For over 20 years, Age of Mythology holds a special place in many real-time strategist’s hearts, but it’s oft-forgotten when compared to the Age of Empires series. In 2014, Age of Mythology saw an “Extended Edition” that modernized it somewhat, but a proper “Definitive Edition” is what were what fans were after. Unlike the recent Age of Empires remasters, Age of Mythology: Retold is a full-on remake that warrants a higher price point that admittedly has less campaigns, but no shortage of game to play. This spin-off from the Age of Empires series brought the fantastical world of Greek, Norse, Atlantis, and Egyptian mythology to life. Age of Mythology: Retold once again recaptures the magic for a new generation, while offering veterans a return to a beloved classic with an remade look.
Campaigns and Mythical Battles
There’s a short tutorial that gets you acquainted with the controls and what to expect from the campaigns. From there you’re free to select from the three campaigns: The New Atlantis, Fall of the Trident, and The Golden Gift. Each has a long set of mission to complete, with differing objectives, and increasing challenges. They are all memorable and serve as training for the multiplayer, where familiarity and experience with each of the factions, called pantheons will be paramount. Lastly, the game features standalone scenarios called Mythical Battles. There’s a lot of game here, and many you’ll call your favorite and return to because they’re that good.
Multiplayer
Like Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, you can jump into skirmishes with any pantheon. The competitive multiplayer, where Age of Mythology truly thrived, remains a strong point. Retold offers a robust online infrastructure with ranked and unranked matches, allowing players to test their skills against others. The familiar civilizations and units provide a solid foundation for competitive play, while the new god powers add a layer of strategic nuance. The developers have also implemented a robust matchmaking system that ensures players are placed against opponents of similar skill levels.
You’ll choose a pantheon (or civilization) like Greek, Norse, Atlantean, or Egyptian, gather resources, construct buildings, train mythical units, and ultimately crush their opponents. The classic campaign structure returns, with each civilization receiving its own story arc that loosely follows established myths. We see Zeus grapple with the rise of the Titans, Odin plot the downfall of the Jötunn giants, and Ra battle the god Seth. While the narrative beats won’t surprise seasoned players, the voice acting and cinematics are impressive, breathing new life into these familiar tales. While hero unit abilities not new, the power of gods are. Also new for Age of Mythology: Retold is that the powers can be recharged, and are no longer one-time used per mission.
The core mechanics remain largely unchanged. Resource management is still about balancing wood, gold, and favor (earned through worship). Unit production relies on Town Centers and specialized structures like Barracks, Stables, and Mythical Academies. Micromanagement, a hallmark of the RTS genre, is still present, requiring players to effectively control their armies and heroes. At any point you can view and learn tech tree to better understand how to play each pantheon effectively.
The defining aspects of the game was deviating from history and instead focusing on the mythology. Each civilization has a pantheon of gods they can appease by constructing temples and monuments. These deities offer powerful blessings and devastating abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Retold expands on this system, introducing unique god powers for each deity within a civilization. For example, Zeus can call down lightning strikes with “Wrath of Zeus,” while Poseidon offers the devastating “Kraken” sea monster. These additions add a layer of strategic depth, forcing players to consider which gods to favor based on their playstyle and the specific challenges of each map.
However, the reliance on familiar mechanics can feel like a missed opportunity in some ways. The campaign missions, while well-presented, are largely linear. Resource management feels mostly unchanged, offering little innovation for veterans.
While Age of Mythology: Retold stays true to the core gameplay of the original, it does introduce some welcome modernizations. The resource gathering and construction systems have been streamlined, making the game more accessible to newcomers. The pathfinding has also been improved, ensuring your units navigate the battlefield more efficiently. Additionally, the developers have added a few new features, such as the ability to research upgrades for specific units. These tweaks, while subtle, do improve the overall gameplay experience without fundamentally altering the core mechanics that veteran players loved.
While Age of Mythology: Retold excels in its visual fidelity and nostalgic appeal, it does have some shortcomings. The biggest drawback is the lack of significant new content. The campaign missions, while faithful, offer little to surprise players who experienced them in the original. Furthermore, the lack of additional civilizations or major gameplay innovations might leave some veterans feeling like they’ve seen it all before. The developers have clearly focused on faithfully recreating the original experience, but there’s a sense of missed opportunity when it comes to pushing the boundaries of the genre.
While the gameplay is from the era and engine of Age of Empires III, the menu design reflects Relic’s Age of Empires IV. Visually, Retold is a significant upgrade over the original. The graphics are crisp and detailed, bringing the mythological creatures and environments to life in stunning detail. The animations are fluid, especially for powerful attacks and unit abilities. The soundtrack, while not a complete overhaul, features remastered versions of the classic tracks alongside some new compositions that perfectly capture the grandeur of the setting. The voice acting, as mentioned earlier, is exceptional, breathing personality into the gods, heroes, and even the humble villager.
My PC Specs:
– Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
– Intel Core i9 13900K @ 5.8GHz
– ASUS ROG RYUJIN II 360 ARGB AIO Liquid CPU Cooler
– G.SKILL TRIDENT Z5 6000MHZ 64GB (32×2) DDR5 RAM
– ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4080 16GB GDDR6X
– WD_BLACK SN850X M.2 (4 TB)
– LG UltraGear 34GP950B-G (21:9 Ultrawide @ 3440×1440)
Age of Mythology: Retold is a faithful and visually stunning recreation of the classic RTS. Veteran players will undoubtedly find themselves transported back to an earlier time, reliving epic battles, using godly powers, and managing their booming mythological empires. Newcomers to the series will find a well-polished and accessible strategy game steeped in rich mythology. However, the lack of significant new content and the focus on nostalgia might leave some players yearning for more. Age of Mythology: Retold is no fable, it really serves as a reminder it shouldn’t have never been forgotten.
A Steam code was provided by the publisher for review purposes
