeling more like a chore than an engaging challenge.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “After an extremely brief stint of just 27 minutes, I made the decision to request a refund for this game, which I can only describe as a DLC for 'Total War: Troy.' The game is a tedious, uninspired addition to the Total War series, which seems to be on a downward spiral.”
- “All in all, the campaign is just tedious and unrewarding.”
- “The court system, the building management, and the royal decree systems are the worst offenders here - it feels like everything is complicated and tedious without being engaging, like the developers just added features until it took players a certain amount of time per turn.”
atmosphere
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
27%
12%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, enhanced by excellent graphics, music, and realistic battle animations. Players appreciate the historical depth and cultural representations, particularly in the context of the late Bronze Age and ancient Egypt, which contribute to a convincing and atmospheric experience. However, some critiques mention a lack of depth in certain gameplay mechanics that can detract from the overall immersion.
- “The historical depth combined with the epic scale of the game’s events creates an engaging and immersive atmosphere.”
- “Fantastic audio, with music, dialogue, and sound effects creating a very atmospheric world.”
- “The atmosphere is well done, and the battle maps are well designed.”
- “Again, the game is absolutely beautiful...but there is something to be said about dark battlefields of mud-soaked soldiers not benefiting from an atmosphere of bright and vibrant colors everywhere.”
- “In short, just boring, the atmosphere is not right, the only positive thing is the outposts system and sieges of walled cities although you also have to say that these only feel good as a defender and that only because they are really OP.”
- “Contra: not that deep of an atmosphere - strange battle mechanics I don't know if I want to like it, or bugs (range units fire range).”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
92%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over its unfinished state and lack of meaningful content. Players feel that the focus on microtransactions and superficial features detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a sense of exploitation. Overall, the game's monetization approach has left a negative impression, suggesting a prioritization of profit over quality.
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel exploitative, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers cosmetic items that don't affect gameplay, making purchases feel optional rather than necessary.”
- “The developers have struck a good balance with their monetization strategy, providing value without compromising the overall experience.”
- “This game has a lot of potential that probably won't be met because CA/Sega started to love rushing and releasing unfinished games just to then drop them looking for another cheap cash grab.”
- “2023 should have been one of the better years for game releases and instead it's been one ugly cash grab after another.”
- “It feels like a sloppy project thrown together for a cash grab and I just can't do it anymore. Tried twice to get my money back before the 14 days and they denied my request.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its thoughtful creation, with witty lines from characters adding a lighthearted touch amidst the strategic gameplay. While some players find the humor engaging, others feel the overall tone is not particularly funny, highlighting a mix of amusing moments and serious themes. The juxtaposition of humorous dialogue with player frustrations about game mechanics and support adds a layer of irony to the experience.
- “It has been very thoughtfully created with great attention to detail and humorous lines from the various generals and soldiers.”
- “The funny thing is that in my 9 hours, I had like 4 battles in total, because I'm enjoying every moment of learning about different benefits to buildings, faction, provinces, etc.”
- “Impressive cinematics, sometimes funny, sometimes grim.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed feelings among players, with some expressing heartbreak over the game's perceived decline and developers' shortcomings, while others find a profound emotional narrative in the depiction of a world succumbing to chaos and despair. Overall, the emotional responses range from disappointment and frustration to appreciation for the game's deeper storytelling elements.
- “They gave a heartfelt apology.”
- “It really is heart breaking.”
- “For me, seeing this ancient world slowly (and literally!) disappear into darkness as countless invading hordes, famines, droughts and unrest begin to destabilize the world was a wonderful and more emotionally narrative experience than I've had yet in a total war title.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and variety, allowing players to shape their faction leaders through numerous choices and mini-games, enhancing the overall experience. However, some reviewers feel that while the character designs are visually appealing, there is a need for more personality and purpose in the characters themselves.
- “The campaign is fun with the little mini-games such as the court, ambitions/objectives, and there's a sense of character development as you turn your faction leader into whatever you want with all the options and choices you are given.”
- “Interesting character development with crowns and titles.”
- “Has some of the crispness and simplicity of the earlier games but with new levels of character development and unit idiosyncrasies.”
- “I think you guys have to hire some talented character designers and perhaps someone who actually knows how to create characters with personality and purpose.”