As a seasoned strategy game enthusiast with countless hours spent on Civilization and its ilk, I must admit that Ara: History Untold has caught my attention like no other game in the genre in quite some time. Oxide Games’ ambition to create a unique experience within the grand strategy realm is not only refreshing but also intriguing, as they strive to bring newcomers into the fold without alienating veterans like myself.
seldom found at the center of the whirlwind of video game news, it’s strategy games that captivate the minds of countless gamers globally. These games encompass a wide range of sub-genres and are renowned for their intricate depth and intertwined mechanics that require players to outsmart and outplay their opponents. As a tech enthusiast, I must admit I’m not often drawn into the strategy genre, despite having dabbled in numerous games.
At this year’s exclusive Xbox Gamescom 2024 event in Los Angeles, California, Ara: History Untold stood out for me among numerous other games like Avowed. I found myself drawn to it more than any other game there. This game, developed by Oxide Games, is making a mark in the historically uninviting genre by using a “one more turn” addictiveness that strategy enthusiasts would likely recognize.
Upon getting home, I engaged in an enlightening conversation with Gabriela Leskur, who serves as the Narrative and Experience Lead at Oxide Games. We discussed my preview experience with Ara: History Untold, emphasizing the game’s emphasis on PC gamers, its accessibility features, and how it aims to stand out amidst a genre dominated by established franchises.
I have little experience with grand strategy games
As a budding researcher, my first personal computer was a less-than-stellar Toshiba Satellite, which I managed to afford by earning money through dog walking and lawn mowing. Among the scant games that ran smoothly on this machine, Age of Empires II HD stood out as a favorite. Fast forward a few years, my former partner and I spent countless hours engaged in strategic battles in Civilization VI, on our Xbox One S console.
That is the extent of my experience with the strategy genre, and I’ve not been convinced so far to explore newer titles. Yes, this includes modern real-time strategy gems on Xbox and PC, like Age of Empires II Definitive Edition, Age of Empires IV, and Age of Mythology: Retold. When I traveled to LA to play upcoming Xbox and PC games like Avowed, Atomfall, and others, Ara: History Untold was admittedly far down the list of my personal priorities.
45 minutes down the line, I found myself reluctantly stepping away from the game, giving another participant their turn. However, as each round unfolded, my initial apprehension transformed into excitement. Utilizing Sappho’s distinctive abilities, I managed to transform Athens into a vibrant cultural epicenter, competing toe-to-toe with global leaders, all without the need for a military or a large number of cities.
In the past, many aspects of Civilization drew me in, but here, I found myself drawn to Ara: History Untold even more. Unlike Civilization, Ara offered fresh features and mechanics that expanded my choices and flexibility. This made it feel like I had a broader scope for strategic thinking, rather than just blindly adhering to a predetermined path towards victory.
At the close of the Xbox Gamescom event in LA, I revisited my game save file for the third time, which led me to play about one-third of a full game. Oxide Games, you’ve certainly piqued my interest! Ara: History Untold, initially just a note on my list of promising Xbox and PC games, has now become a title I’m eager to assist in reviewing for Windows Central when the opportunity arises. However, it was this experience that shifted my initial perspective.
My second Ara: History Untold preview won me over
In comparing History Untold to the well-known strategy game Civilization, it’s only natural that similarities will be noted. However, during my second review, I realized that there’s a significant difference between the two, particularly in regard to one crucial element: Prestige.
Rather than focusing solely on achieving victory through one specific avenue like military or cultural superiority, you are instead striving to elevate your civilization in multiple domains over time. As Gabriela Leskur explained, “You’re aiming to boost your reputation and Prestige as a nation,” which encompasses the well-being, health, education, safety, prosperity, and overall development of your people on a grand scale when considering victory in the game.
Advancing in scientific breakthroughs and exploring new technologies, building iconic landmarks symbolizing your nation’s greatness, spreading your faith, and triumphing over other countries in conflicts – all these actions contribute to your Prestige, essentially a worldwide ranking system that determines the ultimate winner. Nations struggling to keep pace fade away early, while only the most prosperous nations endure throughout subsequent periods.
Leskur clarified, “In our simulated environment, we observe the disappearance of some nations over time. This is because, in certain historical periods, a nation may not be distinctive enough to survive independently. In such cases, its people might integrate into larger nations, and their unique culture or characteristics could potentially fade away over time.
“The effects you’ve had on culture and religion, followed by the natural progression of events known as ‘Act transitions’. If your actions have caused another nation to lag significantly in Prestige, there may be benefits for you if those people or lands become obsolete or disappear from history.
In Ara: History Untold, you can choose the classic strategy of taking over rival nations, but the game makes this route more intricate. Instead of saying “you can wage a war, but be mindful because there’s a price to pay for war and a price to bear in defeat,” let’s say “You have the option to engage in military conflicts, but remember that such actions come with consequences – both in terms of resources lost during war and potential setbacks from losing battles. However, these conflicts also serve as means to enhance your Prestige and gain an edge.” This reflects the strategic aspect of the game where war is just another tactic among many for players to build their prestige and gain an advantage.
