Now that Total War: Pharaoh is out in the world, it feels like the perfect time to share our interview with game director Todor Nikolov, which was filmed back in August at the Gamescom 2023 conference.
22.09.2023 - 18:41 / eurogamer.net / Chris Tapsell
If you've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Total War: Pharaoh next month, on 11th October, there's a bit of bad news — for some purchasers, at least: developer Creative Assembly has announced it's delaying the title into «early 2024», but only on the Epic Games Store.
It's a bit of an unusual one this, but Creative Assembly says the situation has arisen because it was «recently asked to help support the integration of social functions before we can launch on the Epic Games Store, and we'll need additional time to help make that happen».
Importantly, though, Total War: Pharaoh's 11th October release will remain unchanged on Steam — and all pre-orders made on Epic have been automatically cancelled, should you want to take your business elsewhere. Creative Assembly says all affected customers should receive an email confirming this cancellation directly from the Epic Games Store support team.
Total War: Pharaoh is, of course, the latest in a long line of historical strategy games from Creative Assembly, this one taking the series back to the dying days of the Bronze Age — and the battles between Egyptians, Hittites and the mysterious Sea Peoples. Eurogamer's Chris Tapsell shared some initial impressions earlier this year, saying, «Pharaoh is a game that feels a bit more considered, and also a little understated compared to recent Total Wars.»
So yes, to reiterate, Total War: Pharaoh is coming to Steam on 11th October, as originally planned — and those that pre-order on Valve's platform can still participate in the game's early access weekend, running from 29th-2nd October. If you want it on Epic, though, you'll be waiting until «early 2024» — a whole different kind of Epic Games Store exclusive!
Now that Total War: Pharaoh is out in the world, it feels like the perfect time to share our interview with game director Todor Nikolov, which was filmed back in August at the Gamescom 2023 conference.
Turn-based and real-time hybrid strategy game Total War: PHARAOH is out now on PC. The game—a return for the studio to making history-based titles—is available on Windows and macOS, and has a new trailer which you can check out below.
For over 20 years, the Total War franchise has been a leader in the world of turn-based strategy, real-time tactics, and resource management video games. Total War has taken fans around the world and throughout time with games like Shogun: Total War, Rome: Total War, and A Total War SAGA: TROY, and to other universes in games like Total War: WARHAMMER and its two sequels. Now, Creative Assembly Sofia is taking fans to ancient Egypt with Total War:PHARAOH and we’re here to break down the biggest reasons why it’s a trip RTS fans won’t want to miss.
Total War Pharaoh is finally here, and as the long-running strategy game series takes us to the shores of Ancient Egypt to step into the shoes of famous leaders from the time such as Ramesses, Seti, and Amenmesse, publisher Sega wants to help you revisit the great wonders of the time with its Total War Ancient Legacies of Egypt exhibition.
MSI has partnered up with SEGA to celebrate the release of the latest addition to the Total War series, Total War: Pharaoh, by giving away free copies of the highly-anticipated game to those who buy selected hardware. Anyone who purchases the specified MSI products during a limited time will be in with a chance of getting their hands on the brand new Total War game for free.
It wasn’t easy, but I’ve become the Great King of the Hittites as Kurunta the Usurper, named after the hunter god. Many soldiers died along the way, but all for a good cause. Leaders were assassinated as I worked my way up the Hittite court. Now over 100 turns of Total War: Pharaoh later, I had united the Hittites—united in a conquered sort of way—and it was time to set my eyes south towards Egypt.
It’s pretty wild to consider the ground the Total War franchise has managed to cover since its inception. With the introduction of the fantasy-focused Warhammer trilogy, and the theatrical Three Kingdoms, developer Creative Assembly has brought its massive strategy franchise to whole new audiences. However, with the exception of the remastered Total War: Rome, this has left many long-time fans of the franchise yearning for a return to Creative Assembly’s historical roots. While Total War: Pharaoh is more grounded than its supernatural cousins, and deploys a slower overall pace, its attempts to bridge accuracy and accessibility leave its Bronze Age campaign and combat feeling a bit dusty when compared to its larger-than-life counterparts.
Developer Creative Assembly has created a solid game with Total War: Pharaoh . It explores the challenge of taking on the role of a leader during the Bronze Age collapse. Would-be rulers can choose their leader from three factions: Egyptian, Canaanite, and Hittite. While the aesthetics and gameplay are fun in several ways, the overall package could be better. I have played multiple leaders now and have spent most of my time with Ramesses (Egyptian), Bay (Canaanite), and Irsu (Canaanite).
There are only so many ways you can conquer the ancient world before it gets a bit predictable, but if you’re thinking Total War Pharaoh is just more of the same, Creative Assembly Sofia has a few surprises for you. Sure, it leaves most of the long-running strategy series’ key tenets unchanged. However, it builds on them in smart ways and makes the best use of any Total War game’s historical setting.
Last week, we asked you to take a break and share moments resting in a game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
To be blunt, Assassin’s Creed Mirage was designed by the team at Ubisoft to be a kind of “rewind” for the series. Many fans had noted that recent games featuring Vikings, Spartans, and Egyptian Warriors were great, but they had a scale to them that made the titles feel overwhelming. Thus, the new title wouldn’t just take place within the “roots” of the franchise but scale down things to help the gamers feel more “at ease” within the setting. They would also do a more “refined” story and focus on gameplay elements so players could be the “ultimate assassin.”
Developer Creative Assembly has released a new deep dive trailer for upcoming strategy game Total War: PHARAOH. This time around, the studio has decided to focus on the Hittite faction, giving us a look at some of its gameplay, as well as tidbits of the real history behind the faction. Check it out below.