Few games attempt to depict the New Kingdom of Egypt, likely due to the scarcity of extensive historical information available for a comprehensive recreation of that era. However, through Total War: Pharaoh, Creative Assembly has taken on this challenge, transporting us to the final years of the New Kingdom of Egypt. This was a time when Ramesses III had not yet ascended the throne, and he was still young, striving to establish his authority amidst the tumultuous political upheaval of the Late Bronze Age collapse.

Prior to embarking on my campaign, I was faced with the task of selecting one of the eight Faction Leaders available. Among these choices, there are four leaders hailing from the Egyptian empire, two from the Canaanite faction, and two from the Hittites. Each of these leaders brings their own distinct strengths and weaknesses, represented through various aspects such as unique buildings, units, and active skills known as Commands. Among these options, I found Ramesses—who would go down in history as Ramesses III—to be the most suitable choice, particularly for newcomers, as he seems to offer a more approachable challenge.

No matter which faction we opt to begin with, it's highly probable that we'll find ourselves embroiled in conflicts with neighboring factions right from the outset. In Total War: Pharaoh, the introduction of new weather systems has injected a newfound dynamism into battles. Weather now assumes a substantial role in battles, significantly influencing our tactical approach. For example, sandstorms pose a considerable challenge as they impair the effectiveness of archers and reduce visibility, thereby favoring flanking maneuvers. Conversely, heavy rain transforms dry terrain into muddy ground, hampering the advance of chariots and heavily armored units, as well as diminishing the effectiveness of ranged projectiles, shifting the battlefield dynamics to be more advantageous for nimble and agile melee units.

Also new to the game is the three basic Stances available for controlling our units, providing greater room for micromanaging our armies. The Advance stance instructs our units to push against the enemy, aiming to disrupt their formation. In contrast, the Hold stance commands them to stand firm, effectively creating a defensive barrier that shields our rear-line units. The Give Ground stance introduces an intriguing mechanic, compelling our units to withdraw gradually while maintaining formation and facing forward. This stance is often employed to entice enemies into vulnerable positions for flanking opportunities and to extricate our units safely from dangerous situations.

Combined with the new Armor system, where units grow increasingly vulnerable as their armor deteriorates throughout the battle, Total War: Pharaoh's battles take on a heightened sense of realism and demand greater attention to micro mechanics. The introduction of these new battle systems also provides us with increased flexibility when navigating encounters where we may find ourselves outnumbered. In my view, this represents a positive evolution in the battle aspect of the series.

After things have finally settled down following the unification of my first Province, I can finally shift my focus to the management of my empire during this brief period of peace. The campaign map of Total War: Pharaoh encompasses the vast regions of ancient Egypt, Canaan, and Anatolia. Within most provinces, we'll find a collection of settlements along with strategically placed outposts that serve as crucial relay stations for moving our armies across the campaign map. These outposts play a pivotal role in my strategic planning for the conquest of Egypt, as each one offers distinct advantages to armies that interact with them. For instance, the Egyptian Waystation provides additional movement capabilities and immunity to attrition when crossing the expansive desert regions. It proves to be an indispensable asset as I seek to conquer cities scattered across the expansive Sahara desert.

Local Deities is a new feature introduced in Total War: Pharaoh, which won’t be accessible until the first Shemsu Hor (turn 6). Each faction begins with a dedicated god, each possessing their unique specialization. For example, in the case of Ra, the focus lies on enhancing our melee forces. As we expand our empire by conquering additional settlements, we will progressively uncover more gods, allowing us to select and worship up to three gods simultaneously. Furthermore, assigning one of our generals to a particular god bestows potent bonuses upon his unit, making him a formidable force within our ranks.

The Ancient Legacies system is yet another gameplay element that has profoundly reshaped my campaign strategies and playstyle. It serves as a collection of supplementary gameplay mechanics that can greatly bolster our campaign efforts, offering advantages in terms of additional military actions, economic bonuses, enhanced diplomacy gameplay, and more. Each of these legacies is inspired by the remarkable achievements and feats of legendary rulers from the past.

In my case, I've chosen to follow in the footsteps of Thutmose III, renowned for his conquests that saw him capture as many as 350 cities in Egypt. Thutmose III's legacies allow me to apply various debuffs to a target city every turn, which could significantly aid me in besieging the city, ultimately forcing the city's garrison to fight me outside the safety of its walls. This system in turn eases the challenges of launching a comprehensive military conquest of the core cities of Egypt, especially given the inherent difficulties of siege battles.

As my army continues to expand during my conquest of Egypt, it inevitably consumes more and more resources, placing a growing strain on my reserves over time. Fortunately, I have friendly neighbors in close proximity who, thankfully, refrain from interfering with my Egyptian conquest and are open to trade. To sustain my burgeoning armies, both food and bronze are absolutely essential. Given my surplus of bronze, I’ve chosen to barter with those neighboring factions who lack bronze but possess abundant food resources. In such cases, they place a higher value on bronze, allowing me to secure more food in exchange for a relatively smaller quantity of bronze. This resource management strategy has proven effective in ensuring a steady supply of essential resources.

