Ara: History Untold Reviews

A breath of fresh air in the 4X genre. The game has city builder mechanics but it's turn based, where most city builders are real time strategy games. Also turns are simultaneous by default, meaning once you click end turn it's already your next turn instantly. The cities look graphically stunning when you zoom in.

I've played many 4X games over the years and was looking for something to scratch that itch after being disappointed with the direction and UI of Civ VII. I've really enjoyed my 10 hours in Ara so far and like the crafting, mustering of troops and living world feel. Winning by prestige with 3 acts where the worst civ in each act is eliminated is a very cool idea that I really like. Overall, it's been a great experience so far and I'm looking forward to continuing to learn the game!

During the 1.4 release, they had a 50% off sale. I absolutely adore many of the concepts in this game about regions and zones and the construction of items in workshops. It certainly takes inspiration from Civi's UI and concepts but it sought to be different than a clone with some enhanced 4X features. That being said, why I cannot recommend it is that the game is broken into three ages, each with three eras in them (9 total) that last about 60 turns each. If you think 60 turns is a lot, you aren't me. In later Civilization games they dumbed down the game for the short-attention span with the idea that you could finish a game quickly. I am not in the demographic they wanted to create games for. I want to truly build a massive empire, and enjoy my Musketeers before machine guns apppear

Having played 6 hrs at the time of writing I can already tell this is a decent grand strategy game. Clearly a lot of love went into it. The world graphics are top class and I LOVE that you can zoom in and see the citizens going about their business. Hats off to the devs. (I found one random citizen dancing by himself lol). Gameplay is on par (or better) than other games in the same genre ie combat, diplo and micromanaging cities. This game has lots of civs, religions, units, building types, resources etc and every type of victory condition... it's has more content than a civ game after 50 patches and 10 DLC lol. Note: I got this after the 18/06/25 patch so I've no idea what it was like before that.

I hope the Civ 7 Devs are reading these comments. THIS IS THE GAME YOU SHOULD OF MADE. I don't need graphics that make my computer overheat. I want depth. I want ability to control more. I want ALL THE OLD SYSTEMS plus new ones. Whatever Civ 7 is. Its a tablet game which is funny because this game is made for xbox but is 10x the game Civ 7 is. I hope the community continues to promote this game.

There are some good ideas in this game, but also a number of flaws. The limits on the military are frustrating. When you have more cities then you can make units, defending and offense become stupid. Basically you either defend or you attack you really can't do both. Also if you don't get horses you are severely handicapped militarily. I played one map where there was only 1 horse resource and it was no were near me. This means you can’t make more complex military formations. If you going to make something so important to military use that you are crippled without it. It needs to be everywhere or at least more accessible. I also don’t understand why more complex formations require Calvary. There should be formation options that do not include Calvary (Other than squad). The crafting system is too complicated and takes away from the strategy of building a Civ. I feel like I’m spending more time trying to making metal tools and furniture than guide my civ. I also don’t understand the limits on cities and expansion. Also people seem to forget when they make these games that Rome was a republic in 500 BC. Republic option always comes too late. What is the obsession with Girl leaders? A number of the “leaders” chosen where not leaders at all (Harriet Tubman for example). Joan of Arc as interesting as she was. She was not a leader of France and not including two of the world’s greatest leaders Louis XIV and Napoleon is just wrong. I feel like this game is delusional history not real history. Louis XIV and Napoleon had a far greater effect on history than Joan of Arc did. Overall as a history buff I have to give this game a thumb down.

I'm giving up on this game, it's too aggravating. Having a cow farm on a 4 fertility region (the highest you can normally find) PLUS a plow PLUS a well PLUS an "expert" gets you 0.9 "cows" and naturally you need one for any industry like a butcher or tanner, so it's effectively useless. All of that while at the same time playing as an "agrarian" which is supposedly meant to boost farming output. I'm sick and tired of the nickel-and-dimeing crap. The new 1.4 upgrade makes butchers give a boost to livestock farms, but why is it so hard to have an early economy in the first place?? You shouldn't have to throw five ingredients into the pot just so you can eke out one product.

