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However, in 2016, the series crossed a rubicon.

Leaving history behind,Total Warmade a brave step into the world of fantasy withTotal War: Warhammer.

Ramesses looks askance at a Slaanesh demon

This bold move gave us one of thebest PC strategy gamesof recent years.

It also marked a point of no return for the venerable series.

Even the boring, vanilla human faction boasts a gun that shoots fireworks.

A city at dusk

The whole thing breeds imagination and playfulness.

Want to pit an army ofsteamtanks against twenty dragons?

you’re free to.

Ramesses distinguishes himself in battle

Pharaohs factions are mechanically distinctive and offer players a broad range of paths that they might take to survive.

This is becauseTotal Warhas always used conflict and battle to do the talking.

During engagements, Ramesses and his honor guard are a distinctive unit, fulfilling a unique role.

Valkia the Bloody and her army of demons marches to war

Faction leaders like the human Emperor Karl Franz or vampire lord Vlad von Carstein are already larger-than-life figures.

Franz is an imposing sort, clad in ornate yet hefty armor-plating.

He is practical and tough, but also ostentatious.

The scale of theTotal Wargames suits the theatrical melodrama of the Warhammer setting.

Its a classic endgame crisis in the vein ofStellaris- an existential war that threatens your faction.

Theres plenty of tension to be had here, too.

The apocalyptic drama of these events adds zest to fantasy worlds while undermining the historical accuracy of real-world parameters.

Its telling thatTotal War: Pharaohhas to sidestep history to provide its most interesting setpiece.

Looking to broaden your gaming horizons?

Check out our lists of thebest single-player gamesand thebest co-op games.