Long in the shadows, Ara: History Untold is finally starting to make a name for itself in the very exclusive world of 4X strategy games. And with its new update, soberly named Living Strategy, the game is taking a real step forward. More complete, more readable, more demanding: Ara has clearly changed its face. Clearly enough to overshadow Civilization 7.
A serious alternative to Civilization 7?
Since its discreet launch last September, Ara has struggled to convince. It must be said that it arrived just after the announcement of Civilization 7, which didn't help attract attention. Add to that a somewhat clunky interface and a sometimes uneven start to the game, and you get a rough start.
But since then, developers Oxide Games have multiplied fixes, with the support of Stardock (Sins of a Solar Empire). As a result, recent reviews on Steam are now mostly positive. And this new update could well mark a turning point. A welcome change from Civilization 7.
Less micromanagement, more strategy
One of the big changes is citizen management. Before, you had to do everything manually. Now, you can define general policies and let your population organize itself according to your priorities. It's smoother, smarter, and above all, it leaves more room for strategic thinking. Sometimes even more so than in Civilization 7.
Another important new feature: the artificial intelligence has been seriously overhauled. No more overly passive or overly nice opponents. Aggressive factions no longer hesitate to build armies, your rivals build more efficient cities, and peace negotiations are no longer systematic. In short: the challenge is finally there, even at the end of the game. Perfect for mixing things up alongside Civilization 7.
Until now, Ara suffered from a frustrating flaw: as soon as you stepped back a little on the map, you lost essential information. With Living Strategy, key data remains visible even in global view. You can now keep an eye on production, citizen happiness, or building performance without having to constantly zoom in. It's a simple change, but one that significantly improves gameplay. Another big plus compared to Civilization 7.
Source: Steam
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