It's not perfect, but it's incredibly close.
Disclosure: Xbox provided the game for review.
Ara: History Untold is a 4X strategy game that dominated our gaming sessions. It’s a sprawling, intricate beast with that one-more-turn syndrome in spades. Even coming in new to the genre, it exceeded our expectations and kept us hooked from start to finish. It’s not perfect, but it’s incredibly close, and it’s on PC Game Pass.
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Ara: History Untold Review: One More Turn Syndrome in SpadesWant to play it? Grab it on the Xbox Store or see Where to buy.
Story
Ara has no typical storyline. You craft history with every decision. You pick a leader from a lineup of historical figures, each with unique traits that shape gameplay, and the world is procedurally generated, so every playthrough tells a new story. It’s like playing through a history book you’re writing yourself. The alliances, the betrayals, everything feels personal, and the unpredictable AI keeps you on your toes.
The goal is to raise your nation to the pinnacle of prestige. You build it one city at a time while managing happiness, health, knowledge, prosperity and security, and balancing growth with your people’s happiness is key. The leader roster goes well beyond military and political figures to include scientists, philosophers and artists, with traits that bring benefits and drawbacks in areas like military, economy and spirituality. That diversity adds a rich layer of strategic depth and makes each game unique.
Gameplay
This is where Ara truly shines. It’s about managing a civilization through diplomacy, war and resource management. It can seem overwhelming at first, but the game guides you well, and it’s incredibly addictive. It handles different play styles well, too: we took very different approaches, and both worked and added replayability. Warfare was intimidating at first, but once I got the hang of it, it became a thrilling part of the game.
Diplomacy is nuanced. You can form alliances, negotiate trade deals, offer gifts to improve relations and declare war, and each leader has a personality and agenda that drives how they deal with you. The diplomatic landscape is always shifting. Turns are simultaneous, with every nation plotting moves at the same time, which adds unpredictability and means you have to outwit opponents. The AI weighs short- and long-term goals and adapts dynamically to your actions, which makes AI-controlled nations feel authentic and challenging.
Ara was built with modding in mind from the start, and you can jump into mods right from launch, with more mod support planned. Expect custom leaders, civilizations, resources and even total conversions. The absence of hex grids and the simultaneous turns make it a fresh addition to a genre that includes Civilization, Europa Universalis IV and Stellaris.
Visuals
Ara is stunning, with impressive detail when you zoom in. Each era brings its own look, with structures evolving and growing more sophisticated over time. Triumphs, special monuments like the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal, are gorgeous and detailed, and you can see your people celebrating and enjoying them.
Sound
The music is a standout. Composed by Michael Curran, the soundtrack is immersive and dynamic, adapting to different eras and events, with each score recorded in multiple layers to create an experience tailored to your game. Zoom into any area and the ambient sound shifts to match, making each place feel distinct and alive. The narrator, the main voice you’ll hear, delivers an engaging performance that draws you into the world.
Verdict
Balancing happy people, a booming economy and an expanding nation is intense but enjoyable, and betrayals make every alliance feel like a gamble. Running a nation in Ara is immensely satisfying, and it’s a must-play for any strategy enthusiast, even if you’re new to the genre.
Image: Oxide Games / Xbox Game Studios
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The verdict: Amazing
It's not perfect, but it's incredibly close.
Pros
- Addictive one-more-turn loop
- Deep diplomacy and adaptive AI
- Diverse leaders with meaningful traits
- Gorgeous eras and Triumphs
- Dynamic, layered soundtrack
Platform played: PC
