Info about Age of Mythology: Retold - Heavenly Spear:

Official game description:
**A New Pantheon Rises. A Legend Awakens.**
-------------------------------------------
Command the gods, heroes, and yokai of Japan in Heavenly Spear, an all-new expansion for Age of Mythology: Retold. Play a sweeping campaign, wield the powers of mighty Japanese gods, and command samurai and mythical yokai to achieve victory.
**A Journey from Farmer to Hero**
---------------------------------
Heavenly Spear follows Yasuko, a peaceful farmer’s daughter whose destiny changes when she discovers a magical spear hidden in the countryside. As war looms and chaos spreads across the land, Yasuko is thrust into a world of gods, monsters, and mortal ambition. With the guidance of Akari, guardian of the spear, Yasuko must uncover the relic’s secrets and prevent it from falling into the hands of Kagemasa, a ruthless warlord who seeks to imprison the sun goddess Amaterasu and claim godhood for himself.
Yasuko’s journey spans 12 hand-crafted campaign missions, each rich with cinematic storytelling, unforgettable characters, and escalating stakes. Along the way, she’ll face mythical beasts, forge divine alliances, battling against Kagemasa to restore balance to the world.
**A Pantheon Like No Other**
----------------------------
Unleash the might of 12 new gods—each offering unique playstyles, god powers, and strategic possibilities. Awaken Raijin’s thunderous drums, send whole armies flying across the map with Fujin’s Smiting Gust, or even summon Watatsumi’s swirling dragon typhoon to devastate your enemies. Each Japanese god offers unique ways to dominate the battlefield.
**Spirits, Swords, and Shadows**
Myth units blend iconic Japanese folklore with inventive gameplay mechanics:
\- **Kitsune**: fox spirits who serve as scouts and strengthen nearby units, making them perfect for intelligence-gathering and supporting raids.
\- **Shinigami**: a terrifying spirit whose shout scares away enemies and who respawns into a more powerful form when defeated.
\- **Tengu**: winged master swordsmen who leap into battle. Samurai: skilled human soldiers who become more powerful with every victory.
\- **Shinobi**: expert assassins and saboteurs adept at hasty escapes.
**New Maps, New Strategies**
Battle across six new multiplayer and skirmish maps, inspired by the sacred mountains, misty forests, and mythic landscapes of Japanese legend. These maps are more than battlegrounds—they’re living mythologies waiting to be conquered.
Whether facing friends online or perfecting your build orders in solo skirmish, these new environments offer fresh tactical challenges and strategic depth.

Release date: Sep 30, 2025

Categories: Real-time Strategy, God Simulation, Mythological Setting, Single-player Campaign, Base Building, Japanese-themed Setting, Competitive Multiplayer, Hero Units

