Age of Mythology: Retold Review Summary

Stunning, modernized graphics and visuals: The game features significantly improved graphics, models, textures, and visual effects, revitalizing the classic while maintaining its original charm. Reviewers highlight the enhanced details in units, buildings, and environments, making the game visually impressive and modern.

Successfully evokes strong nostalgia: The remake successfully captures the nostalgic essence of the original game, evoking fond memories for returning players. Reviewers appreciate how the updated graphics, sound design, and gameplay enhancements enhance the experience without sacrificing the original's magic.

Engaging and improved multiplayer: The game offers a variety of engaging multiplayer experiences, with improved matchmaking, stable online battles, and crossplay functionality. Reviewers enjoy teaming up with friends, participating in ranked matches, and exploring new game modes.

Rebalanced gameplay and mechanics: The game features rebalancing and adjustments to gameplay mechanics, god powers, and unit stats, creating a fairer and more strategic experience. Reviewers note that these changes promote diverse strategies and prevent overpowered tactics.

Many quality-of-life improvements: Numerous quality-of-life improvements enhance the gameplay experience, making it more accessible and enjoyable for both new and veteran players. These include UI enhancements, refined controls, and streamlined mechanics.

Voice acting inferior to original: The new voice acting is generally considered worse than the original, lacking the same conviction and passion. Many reviewers recommend using mods to restore the original voice acting. This issue extends to both the base game and the campaign.

Poor unit pathfinding and AI: Unit pathfinding and AI are significantly worse than the original game, with units getting stuck, failing to follow commands, and behaving unintelligently. This makes micromanagement difficult and impacts strategic gameplay. The AI also relies on unit spam and resource cheating to create difficulty.

Lacks significant new content: The game doesn't offer enough new content or significant changes compared to the original Age of Mythology. Some reviewers feel it's essentially a reskin with a different user interface. Selling classic god portraits as DLC is also criticized.

Inconsistent difficulty and outdated feel: The game has inconsistent difficulty, strange controls and feels outdated. Some reviewers feel the game is a paid beta version instead of a "retold" experience.

'Arena of the Gods' is flawed: The 'Arena of the Gods' mode is poorly designed and buggy, with repetitive gameplay, uninspired maps, and frequent crashes. Some reviewers consider it an utter waste of time. The mode also requires an online connection, even for single-player.

Reusable god powers with cost: God powers can now be used multiple times, but at an increasing favor cost after the initial free use. This change encourages strategic timing and resource management, adding a new layer of tactical depth to combat.

Diverse civilizations, strategic god choices: The game retains its core RTS gameplay while incorporating mythological elements. Each civilization (Greek, Egyptian, Norse, Atlantean) offers unique units, gods, and playstyles, influencing strategic options and replayability. Choosing different minor gods when aging up further enhances strategic depth.

Reworked Wonders offer powerful bonuses: Wonders have been reworked to provide significant gameplay advantages beyond just a timed victory. Building a Wonder now grants increased favor generation, empowers myth units, reduces god power cooldowns and costs, and allows for the summoning of additional Titans, adding a new 'Wonder Age' to the game.

Expanded maps, modes, mod support: The game features an increased population cap, modified maps, and new game types, expanding the skirmish and multiplayer options. Mod support is included, allowing players to tweak the game and create custom content.

Reworked Atlantean mechanics (mixed): Atlantean favor generation has been reworked to use oracles instead of town centers, and Atlantean heroes no longer require population. However, some reviewers note that the Atlanteans still struggle with favor generation, and the Atlantean campaign is very easy.

Smooth performance and good optimization: Many reviewers report that the game generally runs smoothly and is well-optimized, even on the Steam Deck and less powerful machines. The graphics are considered good and improved over previous versions, and the game is stable with few crashes or bugs encountered.

Unit pathfinding issues exist: While generally acceptable, unit pathfinding can be problematic at times. Units may get stuck on terrain or navigate around objects unnecessarily, hindering gameplay.

Medium-level hardware required: Lower-end systems may require reduced graphical settings to achieve acceptable performance. The game's hardware requirements are considered to be medium-level.

Lag spikes with specific actions: Significant lag spikes can occur when queuing Atlantean infantry to heroes, causing FPS drops. Frame drops may also happen when RTX and epic settings are enabled, especially with large armies and particle effects.

Nvidia GPU detection issue: The Nvidia GPU is shown as an unknown vendor, even with updated drivers. This may indicate a compatibility or detection issue.

Buggy, unbalanced, and unstable: The game's current state is unstable. Many reviewers cite bugs, balance issues, and performance problems that detract from the experience, leading to cautious recommendations or outright avoidance. Some reviewers are leaving negative reviews to highlight these issues and encourage faster fixes.

Faithful and modernized remake: Many reviewers feel the remake successfully captures the essence of the original game while modernizing it for a new audience. It's considered a worthy successor and a good starting point for those new to the series.

Great for RTS enthusiasts: The game is highly recommended for RTS fans, especially those familiar with the Age of Empires series or interested in mythology. Reviewers emphasize its appeal to both newcomers and veterans of the genre.

Excellent and highly recommended: Many reviewers express overall satisfaction with the game. They consider it to be excellent, worth the money, and a must-play, with some even calling it a masterpiece or the best in the series.

Nostalgic and worth revisiting: The game evokes strong feelings of nostalgia for those who played the original. Many reviewers recommend it as a way to relive those memories, especially if purchased on sale.

Future DLCs and pantheons: The game will feature reworked Chinese civilization in a future DLC, which generates excitement. The base game includes Greek, Egyptian, Norse, and Atlantean factions. Some reviewers express concern about potential pay-to-win mechanics related to new pantheons.

Remake with familiar gameplay: The game is a re-release or remake of an older title with quality-of-life improvements. The core gameplay remains familiar and solid, retaining the essence of the original. Some additions from the Extended Edition are not included.

Variety of modes and content: The game offers various modes, including campaigns, skirmish, a new arena mode, and multiplayer. It utilizes the engine from "Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition" and receives constant updates, new content, and meta adjustments.

Extensive modding and map tools: The game provides powerful tools for creating maps and scenarios, along with Workshop support for mods. Players can access graphical and sound mods, including full faction overhauls, extending the game's life and customization options.

Concerns about live-service model: The reviewer with extensive experience in the original expresses some concerns. They note the absence of Steam achievement progress display and hope the game avoids becoming a live-service model.