If you're new to tactics games, Total War: Pharaoh is an amazing opportunity to dive in
Connor and Kelsey figure out how to survive Egypt in its dead-handy tutorial campaign.
This article is sponsored by Sega.
Total War: Pharaoh is out now which means you - yes you - can jump into the sandals of Ramses and take on the various warring factions spread across the Egyptian empire!
As the latest strategy release from Creative Assembly and SEGA, fans of the franchise and genre will be able to jump right into a vast selection of familiar mechanics: a deep political component which forces you to manage your allies and enemies wisely, intricate unit management on various distinct battlefields, and the freedom to customize your armies and personal faction as you please.
But, what if you're totally new to Total War? A tactics newbie, tempted in by the setting or finally worn down after years of looking in from the sidelines. Luckily for you, Total War: Pharaoh has a detailed tutorial battle and campaign that can teach even the extremely inexperienced the ins and outs. Want proof? Both Connor and Kelsey learn the ropes themselves in a first impressions video below!
After learning the basics of battle and unit management in a short but instructive tutorial battle, Kelsey and Connor are guided by the wise Pharaoh on how to go about leading your own forces out in the world. That comes in the form of the tutorial campaign, which instructs them on how the macro half of the game is played. How to construct buildings, manage happiness, move armies and plan a route of attack. Can the duo figure this stuff out? You'll have to find out for yourself.
Tactics games like the Total War series have historically been difficult to learn - they're intentionally complicated as to provide a challenging and thought-provoking management experience both in the midst of battle or when tweaking your various settlements. Total War: Pharaoh doesn't slack in this regard, but as proven above, it does do a good job of guiding fresher faces through the various returning and brand-new features introduced with this installment.
Like weather changes! Before a battle, a random weather effect will be applied to the battlefield. Attackers get a chance to wait until better conditions appear, but for the most part a specific modifier to an engagement is something you'll have to deal with. These can tire out your troops quicker, make it harder to land ranged attacks, and more.
And it looks gorgeous too. You may not expect that, assuming you'll see a lot of sand and not much else. You'd be wrong! Total War: Pharaoh portrays the rolling dunes and rocky cliffs of Egypt, sure. But there's also ample greenery surrounding the various rivers flowing through the heart of the land. Not to mention the Nile itself, which frankly looks lovely.
If you've watched that video and feel confident enough to jump in, regardless of your skill level going in, you can do so right now! Total War: Pharaoh is out now on Steam for Windows and Mac. Give it a go, and let us know how you fare on your own personal journey to bring peace to Egypt!