In Civilization, I found myself becoming tired due to the game’s tendency to require a commitment to a specific path early on in order to win, which limited my desire to venture and innovate. However, in Ara: History Untold, the Prestige system allows for continuous progress as every action contributes to your advancement. Your approach can be shaped by various aspects of the game, guided by your Leader’s distinctive abilities. As Sappho of Greece, I managed to stay competitive without ever constructing a single military unit.
In three separate previews (approximately 1.5 hours in total), I delved into the crafting system of Ara: History Untold. This system encourages you to utilize resources that you gather, mine, or discover, to construct amenities that enhance your living conditions, economy, productivity, and more, as well as valuable goods for trading with other nations. I investigated how building up your cities varies from Civilization, with an emphasis on creating tools that allow your improvements to become increasingly efficient over time.
In that single encounter, my solitary Scout, fresh from the game’s start, found himself surrounded by a hostile horde of warriors. Alone and green to combat, he was pinned down without an escape route until his demise. Normally, when conflict loomed over my land, I leveraged my plentiful steeds to quickly forge peaceful alliances. However, my curiosity got the better of me, so I engaged Leskur in conversation about the intricacies of war within Ara: History Untold.
Leskur explained that it’s crucial to instruct [your military units] about their roles and objectives. Once trained, these units are kept on standby in your reserves. By examining various formations made up of several units, you can strategize effectively in Ara: History Untold, a game that emphasizes army formation depth.
In your strategy, you could create a custom formation consisting of a Spearman, an Archer, and a Cavalry unit. By positioning these units strategically within this formation, you’ll unlock unique advantages for each. You can mix and match these formations to build armies, and the way they are arranged on the battlefield will grant special benefits, with different combinations enhancing their effects.
In sync movement for armies and formations not only simplifies troop maneuverability but also allows for stronger city fortifications with larger forces. Moreover, this coordination can shift the outcome of battles by enabling quick reinforcements. The Prestige system and crafting mechanisms further enhance the strategic depth, which was a missing aspect in Civilization VI for me initially, leaving me eager to delve deeper into this game.
Putting PC players first… But maybe not forever
During my time previewing Ara: History Untold at Gamescom, I had an extended conversation with a representative from Oxide Games. Unfortunately, I failed to note his name, but he shared valuable insights about the game and its genre. At one instance, I inquired about Xbox compatibility, and he explained (to put it simply) that when Oxide met with Xbox to discuss Ara, the initial team showed a mouse and keyboard and emphasized their commitment to getting this input method right first.
At Oxide, it appears there’s a shared emphasis on ensuring the best possible keyboard and mouse functionality, as Leskur explained during our chat: “Our primary goal was to perfect the keyboard and mouse experience first, and also learn about aspects of gameplay that could be improved for these controls. Any insights gained could potentially influence console gaming experiences in the future.
Currently, we’re fully engaged in bringing Ara: History Untold to Windows PC, leaving us unable to discuss our future plans at the moment. Yet, considering the triumph of Age of Empires and Age of Mythology on Xbox and Oxide’s strong partnership with Xbox as a publisher, it seems likely that we’ll explore new platforms in the future. Our developers are also reflecting on valuable lessons from this project that could benefit us later on. Leskur expressed his curiosity about adapting complex strategy games for console play, emphasizing the importance of creating an intuitive and accessible transfer, learning from the best practices in other games.
Speaking as a fervent admirer, let me clarify that the first release of Windows PC is currently our primary focus at Oxide Games. Even post-launch, it’s going to remain a pivotal platform for us.
In our perspective, there’s a lot more to explore beyond the 30+ leaders or cultures depicted in Ara: History Untold. Leskur emphasized this when I asked about post-launch plans. They expressed that they are constantly keeping an eye out and learning from players for potential new nations and leaders to incorporate into future content.
Moving forward, we aim to maintain strong community engagement by making necessary changes and updates to the game based on player feedback. In the past, this feedback has proven invaluable during the development of Ara, as it has been through three technical alphas that have helped Oxide bring its debut strategy game to completion.
Leskur mentioned that they focus on finding ways to highlight intricate details for seasoned players in a game as rich as Ara, without overwhelming beginners. This is an area where they value player feedback, and they’ve learned from their technical alpha tests and applied those lessons while preparing for the game’s release.
Leskur mentioned, “It’s delightful when players share insights about various parts of the game’s storyline and real-world themes that they find relatable, given their cultural backgrounds or personal life stories.
For Oxide Games, the goal for Ara: History Untold is to cater to experienced genre enthusiasts with rich detail and intricacy, while simultaneously inviting novice gamers with a user-friendly and welcoming design. In simpler terms, they’re trying to strike a balance – providing a game that’s both engaging and easy to grasp. Leskur stated, “We’re trying to have our cake and eat it too.” Accessibility in video games is crucial, and I’m glad to know that Oxide Games is aiming for just that.
