This Epic FREE Game On Xbox Game Pass Gives Civ A Run For Its Money

If you’re a fan of the Sid Meier’s Civilization franchise or Humankind, the 2024 grand strategy game Ara: History Untold is definitely worth checking out, and it’s completely free on Xbox Game Pass for subscribers. Ara is an essential 4X turn-based strategy game developed by Oxide Games and published by Xbox Game Studios, and it features its own unique twists on the wildly popular Civ mechanics that defined the genre.

While many historical 4X strategy games like Humankind are reminiscent of past and current Civilization games, Ara stands out by featuring “true simultaneous turns” that lead to a much more exciting and distinct experience than you might find in a typical Civ or Humankind match. After Civilization 7‘s disappointing launch, players looking for a new 4X experience should definitely give Ara a try while it’s free on Game Pass.

Ara: History Untold Features Gameplay Similar To Civ & Humankind

Ara Refines & Expands On Many Of Its Contemporaries’ Mechanics

Ara: History Untold is an extremely fun take on the 4X formula, and deserves more credit than it gets. The game incorporates the three-era concept much more effectively than Civilization 7, allowing players to take various paths to victory as opposed to being limited to just four different Legacy Paths, because “in Ara, there are no pre-set paths to victory, leading to endless possibilities.”

It also has very distinct features that set it apart from Civ and Humankind, with features such as “a national crafting economy, true simultaneous turn resolution, a non-linear technology tree, and cloud-backed synchronous/asynchronous multiplayer.” Ara is also much more granular and detailed than what you might find in other 4X games, allowing players to “zoom out from surveying the very edges of your empire all the way down to your citizens living their daily lives.”

Ara: History Untold 2.0 Releases In September To Address Player Feedback

The New Update Promises To Reduce Micromanagement & Improve UI

No matter what 4X game you pick up, you’re likely to find issues with gameplay and performance, especially in the games’ early months after release. Ara is no exception, with issues similar to Civ 6’s micromanagement complaints, as well as UI, AI, and other performance problems. However, Ara is getting a 2.0 update coming this September that will vastly overhaul the experience and improve things based on player feedback since the game’s launch.

Ara: History Untold has received a few updates already to address these issues, and it’s in a considerably better state since the game’s initial launch. If you’re a fan of the Civilization franchise, Humankind, or other turn-based 4X grand strategy games, Ara: Untold History is an underrated game that is well worth your time. Plus, it’s free for Game Pass subscribers right now, so take advantage of the deal while you can.

Ara: History Untold

Released

September 24, 2024

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Oxide Games

Publisher(s)

Xbox Game Studios