Initial release date: August 28, 2024
Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
Developers: World’s Edge, Forgotten Empires, CaptureAge, Tantalus Media, Virtuos
Series: Age of Empires
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
License: proprietary license
Genres: Real-time strategy, Strategy
More than just a modern take on a beloved classic, Age of Mythology: Retold is a reconstruction of the golden age of real-time strategy games, when civilizations might rise and fall in a single evening and LAN parties consisted of nothing more than a tangle of cables, pizza, and Mountain Dew. Though the developers went above and beyond, a graphical update probably would have been sufficient to sell this game. Age of Mythology: Retold has a ton of quality-of-life enhancements, new gameplay modes, updated graphics, and more that will make it seem both eerily familiar and entirely compatible with contemporary RTSs.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Age of Mythology series, it’s a real-time strategy game (RTS) that included legendary units and a pantheon of gods with unique abilities and bonuses to build on the enormous popularity of Age of Empires. The basic gameplay consists of each player starting with a Town Center and a small number of residents and working their way up to establish their own civilization. It is then up to you to grow, progress through the eras, and vanquish your adversaries. Players gather resources, develop structures to enlist soldiers, investigate novel technology, and engage in combat.
The distinguishing feature of Age of Mythology and its elder sibling, Age of Empires, is the legendary units and deity powers. At debut, there are multiple pantheons available for selection. There are three gods available for each, or four if you get the new DLC. In addition to dictating the gods and armies you can use, the pantheon you select will have a significant impact on how you play the game. Every pantheon has distinct units and focuses on different things. Your chosen god will further distinguish your skills and stats, and as the game goes on, each lesser god you select will further refine your play options and give you the ability to react to what your opponents are doing.
There are several different game modes in Age of Mythology. The original game’s campaigns are back, and they’re a fantastic way to study the fundamental ideas in a safe setting. Mythic Battles is new to Retold. When the review was conducted, there was just one available. Nevertheless, with its comprehensive map and scenario editor, the mode is obviously intended to be further developed by the developer and even the player base. Essentially one-off campaign-style scenarios, the Mythic Battles are entertaining challenges. Reginleif’s Rally is the current one that is accessible. However, Skirmish is going to be the most popular mode. The core of real-time strategy games is the skirmish mode, where you can select your civilization, teams, map, difficulty, and win conditions to pit yourself against the AI or other players.
Retold is a feature-rich editor that lets you create your own maps, campaigns, and situations, just like in earlier iterations. For those who truly want to get into creating bespoke games, everything is offered, including action triggers, cinematics, and map-making tools. Although I can’t stand this kind of crap, I appreciate that it’s included and that there’s a way to share personalized content.
So, is Age of Mythology Retold really necessary if you already have a previous version? I will categorize the updates rather than going into depth about each one as there are too many. It’s clear from the images. Retold appears to be a contemporary game, so now is your chance to find out how the original units were intended to appear if you’ve ever wondered. With its stunning visual makeover, one would hardly believe that this game was released in 2002.
The quality of life changes are the next noteworthy upgrade. The game seems a lot more like a new release thanks to features like auto explore instructions for scout troops, much more evident and labeled hotkeys, more control over unit behaviors and stances, and a much cleaner and clearer user interface. You’ll notice a lot of shared DNA if you enjoy these kinds of games and played Age of Empires 4 a few years back. The fantastic franchise upgrades from AoE 4 are heavily included into the menus, user interface, and graphical design. The game balance is the last category of updates. Damage, armor values, and unit prices have all been assessed and adjusted. With the new balance adjustments, seasoned players will need to relearn all of their build orders and tactics. Retold includes a DLC for the new Norse god Freyr at launch. The game no longer includes the previously released Chinese pantheon, but it will be back eventually along with another, secret pantheon. Furthermore, two more difficulties have been added to Titan for true game masters. Extreme and Legendary difficulties are accessible for those who are truly up for a challenge, but they are not for the weak of heart.
This most recent iteration of Age of Mythology is a remake masterclass. I didn’t have to spend any time relearning the game and felt quite comfortable diving into a skirmish. It doesn’t compromise on anything in its improvements, feeling much like the Age of Mythology that I grew up with. As I already indicated, the new user interface makes it much simpler to find and view crucial information while playing the game. Although it may seem insignificant, one really helpful addition is that items that are out of your price range now have dark buttons, making it clear that you cannot afford them. Regardless of your resource availability, every unit and upgrade button in the previous game version looked the same. Simply clicking the button would result in nothing happening. It also feels more natural to monitor your economy now that the resources are at the top of the screen rather than in the lower corner as it was previously.
I haven’t had the opportunity to go through every possible combination of gods and minor gods for this review, but from what I’ve played, it looks like Retold has a decent amount of balance. As of yet, I haven’t discovered a combo that feels flawed. Similar to other real-time strategy games, unit countering is crucial while playing at higher levels or against skilled opponents. Unit countering and economy management are major themes in Age of Mythology. The majority of mythic units have a special attack, but it always casts automatically, so you don’t have to be an expert keyboard user to have fun with them. A defensive or turtling playstyle is the one that is particularly difficult to execute in this game. Towers and walls can be constructed, but they serve more as speed bumps than as true defensive structures. If the game drags on too long, the emphasis will shift to mythological units and Titans, with relatively few siege weapons available.
Age of Mythology: Retold doesn’t reinvent the genre, but old fans won’t be let down, and new players might learn why role-playing games were the best in the not-so-distant past. Retold is a ton of fun to play with friends, exquisitely rebuilt, and mechanically sound.
Review Overview
Gameplay – 88%
Controls – 90%
Aesthetics – 92%
Content – 90%
Accessibility – 85%
Value – 88%
Overall Rating – 89%
EXCELLENT!
Summary: Age of Mythology: Retold revitalizes a beloved classic with enhanced visuals and refined gameplay, making it a must-play for both longtime fans and newcomers to the series. The game masterfully blends strategy with mythological storytelling, offering a deep, engaging experience packed with content. While some mechanics may feel dated, the overall package is a testament to the game’s enduring appeal. Whether you’re commanding Greek gods or Norse heroes, Age of Mythology: Retold is a nostalgic journey worth taking.