In Age of Mythology: Retold, we dive into the world of gods, semi-historical figures, mythical beasts, and myths. We turn up the fantasy dial and delve into the realms of Greek, Norse, Atlantean, and Egyptian mythology.
Microsoft has heard the loud call from the strategy game community. For years, fans of Age of Mythology have begged for this game to receive the same treatment as the Age of Empires series. Age of Mythology was originally released in 2002, so we’re talking about a 22-year-old game (are you feeling old yet?). In 2014, an Extended Edition was released, bringing HD graphics to the Age of Mythology.
Unlike Age of Empires 2, Age of Mythology did not become a major eSports game. In that regard, it is somewhat comparable to Age of Empires 3. However, I approach this game differently than the games in the Age of Empires series because, in my opinion, this game is not about the best balance and a perfectly crafted multiplayer experience. I’ll come back to that later.
Age of Mythology is more about experiencing a different kind of world. You play not only to win but also to gain the approval of your God. You use this approval to train an arsenal of mythical creatures ranging from cyclops to hydras to be used in battle. Additionally, you have access to various so-called ‘God Powers’ which you can use on the battlefield. Think, for example, of turning your opponents into pigs, summoning a lightning bolt, or calling forth an earthquake. It’s all possible, as long as you are in good favor with your God.
The gods you’d like to worship
So, what are we talking about? You might be familiar with Norse and Greek mythology as it’s often used in digital entertainment, with prominent examples being God of War or Percy Jackson.
When playing you can choose between 12 Gods (the 13th is a paid addition). These are the ‘major gods,’ and you will likely recognize some (or most) of them: Poseidon, Thor, Zeus, Hades, Kronos, Gaia, Ra, and Loki are just a selection. Each god you choose has different ‘minor gods’ that determine your tech tree in the game. For example, if you play as Zeus, you can choose to worship the gods Athena and Hermes. Each god gives you different powers and mythical creatures that you can use while playing. So, there are many variations possible.
This is also why I approach this game differently than, for example, Age of Empires 2. The balance is hard to find, as one God is much better than the other. And not at the level like in Warcraft, Age of Empires, or Starcraft. No, the difference between the factions is significant.
Maybe they are still working on it, as they are not making it easy for themselves, but the ‘Tale of the Dragon’ expansion with Chinese gods that was added back in 2015 has not been added to this edition of the game. There was a lot of criticism on this expansion, so for the first expansion to Age of Mythology: Retold we’ll see a fully revamped version of the original ‘Tale of the Dragon’ content. And then balancing the total package will be even more challenging.. with even more gods to deal with!
We have prayed to the Xbox gods
Before we forget! This is the first time a game in the “Age of” series launches simultaneously on both PC and Xbox. And as we have come to expect from World’s Edge, the controls on Xbox are more than fine. It will never feel as comfortable as playing with a keyboard and mouse, but I’d argue fans of the genre never expected World’s Edge to create controls for Xbox that work so well. And to this day I am still impressed with what they’ve been able to do. So, if you want to play on Xbox with a controller then you’re good to go.
Graphically, the update is impressive. The difference between the Extended Edition and this Retold version is quite significant. Yet, World’s Edge, Forgotten Empires, and the other developers have managed to retain the soul of the game. We know all too well that such things can go wrong… (cough… Warcraft III Reforged). The game runs smoothly, with only the occasional frame drop during high action moments. The aforementioned action truly pops off the screen. The effects of your God Powers are visible, and despite the various sizes of units on the battlefield, it remains an organized whole.
In the campaign the real-time cutscenes are a classic way to tell the story. So, don’t expect grand CGI movies like in Halo Wars 2. The main campaign lasts about 15 hours, depending on your play style, of course.
Some players maximize their economy in every mission until the action starts. And some scenarios are perfect for that. In total, there are 44 missions. The first expansion of Retold will increase that number, as the Chinese missions will be added.
In short, plenty to enjoy. As always in the Age games, there is enough content to keep you entertained for many hours.
Besides the campaign, there is a Skirmish mode and a multiplayer mode. Sadly I’ve encountered some strange behaviour from the AI in the Skirmish mode. During my matches against hard AI sometimes the enemy doesn’t develop into the second or third age, nor does it attack or build up a sizeable army.
This means you have to restart the game, as playing with or against an AI that doesn’t do much isn’t much fun. Other smaller (less important) bugs include units not disappearing after they’ve died and some glitches where UI elements suddenly change their appearance.
The moment-to-moment gameplay is very similar to other classic real-time strategy games you might be familiar with. You collect rescources, build your base, train an army and attack the opponent. Balancing your different resource streams has become a tad bit more accessible with Retold, as a minor gameplay change from the previous versions is that you now have the option to auto-distribute your workers to certain resources. Especially convenient if you’re playing with a pad!
A major gameplay change from the original game has been implemented too. The Retold version allows players to use God Powers multiple times. This means the battlefield becomes even more chaotic during longer games. It also means players will have to choose between using their God Powers and training mythical creatures.
Both actions cost approval, that you can ‘mine’ at the temples by praying. Yes, apparently that’s how religion actually works. The player who prays the hardest will have the most approval from their gods. And as we know, Greek and Roman gods can be callous and cruel.
Overall the game offers a very polished package, and I’ve had many hours of fun while writing this review. While I’ve played the skirmish modes and the campaign mode extensively, I haven’t yet tested the multiplayer mode during my review – bear that in mind!
Livin’ on a prayer
The developers have once again done a wonderful job of bringing one of the classic and legendary games from history to the present day. Are you interested in a strategy game with a twist? Are you tired of the human/historical conflicts exhibited in Age of Empires and the like? Then take a look at the mythical world of Age of Mythology: Retold.
I think you won’t be disappointed. If they can fix some of the AI problems and balance issues in future patches, Age of Mythology can truly stand among its peers. It might even become the true fan favorite it was always destined to be. Maybe we should ask the gods for their favor and start praying.
Prostagma!
Age of Mythology: Retold
Played on
PC & Xbox Series X
PROS
- Visuals honour the past
- Diverse asymmetrical RTS
- Runs well on PC and Xbox
CONS
- Balance is still an issue
- Buggy AI