The game's design thoughtfully limits the number of armies a player can maintain simultaneously due to the high cost of upkeep early in the game, while the constraints on rapid troop movement across the map emphasize the importance of making friends rather than enemies. Consequently, the game encourages players to embrace diplomacy as a vital aspect of gameplay, highlighting the importance of forging alliances and engaging in trade rather than pursuing a strategy of thoughtless conquest. The balance between diplomacy and military action adds depth to the game’s strategic aspect.

Naturally, a game set in Ancient Egypt wouldn't be complete without delving into the intricate web of political intrigue within the Egyptian court. The Court feature provides us with the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the Egyptian or Hittite court. Each turn, we can engage in gossips with court officials, increasing their Regard for us. With high enough Regard, we can then make various requests from them. Alternatively, we can explore more devious options, such as discrediting them to steal Legitimacy from them or even employing threats to force them to step down in an attempt to seize their positions for ourselves. Ultimately, the court plays a pivotal role in accumulating the vital currency of Legitimacy, which allows us to vie for the crown.

Once we amass enough Legitimacy to challenge the reigning Pharaoh, we have the option to rise as a Pretender, unlocking unique bonuses that will aid our revolution campaign. In the early stages of the game, I saw numerous pretenders, as the power of each ruler was relatively balanced. However, as the campaign unfolded, less capable rulers were gradually eliminated, leaving behind the stronger contenders, and ultimately, the mightiest one to claim the throne.

Playing as Ramesses, who initially found himself some distance away from the Nile River and its significant Cult Centres (major cities that yield substantial boosts to Legitimacy), I made the choice to abstain from joining the Civil War. Instead, I opted to quietly expand in the vicinity of Canaan, bolstering my armies and reserves before embarking on a march toward the Nile region. This decision proved wise as it allowed me to easily conquer my enemies who were embroiled in long-term civil conflicts.

The constant warfare that ravages the sacred lands of Egypt is undoubtedly detrimental to both the land and its inhabitants. However, a greater threat looms beyond the sea, patiently biding its time to plunder the prosperous Egyptian territories for their riches. Throughout the campaign, the Sea People make relentless attempts to invade Egypt, obstructing our path towards claiming the throne. These invaders grow stronger and assemble larger forces as the world plunges into chaos, which can be tracked through the Pillars of Civilization that displays the state of the world as it transitions from Prosperity to Crisis, and eventually, Collapsem, which mirrors the historical Bronze Age Collapse, a period marked by the relentless invasion of the Sea People.

As one of the game's main antagonists, the Sea People commands respect and cannot be underestimated. They serve as a compelling reason to safeguard and maintain the Cult Centres amidst the constant civil war, as the overall state of the world hinges on the well-being of these “Pillars of Civilization”. The invasion of the Sea People also adds significance to my quest to unite Egypt, as I strive to bring the majority, if not all, of the Cult Centers under my banner. This unified effort is vital in restoring the land’s prosperity and rallying the people against the Sea People. If I can endure until turn 140, perhaps Egypt will finally break free from the nightmares brought by the Sea People and regain its former glory…

Despite the game’s improved battle mechanics and multi-faceted campaign gameplay, one area where the game could see improvement is in its diplomacy system. Forming military alliances proved to be quite challenging during my first playthrough. Regardless of the size of the neighboring factions, they consistently demanded a ridiculous amount of resources in order to co-operate with me. This posed a significant hurdle, especially for players who tried to start with smaller factions on higher difficulty settings. In both gameplay and real-life contexts, I think it makes sense for smaller factions to unite against greater threats. The current diplomatic system seems to work against those who play as smaller factions on higher difficulties, thus it's an aspect of the game that I hope the devs will consider improving.

All in all, there’s undoubtedly a lot more going on in this game than previous titles. It offers unique campaign gameplay that makes it stand out among other games in the series, making it a game worth exploring for veterans of the series. However, as a casual RTS gamer like myself, it did take some time for me to grasp its complexities. I can imagine that newcomers to the genre or the series may feel initially overwhelmed by the game's intricacies. Yet, with a few more hours invested, the game will become exponentially more enjoyable.

Despite dedicating numerous hours to gameplay, I've only managed to delve into the Egyptian aspect of the game. However, there’s still the Canaanite and Hittite factions, each promises to offer campaign and battle experiences from a different perspective. With this in mind, I'm eager to embark on a fresh adventure, ready to uncover new strategies and challenges in the game.

And that concludes Lluvia’s single-player review of Total War: Pharaoh on PC (Steam).