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 15; verdict: Fair — Traditional Paid DLC, No MTX Evidence; summary: The audit found no direct evidence of in-game microtransactions, real-money gacha, loot boxes, paid power, paid convenience, or a cash shop. Reviews mention premium editions, a season pass, and paid DLC expansions, with repeated criticism of DLC pricing and value. Under the scoring rules, traditional DLC, premium editions, and base-price complaints cannot push the score above 20, so the game is rated Fair.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $25.00 - $55.00
  - Reasoning: Direct base-game price evidence is limited because most reviews discuss DLC. One reviewer explicitly calls the 50 EUR base-game price a great value, anchoring the upper end near 55 USD. Another reviewer recommends waiting for a 50% or better discount, which implies a fair lower anchor around half of full price, roughly 25 USD. Excluding DLC-specific pricing complaints, the community fair base-game range is therefore approximately 25-55 USD.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: 6.0h
  - Session length: 0.7h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The campaign estimates support story completion: one review says first-time campaign completion is 4-6 hours, while another says the 12-chapter campaign lasts around 7.5 hours on Hard. I use about 6 hours as a typical story-completion estimate. For session length, mission times of 30-50 minutes and a note that some missions last no more than 30 minutes suggest sessions around 40 minutes, or 0.67 hours. There is no direct hour count for overall DLC/game completion or for endgame/new-mode play, so those metrics are null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The Japanese DLC is broadly well-received, but the strongest time-to-fun signal is early friction: the main hero and early-game balance feel poor for the first three missions before the experience improves. Other reviews describe the campaign as engaging throughout, and one notes only the final missions feel underwhelming.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Completing the first three missions, after which the main hero becomes less frustrating to use
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Main hero is frustrating to use during the first three missions; Early game is called utterly terrible with mechanics more annoying than fun; Strong units consume too much population and cost too much; God powers feel terrible in the early game
  - Unlock drivers: Main hero becomes better to use after the first three missions; The faction eventually clicks with the player
  - Conditions: Enjoyment may differ between single-player campaign and multiplayer/skirmish perspectives; Casual players versus multiplayer-focused players may experience the game differently
- Player Archetypes:
  - Single-Player Campaign Purist (sale)
    - Motivation: Experiencing the single-player campaign and story.
    - Playstyle: Plays through campaign missions, avoids PvP, focuses on narrative.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: casual player
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Competitive Multiplayer Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Competitive multiplayer gameplay and new strategic options.
    - Playstyle: Engages in PvP matches, skirmish, and multiplayer modes, cares about balance.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Age of Empires
  - Mythology RTS Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying the Age of Mythology series, Japanese mythology, and new faction design.
    - Playstyle: Mix of campaign, skirmish, and multiplayer, enjoying thematic and strategic depth.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: AOM fan
    - Reference games: The Titans; Heavenly Pillars
  - Value-Conscious DLC Shopper (sale)
    - Motivation: Getting the best value for money when purchasing DLC.
    - Playstyle: Evaluates content per price, likely plays single-player or mixed, waits for sales.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Enjoyable and solid campaign (weight 0.51): The campaign is repeatedly described as fun, solid, well-fleshed out, and beautiful, with a compelling story. It is considered genuinely good and well done overall.
- High-quality DLC praised (weight 0.5): Reviewers widely agree the DLC is fun, well-made, and matches or exceeds the quality of previous expansions, with strong replay value. Many call it the best DLC yet and say it perfectly captures the spirit of the franchise.
- Japanese civilization fun to play (weight 0.43): Numerous players find the Japanese civilization fun, fresh, and a blast to play in skirmish and multiplayer. It adds its own spin on the formula and is highly enjoyable across modes.
- Fun and unique units (weight 0.38): Units, especially myth units, are described as cool, interesting, really good, and unique. The myth units add personality and variety to the gameplay.
- Engaging campaign story (weight 0.3): The campaign story is considered decent, engaging, and solid, with excellent characters and a quality close to the original campaigns. It motivates players to complete the campaign.
- Cool and fun god powers (weight 0.27): God powers are seen as cool, interesting, and fun, with some over-tuned in an enjoyable way. Players appreciate the addition of many amazing powers.
- Campaign mission variety praised (weight 0.25): Reviewers highlight a decent variety of missions in the campaign, with lots of diversity and enough variation to keep gameplay interesting. The expanded scope with 12 missions is noted.
- Unique and balanced civilization design (weight 0.19): The new civilization is fun, unique, well-crafted, and pleasant to play, with good balance. It offers lots of fun units and intuitive twists.
- Campaign rivals Fall of the Trident (weight 0.18): The campaign is frequently compared to the original Fall of the Trident, with many calling it the best since then and of the same quality. Its structure is inspired by the classic campaign.
- Good voice acting (weight 0.14): The voice acting in the campaign is consistently described as good, solid, and decent. It adds to the overall quality of the story and presentation.

