• Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Oct 11, 2023
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 47
  2. Negative: 1 out of 47
  1. Oct 31, 2023
    70
    It's a beautiful and enjoyable game, but I see no reason to prefer Pharaoh over any other Total War.
  2. Oct 20, 2023
    70
    A generous Total War in good shape from the outset, and one that will be refined over time.
  3. Oct 12, 2023
    70
    Total War: Pharaoh asks you to spend a lot of time learning its new and complex mechanics, but if you do, you'll feel like a true Bronze Age battlefield commander.
  4. Oct 11, 2023
    70
    Total War Pharaoh is unlikely to be a game you will sink hundreds of hours in, due to its repetitiveness and lack of variety. Fortunately, frequently criticized parts of previous games - AI and powerful heroes disrupting the balance - have been improved. Overall, few new mechanics and a new historical period are not enough to add Pharaoh to the "best in Total War" collection.
  5. Oct 10, 2023
    70
    Creatively Assembly has made a good, solid game. Total War: Pharaoh offers a fun experience for anyone interested in the time period surrounding the Bronze Age Collapse. The technical issues I experienced were few. Out of the various gameplay systems, I particularly enjoyed the Royal/Hittite Court intrigue. But while the initial experience was great, some players may find the mid to late game lacks depth.
  6. Oct 10, 2023
    70
    Total War: Pharaoh is a Total War without infamy or praise, one might say. It's one of those chapters that works but doesn't seem to add anything significant to the discourse carried on by the series.
  7. Oct 10, 2023
    70
    There are some design (and marketing) choices about Total War: Pharaoh that are still unexplainable, but some of the innovations that the game introduces are what we hope to see more in the future of this glorious saga.
  8. Oct 10, 2023
    70
    Total War: Pharaoh will surely benefit from the shortage of AAA strategy games with real-time battles, but it may play things too safe for the most demanding fans of the series, and given it’s a full-price release, the overall scope lands dangerously close to that of the Total War Saga entries.
  9. Oct 10, 2023
    70
    Total War: PHARAOH presents an interesting window into the time and place of a tumultuous historical period while handing you the reigns to make your own story out of it.
  10. Oct 24, 2023
    65
    I can't say that Total War: Pharaoh is a bad game. It's simply the same well-known game that was spruced up (again) and sold for a full price. But if you wait for a discount, Creative Assembly's newest game should deliver dozens of hours of fun.
  11. Nov 9, 2023
    60
    Creative Assembly shows serious signs of fatigue in this new iteration of Total War. This new sequel lacks any kind of ambition or innovations, with its limited content impacting its replayability and the subpar A.I. leaving a lot to be desired. Pharaoh ends up being one of the more weak entries of the series.
  12. Oct 12, 2023
    60
    A Total War game proves not to be the best way to explore one of the most fascinating periods in ancient history, with boring real-time battles dragging down positive changes to the grand strategy elements.
  13. Oct 10, 2023
    60
    Total War: Pharaoh offers satisfying battles and challenging empire management, but undermines itself by pushing the player towards half-baked diplomacy, trade, and intrigue systems that feel authentic but aren’t consistently fun.
  14. Oct 10, 2023
    60
    Dull warfare mars a fascinating battle for supremacy during the late Bronze Age collapse.
  15. Mar 9, 2024
    55
    I liked it even less than A Total War Saga: Troy. There is not much variety in battles in the game, and the map looks incomplete. This is a game about the bronze age collapse, and where is Mesopotamia?
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  1. Oct 17, 2023
    Total War Pharaoh has small problems due to its concept as a spin off, but CA has done a superb job of skillfully confining all the action in a period and map as complex as Ancient Egypt. [Recommended]
  2. Oct 10, 2023
    Ultimately, Total War: Pharaoh is an attempt to provide an accessible experience that delivers what feels like an abridged version of a world history course. Most of the systems in Pharaoh offer glimpses of greatness, but aren’t deep or refined enough to deliver a memorable grand strategy experience. Creative Assembly’s take on the Bronze Age is not thematic enough to engage a novice, but not accurate or expansive enough to appeal to Total War veterans, leaving us with a Total War title that’s unlikely to stand the test of time.
  3. Sofia have made the absolute best of a bad situation here, and I’ve had a good, freeing time taking part in what basically feels like an interactive design conversation. You’ll probably want to, you know, play something fun though.