Since the start has Sid Meier's Civilization franchise has been one of the biggest names in 4X gaming. Through six different mainline titles and several spin-offs, Firaxis has continued to give players an exciting adventure through history, with the upcoming Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is one of the biggest titles to date. Due to its success, it's easy to understand why other studios would want to deliver their own similar experience. And Oxide Games has done just that with Ara: History Untold.
Already announced in 2022, Ara: History Untold follows in the footsteps of Sid Meier's Civilization franchise by letting players make their own way through the story. They once again take on a civilization, guiding it through several eras and hopefully making their mark on the world before they are taken out. But while this core gameplay loop can be fun, so Ara: History Untold approaching it leaves much to be desired.
Ara: History Untold's gameplay loop can be exciting
Everyone who has ever played Sid Meier's Civilization should know exactly what to expect with Ara: History Untolds core game loop. Before the game can begin, players must choose their nation, with over 40 different real ones to choose from. Each leader has its pros and cons, each also has three different looks to choose from. When players find one that suits their playstyle, they can manipulate the settings to build their own experience before jumping into the world of Ara: History Untold.
Once Ara: History Untold begins, players are given a starting city and must build out from there. They need to train a scout to explore their surroundings, start building some useful buildings in their town and start their first research. Then they hit the next turn button, sit back and wait for their current project to finish. And once they are, they do it again.
As players progress further into the game, they will encounter other civilizations, tribes, and dangerous animals that roam the land. If they want to survive in this world, they must do their best to keep their neighbors friendly or be prepared for some grueling wars and destruction. Also, they must be careful not to fall behind in the tech tree, or they risk disappearing from the face of the world forever.
While this gameplay loop isn't too different from what's come before, it's still extremely satisfying Ara: History Untold. It feels like Oxide Games understood what makes titles like Sid Meier's Civilization tick, so it chose not to change it too much. That said, there are some unique mechanics that keep things a little fresh, but also a little frustrating at times.
Ara: History Untold injects some exciting mechanics into its cities
One of the biggest changes in Ara: History Untold is the way cities grow. Instead of waiting for the city to claim hexes by itself, when a city increases its level, players are prompted to claim a new parcel of land. Each surrounding plot has its advantages and disadvantages, so players will want to plan accordingly to ensure their city has everything it needs. Then, after claiming said land, they can construct various improvements to help their civilization thrive.
These improvements come in the form of various buildings, and since there are no builders here, this is also where players build things like farms or mines. Also, these buildings do much more than just provide a background bonus. Instead, they actually require players to create various resources, similar to Anno series. These resources can then help give cities bonuses if used as amenities, or they can be required as part of a construction project.
However, the sky is not the limit when it comes to these buildings. In fact, each lot actually has a predetermined number of buildings that can be built within it. So players will want to make sure they use their space wisely, because once the slots are filled, they'll either have to demolish some improvements or wait for the city to level up again. And if they want to build some of the game's triumphs, they'll have to set aside an entire zone just for it.
Along with that, when a city levels up, it will sometimes unlock certain experts. These experts can be applied to certain buildings, giving them bonuses such as faster production or more food. There isn't really much more to these experts beyond that, but their existence helps give cities a bit more functionality, which is nice to see.
While all of this adds a bit more life to the cities, as artisans are constantly making goods and things always need handling, it's also where one of Ara: History Untolds problem comes into play. It can be a 4X game, but sometimes it can get extremely overwhelming fast because there is just too much going on, especially when players have multiple cities. It's all not helped by the fact that the user interface is often tedious to navigate, as it's not always clear how to find certain things. And after a while, players can just get burned out by the sheer number of things they have to juggle.
Ara: History Untold's Acts and Eras is a unique twist
About like Sid Meier's Civilization, Ara: History Untold also places great emphasis on research into new technology. This research gives players more things to improve their civilization with, and as they progress through the different ages, they'll unlock even more exciting technologies. But while it's also not too different from what's gone before, the way these technological eras work feels incredibly unique.
As players build things, research technology, and engage in various actions, they will earn Prestige points. These Prestige points are earned all the time Ara: History Untolds three major acts, where each civilization is displayed on a scoreboard. As the actions progress, the civilizations are divided into three different levels depending on how many points they have. The top three tiers are safe, but if the bottom tier is not careful when the act ends, those nations will be eliminated. This means there is a constant race to ensure players have enough Prestige points or the world can go on without them.
When a certain number of civilizations reach a certain technological era, Ara: History Untold will start counting down until the current act ends. So, if players aren't close to finishing the current tech tree, they can actually skip ahead if they want. They will lose out on many of the bonuses, but if it's the only way to survive, it's something they have to do. Fortunately, some future technology will also include these bonuses, but some may be lost forever. This creates an exciting research system. But it can also be a bit of a drag, as players have to spend more time collecting prestige than actually making their way through the story.
Ara: History Untold will not be a major genre
Not only can the user interface be awkward and the game's many systems a bit overwhelming, but there are some other aspects that sound Ara: History Untold down. For starters, the game's wars are pretty lackluster, with them mostly just focused on taking or protecting a single city. This means players don't get the massive 4X wars they might want, especially as units don't have 3D models unless players specifically choose to see the battle unfold. Instead, they send a giant icon showing their unit type with a number to attack another, with the battle quickly ending before it even began.
Along with that, there are hardly any options for diplomacy, the random missions don't feel that rewarding and it's not always clear what players should focus on. While it does offer some strategy thrills, all of this really holds it back from being another genre king. With DLC and future updates, it may have a chance to iron out its weaker aspects. But outside of a few unique twists, it feels like it's missing something that makes it truly worth the price of admission.
Final score: 6/10