Common complaints:
- Poor campaign level design (weight 0.36): Campaign levels are criticized for lacking variety, forcing players into specific strategies, and having repetitive objectives. Many missions involve no base building or are too similar.
- Modern tropes and cultural inaccuracies (weight 0.35): The story incorporates modern Western tropes and DEI elements that feel out of place. Historical and mythological inaccuracies, such as using Buddhist figures, break immersion for some players.
- Unit responsiveness issues (weight 0.35): Units often ignore orders, walk away from fights, or get stuck in formation. Attack-move commands cause units to behave erratically, reducing combat effectiveness.
- Bugs and technical issues (weight 0.31): Numerous bugs are reported, including units getting stuck, sound glitches, and DLC not appearing in-game. These issues hinder the overall experience.
- Pathfinding is terrible (weight 0.31): Pathfinding issues persist, with units frequently getting stuck on terrain, props, or each other. This severely impacts gameplay and requires constant micromanagement.
- Pricing is too high (weight 0.3): Many players feel the DLC is overpriced for the amount of content offered. The $20 price tag is considered steep, especially for a short campaign.
- Multiplayer balance issues (weight 0.3): The Japanese faction is overpowered in multiplayer, with Asura and other units dominating matches. This creates an unbalanced and frustrating experience for many players.
- Population and favor issues (weight 0.3): Population costs for some units are too high, and the favor generation mechanic is criticized as clashing with resource gathering. The Bushido passive also doesn't integrate well.
- Voice acting and localization problems (weight 0.3): Voice acting is inconsistent, with some performances being poor and dialogue delivered with long pauses. Localization issues include broken Japanese and machine-translated text.
- Story is lackluster (weight 0.28): The story is often described as lackluster, predictable, and prosaic. Many players find it forgettable and not as in-depth as the main game's campaign.
- Japanese faction bland (weight 0.26): The Japanese civilization feels lacking in design, with a boring tech tree and units that don't stand out. The faction lacks unique mechanics and fails to capture the essence of Japanese culture.
- Myth units overpowered (weight 0.25): Myth units, particularly Asura and Oni, are considered excessively strong by many players. They dominate gameplay and unbalance both single-player and multiplayer.
- Character and writing flaws (weight 0.24): The protagonist feels like a Mary Sue, and characters like Ajax are underutilized. The writing is often described as bland, clichéd, and lacking depth.
- Price and content value (weight 0.24): Many reviewers feel the DLC does not offer enough content for its price, especially compared to the base game or other expansions. The value proposition is questioned.
- Forced online connection (weight 0.23): The Arena of the Gods mode requires a persistent online connection even for single-player, which is unnecessary and causes disconnects and lost progress.
- Missions are repetitive (weight 0.23): Mission design is criticized for being repetitive, with objectives that feel like they've been done before. There is a lack of variety and creativity in mission structure.
- Campaign is too short (weight 0.21): The campaign is frequently criticized for being too short, with many players wishing it was longer. It can be completed in 4-6 hours, which feels insufficient compared to previous expansions.
- Worse than Chinese DLC (weight 0.2): The Japanese expansion is often compared unfavorably to the Chinese DLC, which itself was considered underwhelming. The new content feels more perfunctory and less engaging.
- AI is poor (weight 0.14): The AI frequently gets stuck, stops attacking, and fails to pathfind effectively. It can also be overly aggressive or passive, leading to inconsistent difficulty.
- Cannot upgrade samurai (weight 0.13): Players report being unable to upgrade samurai to their maximum potential, such as champion dojo samurai. This appears to be a bug or oversight.

Gameplay feedback:
- Japanese civilization added via DLC (weight 0.71): The DLC introduces a new Japanese civilization as the central addition. Players can choose Japan as a playable faction with its own design and cultural identity.
- Campaign includes 12 missions (weight 0.54): The new campaign consists of 12 story-driven missions with varied objectives and maps. It includes voice acting, a prologue, and different difficulty levels.
- Unique Bushido and favor mechanics (weight 0.42): The Japanese civilization has a Bushido meter where units gain combat experience for passive army bonuses. Favor is generated through shrines tended by priests that boost nearby gathering.
- God powers and myth units included (weight 0.39): The game features god powers and myth units as core gameplay elements. God powers provide buffs and abilities, while myth units offer diverse powers in combat.
- Japanese mythology units and gods (weight 0.37): The Japanese faction features mythological units and god powers inspired by Shinto and Buddhist tales. Units include Oni, Asura, Tengu, Kitsune, and other creatures.
- Single-player campaign with story (weight 0.28): The expansion includes a single-player campaign with a narrative, dialogue, and scenarios. It offers a story-driven experience with mission variety.
- New human units like samurai (weight 0.19): The DLC adds new human military units, including samurai, ninja, shinobi, and hero units. These units come with unique mechanics and upgrades.
- Favor generation mechanic (weight 0.13): The game has a favor generation system that players use to gain divine resources. It is a key part of the Japanese civilization's economy.
- Major gods: Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo (weight 0.12): The Japanese pantheon includes three major gods: Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo. Each god offers unique powers and units to the faction.

Performance notes:
- Serious sound bug (weight 0.05): Screaming sounds play randomly and overlap severely, which could disrupt gameplay and immersion.
- Texture loading issues in cutscenes (weight 0.05): Textures load atrociously during cutscenes, with the problem occurring in every cutscene.
- Game crashes frequently (weight 0.05): The game keeps crashing, indicating stability issues that affect playability.
- Performance drop after release (weight 0.05): Performance took a hit after release, suggesting updates negatively impacted optimization.
- Low FPS on high-end GPU (weight 0.05): A 5070ti only manages 110fps in a 3v3 AI match, indicating poor optimization for high-end hardware.
- Runs well on Linux Mint (weight 0.04): The game runs without issues on Linux Mint, showing compatibility with this Linux distribution.