So I've been playing Ara quite a lot these last two weeks. I feel like it's a really solid game that could and should have some of its weaker aspects improved; on this, the game is being actively developed and player feedback is taken into account. What's good: - The map/living world looks absolutely gorgeous + the choice of having natural looking provinces rather than hexes makes it look all the more realistic - The economy is great, with lines of production and goods galore - The technology system makes sense and you see your civ slowly evolving as you go through time - Good variety of units and buildings. The formation and reserve system for armies is a nice mechanic, though war is a bit too reliant on having the biggest stack. - Also that is a tiny aspect that really matters to me but cities in Ara show the actual number of inhabitants rather than abstracted numbers. Seeing that my mighty capital hosts 6m people rather than 21 units of population is one of these little things that helps getting immersed in your civ-leading. More of those! What could be improved: - Diplomacy and religion are both there, but they could be much more engaging. Multilateral diplomacy is sadly absent - Trade is nowhere near as developed as economy. With that many goods to be traded, that's a real pity! - There should be an easier way to compare your cities and to see their production, income, etc at a glance - Leading to this, this game screams for more stats and graphs. There is already a stats and standing screen, but it could definitely be expanded with more entries Also larger maps would be great! I've started playing on the 1.4 preview and the numbers of regions have been expanded (which is great) but as someone who loves playing on humongous maps with a lot of opponents, more size and generation options would be very welcome.

Ara: History Untold boldly enters the 4X strategy space — a genre long dominated by titans like Civilization and Humankind — and makes a clear statement: there’s still room for innovation. Developed by Oxide Games and published by Xbox Game Studios, Ara offers a polished, thoughtful take on world-building, management, and historical storytelling. It’s not perfect, but it’s refreshingly different in a genre that often plays it safe. Unlike many 4X titles, Ara isn't obsessed with history as a fixed script. Instead, it’s about shaping an alternate vision of humanity — where you, the player, are less of a conqueror and more of a curator of civilization. Turns are simultaneous, which might be the biggest mechanical shift for veteran players. Everyone takes their actions at the same time, which means no more waiting for dozens of AI opponents to finish micromanaging their cities. It’s fast, efficient, and surprisingly tension-filled, especially in multiplayer. City building feels alive. Rather than being constrained to tiles in a rigid grid, your territory grows organically. Each city becomes a self-contained ecosystem, with infrastructure, production, and citizen happiness all tied to how well you manage growth. This makes every settlement feel distinct — and managing their needs is a juggling act that never becomes boring. Resource management in Ara is more granular than most 4X games, blending crafting mechanics with traditional production queues. Citizens aren't faceless workers — they have professions, preferences, and needs. The game leans into this simulation aspect, making you feel more like a ruler overseeing a living society than a spreadsheet-filling god. Technology and policy development is guided by "inspirations" — discoveries born from your actions, not just a tech tree you blindly follow. This opens up room for more emergent playstyles and rewards curiosity and experimentation. Diplomacy and warfare are functional, if not revolutionary. Alliances and rivalries develop logically, but don't expect Crusader Kings levels of intrigue or Total War-style battlefield tactics. If there's one area that feels undercooked, it’s the military side of the equation — serviceable, but lacking depth compared to the economic and cultural systems. Visually, Ara is bright and painterly — a softer, more inviting art style than many of its genre peers. Maps are richly detailed, with dynamic lighting and seasonal effects that make the world feel responsive and alive. Cities look great at a glance, but the charm fades a bit if you zoom in too closely, where animations and detail can feel limited. The soundtrack leans into hopeful orchestral tones, echoing the theme of rewriting humanity’s future. It’s pleasant, even if it doesn’t particularly stand out — a good background score for long, thoughtful turns. What Could Be Better: -Combat needs more depth. It feels more like a means to an end than a satisfying tactical system. -AI behavior can be erratic. Some leaders are far too passive or make baffling decisions. -UI clutter and tooltip overload. At times, the sheer amount of information gets overwhelming, especially for new players. -Performance hitches on large maps or during late-game turns can be noticeable, though patches have improved things post-launch. Ara: History Untold isn’t just another 4X game. It’s an ambitious and thoughtful attempt to rethink how we play these games — how we shape civilization, how we progress, and how we measure success. It trades micromanagement-heavy complexity for a more elegant, systems-driven approach that rewards planning, experimentation, and immersion. For strategy fans tired of chasing science victories or spamming settlers every 20 turns, Ara offers a much-needed breath of fresh air. It may not dethrone Civ just yet, but it earns its place in the conversation — and lays the groundwork for something truly great. Recommended for fans of Civilization, Old World, Endless Legend, or anyone looking for a slower, smarter, more narrative-driven 4X experience. Rating: 7/10