As a researcher delving into Oxide’s captivating world, it’s evident that their commitment to accessibility is more than just a priority – it’s a passion. The Microsoft team’s ingenuity shines through as they strive to make this game accessible for a wide array of players. When I immersed myself in the game, the menus presented an intuitive and readable experience, and I could see options for UI adjustments, colorblind modes, narration, and other accessibility features. However, my exploration was merely a preliminary dive; a comprehensive review will be necessary to fully uncover Ara: History Untold’s limits in terms of accessibility.
Discussing Oxide Games’ partnership with Xbox was another aspect we delved into, as Leskur has firsthand knowledge of this relationship. She shared that she admires the Oxide team immensely, and in addition, she has collaborated closely with our publisher, especially historians and writers from Microsoft, on crafting many of our game’s narrative events. As for Ara: History Untold, Xbox seems to have taken a more passive role, but they have been supportive when it comes to ensuring historical accuracy, accessibility, and other aspects of the game. Their help has been gratefully accepted.
It’s wonderful when various teams collaborate, as you get a rich tapestry of perspectives and expertise that you might not have access to if working independently, Leskur shared with me.
It’s possible that Ara: History Untold could make its way to gaming consoles in the future, and it’s likely that this game will receive additional content post-launch. However, let me share some insights I received from two representatives of Oxide Games. They have confirmed that modding support is indeed a focus for their developers: “Our team is actively exploring modding as a key aspect; we recognize the value it brings to a game like Ara: History Untold,” one representative explained. At Gamescom 2024, there were discussions about how modding could be crucial in extending the longevity of games similar to Ara: History Untold.
history game “Ara: History Untold” is constructed using Oxide Games’ exclusive Nitrous Engine, a complex project that has extended the development period (as I was informed at Gamescom, and might not have been feasible without Xbox’s assistance). The Nitrous Engine offers neutral multi-threading for complete compatibility with up to 16-core PCs and a custom Microsoft DirectX 12 graphics engine, prioritizing visual effects and, most significantly, performance that wouldn’t have been achievable using standard engines. Additionally, this setup enabled Oxide Games to incorporate modding support into “Ara: History Untold” right from the start.
Inviting new players into the strategy genre
Let’s delve a bit deeper into what makes Ara: History Untold stand out among strategy games. Despite facing stiff competition from established giants in the field, Oxide Games is brimming with confidence. According to Leskur, their goal was to develop a game that could coexist with other renowned historical grand strategy games, but also offer something unique enough to attract newcomers to the genre as well.
In our conversation, Leskur highlighted one unique aspect that distinguishes Ara: History Untold from similar games such as Civilization. He mentioned the concept of “Prestige” as a key factor that allows players to progress within the game, which I had previously discussed. Essentially, instead of focusing on a single type of victory condition like military or religion, players in Ara have a diverse array of options to succeed, resembling a buffet of strategies or a Character board game.
Leskur added, “A unique aspect of Ara is our resource processing system. The items you gather or discover in the game can be transformed into useful amenities and supplies using various facilities such as a bakery or a workshop.
As an analyst, I’d emphasize that what truly sets this game apart is its real-time, simultaneous multiplayer feature, eliminating the need for delays due to AI or player turn sequences.
Leskur explained that simultaneous multiplayer is a significant feature in Ara. This means more individuals can engage simultaneously without waiting for others to make their moves. In contrast to many turn-based games where each player must wait for all others to act, Ara allows multiple players to decide their actions concurrently within a turn timeframe. All choices are processed at the end of the turn and play continues.
This new game represents a significant leap forward in the turn-based strategy genre, primarily due to the enhanced capabilities provided by Oxide’s exclusive Nitrous Engine. Given that the developers would have been restricted to the same engines commonly used for other strategy games, this level of progress might not have been achievable.
Essentially, Ara: History Untold intends to present a fresh take on turn-based 4X grand strategy gameplay, not to supplant any games that have come before it. I was curious about Leskur’s perspective regarding the unveiling of Civilization 7, given its apparent similarities with Ara in aspects such as a triple-act system.
When other games in the same genre introduce their unique features, Leskur replied, “It seems like there’s enough space for everyone to thrive, and there’s sufficient distinction that I believe each game is unique in its own right.” I may not be able to fully articulate how Ara: History Untold will stand out, but I am eagerly looking forward to delving deeper into the game to find out if Oxide Games has mastered the strategy genre on their initial attempt.
Ara: History Untold is just around the corner, too, slated to release on Sept. 24, 2024, for Windows PC on Steam and Microsoft Store, and will also be a day one addition to PC Game Pass. You can preorder Ara: History Untold now, choosing between a Standard Edition and the Deluxe Edition with more leaders and nations at launch. If you’re interested in learning more about Ara, I’m actually not the first to chat with Oxide, with our own Jez Corden speaking to several members of the studio earlier this year.
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2024-09-13 16:40