Recommendations:
- Strong unconditional recommendation (weight 0.45): A number of reviewers give strong recommendations without reservations, urging players to buy it if they can afford it. They consider it a must-have and see no reason to skip it.
- Purchase only on sale (weight 0.42): Many reviewers advise buying this DLC only during a discount, as they feel the full price is too high. They suggest waiting for a sale to get better value.
- Recommended for base game fans (weight 0.35): Several reviewers state that if you enjoyed the base game, this DLC is a good addition and worth recommending. They see it as a natural extension for those who already like the game.
- Recommended for series fans (weight 0.26): Many reviewers recommend the DLC to fans of the Age of Mythology series or Age of Empires games. They believe it will please long-time fans and is a solid addition.
- Appeals to Japanese mythology fans (weight 0.23): Reviewers recommend the DLC to those interested in Japanese mythology or culture, noting that it adds a new civilization with that theme. They suggest it is a must-buy for fans of the subject.
- Mixed or negative reviews (weight 0.22): A few reviewers do not recommend the DLC, citing reasons like poor story flow, balance disruption, or cultural inaccuracies. Some regret purchasing it or advise against buying at full price.
- Good value in Premium Edition (weight 0.21): Reviewers mention that the DLC is a better deal when purchased as part of the Premium Edition, which includes multiple civilizations and extras. They recommend the Premium Edition for the best value.
- Positive but with caveats (weight 0.2): Some reviewers give a positive recommendation but with reservations, such as pricing concerns or balance issues. They suggest buying on sale or being aware of the flaws.
- Requests for more content (weight 0.19): Several reviewers express a desire for more DLC, civilizations, and campaigns in the future. They enjoy the DLC and hope the developers continue releasing similar content.
- Campaign alone is worth it (weight 0.19): Several reviewers state that the campaign alone makes the DLC worth buying. They find the single-player content satisfying and recommend it for that reason.
- Worth the price (weight 0.11): Some reviewers feel the DLC is worth every penny and provides good value for the money. They believe the content justifies the cost.
- Balance tweaks needed (weight 0.07): A couple of reviewers mention balance issues that need tweaking, though they still recommend the DLC. They feel it is close to perfect but requires adjustments.
- Buy the Upgrade instead (weight 0.04): One reviewer advises against buying this DLC and instead recommends the Upgrade pack, which includes two civilizations, Freyr, and cosmetics. They see the Upgrade as a better purchase.
- Localization issues noted (weight 0.04): One reviewer mentions a broken Japanese localization as a negative point, only recommending it to those who can overlook that issue. This suggests a specific quality problem in the localization.
- Technical issue offline (weight 0.04): One reviewer notes that if the DLC worked offline, it would be worth its asking price, implying a technical limitation. This points to a potential offline functionality problem.
- Multiplayer focus recommended (weight 0.04): One reviewer recommends buying the DLC for multiplayer and jumping into that mode. This suggests the DLC has value for multiplayer enthusiasts.
- Core game enough for some (weight 0.04): One reviewer feels the core game is sufficient for normal players, implying the DLC is not essential. This reflects a view that the DLC is optional.
- Avoid cutscenes (weight 0.04): One reviewer recommends skipping the cutscenes, suggesting they are not enjoyable. This is a minor point about the campaign experience.
- Strategy tip: unlock champion upgrades (weight 0.04): One reviewer recommends trying to unlock champion upgrades as early as the classic second age with Bushido. This is a specific gameplay tip for the new civilization.