This is my first experience in this genre where gaining a new population in a city made me wish I hadn't. Many others have described how prohibitively micromanaging the city management can be in Ara, but it's the constant backsliding of "quality of life" meters that is so punishing, even on easy difficulty levels and with no harsh military pressure. Consider the math; there are 5 QOL meters, each visibly measured 0-100, which all decrease by 5 each pop unit (10 once your city is 14). To counter this, you can assign amenities (the best ones MIGHT have 4 additives, but most are only 1 or 2), construct buildings and triumphs (which sometimes positively modify 1 stat, rarely 2, commonly 0...good luck in the modern era when buildings and events begin diminishing these numbers!), and assigning experts (sounds fun and helpful until you realize that in practice, the absolute jumbled mess of icons makes finding a place for them a chore in even a medium-sized city, and that their bonuses cannot possibly keep pace with the relentless lowering of QOL). Add to this the ridiculous amount of food that is required to sustain your citizenry; for example, with 8 cities in the 3rd act I had 31 Industrial farms and 62 Irrigated farms, 40% of which were not working on specific resources, but just food, and barely scraping by enough to not incur the dreaded red-lettered warning on the housing bar. So, 6 stats to maintain for a decent city, with substantially less ways in between pop growth to counter. You might insist, "There has to be a viable strategy!" And there is! I completely ignored City Health (which only governs city growth, which I WANTED to be slow), and in most cities not bordering an adversary, Security. So to sum up, I managed to achieve the unthinkable: cities with 100+ Happiness, Prosperity, and Knowledge, and ZERO (way less than zero in fact, but how much, the UI won't say) Health or Security. Historically accurate, I'd say; not to mention it makes perfect sense when I say it out loud. Try it, you'll see. Some other cautions: --Very demanding on CPU and GPU, even when way above recommended reqs and with settings like shaders lowered to direct shading, frame rate cap, medium textures, etc. --Combat boils down to moving an icon around the map (unless you scroll almost all the way down to see the tiny figures, but then you cannot see which zone you wish to move to), and watching a simple simulation of 100 warriors slashing back and forth or 100 archers firing 3 arrows per second at the exact same spot (or both), followed by a frozen screen with a scant few details of who won (or more likely, who lost fewer HP than the other, necessitating multiple engagements). Exhilarating, I know. --It's certainly reasonable for there to be a resource drain to construct each combat unit, but per active turn as well, even when defending and not fighting at all? Too prohibitive, imo. --Fog of War must be removed every session, as it reappears each login. Thankfully you just have to 'paint' your cursor across the map to re-reveal what you revealed previously. --Game never remembers UI scale between sessions, must always reset --Naming the regions within your cities scratches a little of the creative customization itch that the rest of the game sorely lacks (and no, a scant few different color costumes for the leaders doesn't count for much in this department), but gets very tiresome once you eclipse 100 and more of them, especially when the landscape is so samey and uninspiring. --There are nonsensical restrictions on the number of buildings that can be placed in your empire; like 1! flower field, 3 cobblers, 1 movie theater, etc. The former is particularly glaring when attempting to construct the Hanging Gardens triumph; it requires 10 flowers (made 1 every 4-5 turns), so unless you have access to Saffron to speed this production up, the "early-game" boost the triumph provides quickly becomes not so "early-game." Then there aren't even any visible flowers on the triumph itself!!! --The crafting seems like a good idea at first; but after the 20th time of, "Oh, I need that part! But first I need that resource (which there is only 2 spawned on the entire large map, and my city cap is maxed, and so are my opponent's, and there's no other way to access the resource, but even if I could, I need that building to make another part which will finally accelerate the production of the 1st part to make the building that lowers 2 of my QOL stats so I can have an amenity that raises 1 QOL by 20, ...well, I started to think of the legend of Sisyphus and the boulder, and wanting to just let the stone roll down into the valley while walking away. --Game suffers from the same issue that all 4X have, but is magnified several fold: Mid to late game is onerous, unwieldy, and ultimately not worth finishing for a single splash screen of congratulations and a meaningless Steam achievement. Spreadsheet simulators, even with colorful icons, just aren't my jam. If they're yours, there is a LOT of spreadsheeting to enjoy. Oh, and I hope you like the color orange. Most of the land, buildings and triumphs are some hew of it. Choose a Civ with this as their color scheme to intensify the effect. The artwork in the main menu is top notch though, and the smooth marimba-like tones when cursoring over any of the selections is a nice touch. If only the rest of the game had the same charm. 3/10