Described as the Definitive Edition version of Age of Mythology, Retold is a remake of the classic 2002 RTS game. While people who are often unfamiliar with the series confuse this game as an Age of Empires title, it contrasts with that series due to its focus on fantasy elements and various mythologies. Instead of armies of people, Age of Mythology features monsters, Gods and some people. It has been seen as the “closer to Warcraft RTS game” due to this.
Age of Mythology: Retold is a remake. It has been built on the same engine that was used to develop the recent Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition. However, at the same time, Xbox Game Studios has tried to keep the same classic feeling as the original while modernizing some gameplay mechanics.
As a result, Age of Mythology: Retold is a superb package. The game is easy to pick up and play, works great with a controller, is loaded with content and die-hard fans will love experiencing all 50+ campaign missions and so much more.
Age of Mythology: Retold comes as a complete package too. It includes all content updates and expansions that were released over the past few years. It also acts as the most balanced version of the game due to the various changes that came with each DLC.
Most importantly, Age of Mythology: Retold also includes a new Wonder Age which is a big deal for the experience. Once players have reached this age by constructing their first Wonder, the flow of building and combat is switched up. Players receive 1 Favour per second, god powers costs much less and have a 75% reduced cooldown. The Age of Wonder also triggers a buff for all Myth Units increasing damage and movement speed.
The Wonder Age alone provides quite a substantial change in gameplay. Of course, you won’t exactly benefit from the feature until you dive into the Skirmish modes but the additional buffs help reduce the duration of those late-game hustles. You can, however, turn off the feature and reduce your age back down if need be.
If you’re not one for those grinds, the campaign in Age of Mythology: Retold is great on its own. It features three original stories and over fifty missions. These missions act as great introductions to the game and the mechanics. Earlier missions revolved around learning the basics such as building towns, upgrading troops and mastering the God Powers.
If you don’t know, Age of Mythology’s God Powers are unique abilities that are unlocked when moving to a new Age. You can choose to side with a certain God and depending on your choice, you’ll learn spell-like moves that are important for combat encounters. Hades, for example, can cast Pestilence on an area which reduces unit damage, slows down ranged attacks and hinders building production.
These powers make Age of Mythology: Retold enjoyable. There’s also a lot to discover and replay depending on which God you choose. The Greek, Egyptian, Norse and Atlantean Pantheons all come with their own Gods. The combination of the setting, buildings, monsters and Gods all feed into the incredible fantasy element I loved from the original game.
A new feature in the Age of Mythology: Retold is the Villager Priority System. Every Age you reach allows you to assign a set of tasks to your villagers depending on your needs. You can quickly change this setting to alter the current focus of all the people at once. It saves a lot of time when it comes to micromanaging your systems.
Combined together, Age of Mythology: Retold makes for an enjoyable RTS. Granted, the game does feel simple at times in comparison to more modern titles. However, I kind of enjoyed the more casual approach here. That doesn’t mean you won’t be stuck in online matches for hours on end as the constant tug-of-war and resource-gathering feature comes into play.
Age of Mythology: Retold also looks good. While the animations are a bit stiff and the world and environments lack the depth of a modern game, the engine holds up quite well. Especially an hour into a mission when you’re escorting hundreds of troops across a war-torn battlefield and managing a bustling city. The game also has some raytracing settings that add a bit more detail and make the water look incredible.
I also played Age of Mythology: Retold using an Xbox Wireless Controller at one stage. It doesn’t beat a mouse and keyboard but the controller works. It does take a while to get used to though. There are also some clunky movements when building multiple of the same objects. I found myself having to repeat the same button presses over and over again to open the menu, select the building and place it down.
The game also comes with a range of difficulty settings including a Story Mode that greatly reduces the challenge. Great for those who just want to get through the campaign.
I have very little to complain about when it comes to Age of Mythology: Retold. This is an enjoyable RTS that clearly shows its age but at the same time, offers the same addictive gameplay as before. The few quality-of-life features go a long way to expand the game’s mechanics in the simplest ways and the 50+ missions and 40 PvE/PvP maps make this great value.
This Age of Mythology: Retold review is based on a PC review code sent to us by Microsoft. The game is available on 28 August for Premium Edition owners. It launches on 4 September for PC and Xbox Series X/S. It is also available on Xbox Game Pass.
Age of Mythology: Retold
Summary
Age of Mythology: Retold is an authentic remake of the classic 2002 game that comes with a robust list of content and some much-needed gameplay changes. The sheer time sink on offer here makes this a fantastic RTS. Not to mention the mod support and future expansions.