Other player notes:
- Better than Chinese DLC (weight 0.37): Many reviewers compare this expansion favorably to the previous Chinese-themed DLC, citing better story writing and overall quality. A few consider the Chinese DLC slightly stronger, but most prefer this one.
- Story-focused campaign expansion (weight 0.31): This is a story campaign expansion for Age of Mythology: Retold, similar to the previous one. The focus on narrative is a defining feature.
- Included in Premium Edition (weight 0.17): The DLC was included for free at launch with the Premium Edition, which also offers early access. Reviewers note that the Premium Edition provides good value.
- Best DLC for Age of Mythology (weight 0.14): Some reviewers call it the best DLC for Age of Mythology so far and recommend picking it up on sale. It is also preferred over the first DLC.
- Developers actively support game (weight 0.14): Reviewers note that the developers tend to the game and its community, actively working hard. The game was not abandoned unlike Age of Empires III after its DLC was cancelled.
- Hopes for more DLC (weight 0.14): Many reviewers express hope for more content in the future, including more DLCs of the same quality. They would not mind paying for another expansion if standards are maintained.
- Part of season pass (weight 0.13): The expansion is part of a season pass and ends it. This may be the last DLC content for the series, according to some reviewers.
- Superior to Immortal Pillars (weight 0.09): Compared to Immortal Pillars in story, setting, and voice acting, this DLC is considered superior. It also has fewer bugs and better polish.
- Characters from previous campaigns return (weight 0.08): The campaign features reunions with known characters from other campaigns. This continuity is appreciated by fans of the series.
- Story shorter and less deep (weight 0.08): Compared to the main game's story, the campaign story cannot match it, being shorter and less deep. This is a minor criticism noted by some.
- Provides several hours of fun (weight 0.08): The DLC alone already provides several hours of fun, and completing and exploring it takes a good while. This indicates good value for the price.
- Excitement for future DLCs (weight 0.08): Existing DLC content is well received, and the DLC has generated excitement for future DLCs. This shows positive momentum for the series.
- Compared to Age of Empires standards (weight 0.07): The campaign is compared to Age of Empires and Age of Mythology standards. This indicates it meets or exceeds expectations for the genre.
- First DLC mention (weight 0.07): Some reviewers note that this is the first DLC and that there are multiple DLCs for the game. This is a minor point of context.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.29): Players are disappointed by the lackluster Japanese civilization design, bland writing, and forgettable story that feels rushed and not worth the price. Many criticize the short, repetitive campaign with poor mission variety and balance issues, as well as missing opportunities for other mythologies.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.25): Players enjoy the excellent campaign, immersive story, and well-designed Japanese civilization with unique mechanics like the shrine and bushido. The fun units, god powers, and varied missions provide a highly enjoyable experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.22): Players are satisfied with the high-quality DLC that surpasses the Chinese expansion, featuring a well-made campaign, interesting Japanese pantheon, and balanced gameplay. The distinct civilization and engaging content meet or exceed expectations.
- Frustration (weight 0.2): Frustration stems from technical issues such as pathfinding bugs, AI getting stuck, crashes, and DLC access problems. Unbalanced multiplayer mechanics, weak faction design, and poor campaign execution also contribute.
- Appreciation (weight 0.13): Players appreciate the developers' passion and effort in creating a well-made Japanese civilization with unique mechanics and a detailed campaign. The faithful interpretation of Shinto and the high-quality remaster are also praised.
- Excitement (weight 0.12): Excitement is driven by the opportunity to explore a new mythology, the high-quality Japanese faction, and the engaging campaign with creative mechanics. Players look forward to future content and enjoy the unique units and god powers.
- Love (weight 0.1): Players express love for the new civilization, campaign, and features, including the Japanese units, lore, and developer support. The enjoyable story, missions, and characters, along with the pantheon design, are highly cherished.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.07): Enthusiasm is fueled by the fantastic expansion, great campaign, and the inclusion of samurai, ninjas, and onmyoji. The new faction mechanics and engaging missions create a desire for more content.
- Hope (weight 0.06): Players hope for more mythologies, expansions, and content in the future, including unexplored cultures like India or Mesopotamia. They also wish for technical fixes and continued support.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance arises from gameplay issues like poor pathfinding, forced cameos, and bugs, as well as story elements like DEI undertones and abrupt setting changes. Pricing and community backlash also contribute.
- Admiration (weight 0.04): Admiration is due to the beautiful visuals, art design, and thorough research put into the DLC. The passion of the developers and the high-quality writing are also highly regarded.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.03): Dissatisfaction is caused by unbalanced units, a lackluster Bushido mechanic, and inconsistent unit animations. Mythological inaccuracies and lazy level design further reduce enjoyment.
- Fun (weight 0.03): Players find the Japanese civilization fun to play with good deity choices and unique units. The DLC overall provides an enjoyable experience despite some challenges.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is directed at overpowered pantheons, the studio's customer service, and the always-online requirement. Cultural inaccuracies and unfair treatment of other civilizations also provoke anger.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom results from a boring tech tree, uninteresting units, and repetitive missions. Another eastern Asian civilization instead of other mythologies also contributes to boredom.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is evoked by the DLC reminding players of childhood memories of playing the original game. It brings back old memories and imagination of Asian campaigns.
- Amazement (weight 0.02): Amazement comes from the continued support of Age of Mythology with new campaigns and a Japanese faction. The phenomenal Heavenly Spear campaign is particularly impressive.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is brought by the pleasant campaign, cameos like Ajax, and the comedic storyline. The DLC trailer and powerful units also contribute to joyful experiences.
- Happiness (weight 0.02): Happiness is caused by the addition of Turkish language support and the Japanese civilization. Beating the campaign and seamlessly integrated new civilizations also bring happiness.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from unclear design decisions like myth units being good against myth, strange post-credit scenes, and broken upgrades. The samurai upgrade skin not changing also adds to confusion.}