A new historical Total War is an exciting prospect for the franchise. As a Warhammer fan, I've been well catered to with Total War: Warhammer 1, 2, and 3, but for those virtual generals among us who prefer history books over Games Workshop's Black Library, the pickings have been much slimmer and mostly in the form of Total War's Sagas. After a demo of some of the new elements coming to the campaign, as well as a few hours hands-on with battles, it feels as though with Total War: Pharaoh, Creative Assembly Sofia is aiming to bring the feature experimentation and development that has been traditionally delivered through its new historical titles, while also aiming to deliver a much deeper, more fleshed-out Total War experience.

The setting of the 1200 BCE New Kingdom period of ancient Egypt in the late Bronze Age was an interesting pick, as, broadly speaking, Total War is double dipping into this period of history, having previously explored the same century with Total War Saga: Troy. While some of that Troy DNA is visible and the time period feels a little like treading familiar ground, overall, Total War: Pharaoh looks like a different beast.

Pharaoh aims to showcase the most extensive empire in Egyptian history, mixing the beauty of the setting with the brutality of the Bronze Age. This combination is poised to deliver new gameplay and mechanics, while also exploring this period in depths previously unseen in the franchise.