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Review of Ara: History Untold – Move Aside, Civilization!
Ara: History Untold is a 4X strategy game. If you’re new to this genre, 4X stands for Explore, Expand, Exploit, and Exterminate. It’s deeper than traditional strategy games as you manage everything from economy and diplomacy to combat, expansion, and construction.
The game is developed by Oxide Studios, a new studio founded in 2013 by key members who worked on Civilization V (my favorite entry in the Civilization series) released in 2010. You’ll notice similarities between Ara and Civilization games, but Ara isn’t just a clone. Instead, it adds new elements that enhance gameplay depth and distinguish it within the genre. Let’s dive into its mechanics in this review.
This review will focus on gameplay, covering the game’s concept and mechanics, followed by additional observations.
In Ara, you choose a leader to guide a civilization from ancient times, like the pre-historic era, through the Middle Ages, and into the modern age. The game is divided into three chapters, each containing four eras. To advance through eras, you’ll need to develop your civilization’s technology, unlocking innovations and improvements as you progress.
The game uses a turn-based system. For instance, building a farm might take four turns in one city and eight turns in another, depending on factors like population and workforce, which significantly impact construction time.
The game offers 36 leaders, including historical figures like Genghis Khan and Harun Al-Rashid. Each leader has unique perks. For example, I played as Nefertiti, representing Ancient Egypt. Her abilities include increasing food production from farms and boosting the spread of chosen religions. Religion is not available immediately; you must research it via the technology tree.
Prestige is the core metric of Ara. It represents your civilization’s standing and determines eliminations during the game. At the end of each chapter, civilizations with the lowest prestige are eliminated unless you disable this feature in the settings (though it can’t be disabled for AI opponents).
Random events occur as you explore the map using scouts. These events can result in losses, such as resources like materials, wood, or food, but can also yield wealth and bonuses like increased prestige or improved quality of life in cities.
Combat in Ara stands out with 3D battles, creating an immersive experience. You can organize troops into formations for bonuses and strategically position ranged units without engaging directly. While larger armies generally prevail, the tactical elements add depth. Combat spans land, sea, and air, with advanced warfare unlocking in later eras.
You can also change your civilization’s government system. Each type comes with unique bonuses, tax policies, and the ability to increase the maximum number of cities you can build. Through research, diplomacy, or interaction with other civilizations, you can unlock advanced government systems like a republic.
Diplomatic relations are divided into interactions with tribal villages, which can integrate into your cities, and relations with other civilizations. Alliances can lead to trade routes, shared scientific advancements, and mutual benefits.
One unique feature is crafting. By building workshops, you can create tools to boost building productivity. For example, crafting plows for farms increases food output, adding an engaging layer to city management.
Ara eliminates the traditional hex grid of 4X games, allowing unrestricted map exploration. Turns are simultaneous for all players, creating a faster pace. Multiplayer supports up to 35 players on one map.
The game offers an excellent tutorial and a user-friendly interface, making it accessible even for newcomers to strategy games.
