Pharaoh: A New Era Review: A New Take on an Ancient Title
Anyone who remembers the original Pharaoh released back in 1999 knows that, despite its ancient setting, something about the game was perhaps a little ahead of its time. I first encountered the title while accompanying my dad to a PC repair shop — he’d spend hours learning about computer parts and how to tinker with building his own while I stood at one of several laptops on display completely immersed in Ancient Egyptian city-building. Although I only got to play Pharaoh sparingly all those years ago, it left a mark on me like it does on everyone who touches it: Pharaoh was magic in city-building form, every player falling under its alluring spell.
Naturally, this meant I — like every other transfixed fan — was eager to play the highly anticipated remaster, Pharaoh: A New Era. Originally developed by Impressions Games and published by the PC powerhouse team of yesteryear Sierra Studios, Pharaoh: A New Era fell into the hands of developer Triskell Interactive and publisher DotEmu. Available on Steam, Pharaoh: A New Era asks players to “build monuments, manage your population through hundred of hours of gameplay and explore 4,000 years of history through more than 50 missions.” And with an introductory price of $15.99 (regularly $22.99), Pharaoh: A New Era won’t make you empty out the treasury to play on these banks.
I want to lead with the good with Pharaoh: A New Era, because there’s a lot of it — right off the bat, Pharaoh: A New Era makes another magical first impression. From the sweeping, cinematic opening video to the small yet impactful nuances in gameplay, Pharaoh: A New Era is still the game I couldn’t tear myself away from all those years ago. The standards of city-building are all there, like building homes, pockets of industry, and keeping citizens happy and healthy, but it’s all done in a way that lends to an impressive amount of historical accuracy — at least, in a way that sounds right to this armchair Egyptologist. Not only will players need to contend with typical things like access to food, water, and shelter, but also seasonal flooding from the Nile, appeasing the local deities, warding off grave robbers and wild animals, and constructing monuments to stand the test of time.
If you’ve never played the original Pharaoh, I should first express my apologies for your loss, but I will say that, for the record, not playing the original will probably make the experience of playing Pharaoh: A New Era better for you. In fact, if you haven’t played a city-builder ever — or at least since the original Civilization — you might be more patient for a few different reasons. On the one hand, the UI is incredibly simple, which is ultimately good because that’s the sort of thing that can make or break a game in this genre. I personally really enjoyed its simplicity because it felt most true to city-builders of days gone by, and adding unnecessary complexity can bog down a perfectly good “turn your brain off” title. It might put off those wanting a deeper challenge, but newcomers (or those wanting very streamlined gameplay) will get the most from the design here.
On the other hand, a surprising amount of quality of life updates that have been made to the genre over the past few decades seem to be missing. I’m talking random pop-ups wreaking havoc on what you’re doing in that moment, no mini-map (which is strange because even the original Civ had one), and — most aggravating to me personally — no ability to rotate the camera. Veterans of the genre are going to notice the lack of modern day fundamentals, but those dipping their toes into city-builders might not.
Luckily, my few gripes with Pharaoh: A New Era are things that can be addressed later on in updates (looking at you, pop-up menus), and these issues did not prevent me from yet again falling under its spell. Pharaoh: A New Era attempted to revitalize one of the most hauntingly memorable city-builders of the ’90s — nay, arguably all time — so I’m more just happy that it exists at all, even with its handful of fixable flaws. And while a quick peek at the Steam reviews reveals a fair number of bugs, I’m pleased to report that my time spent with Pharaoh: A New Era was bug-free. I feel confident that any of the bigger issues plaguing the remaster will be addressed in the coming weeks; anything already buggy in the original, unfortunately, is up to the gods.
Pharaoh is one of those dream remaster candidates for those who fondly remember ’80s and ’90s PC games, so it stands to reason that fans of the original would have high hopes for Pharaoh: A New Era. Although it doesn’t quite meet those expectations for a few reasons — both understandable and questionable — Pharaoh: A New Era is still a must-play for anyone who loves city-builders, Ancient Egypt, or just wants to try something nuanced and interesting. If you’re looking to unearth ancient gaming treasures to polish into something new, Pharaoh: A New Era is proof the gaming gods answer prayers in mysterious ways.
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Available on: PC (Reviewed); Publisher: DotEmu; Developer: Triskell Interactive; Players: 1; Released: February 15, 2023; MSRP: $22.99
Full disclosure: This review is based on a copy of Pharaoh: A New Era provided by the publisher.
