Age of Mythology: Retold - New Gods Pack: Demeter Review Summary

Demeter adds a fresh Greek playstyle with creative myth units, impressive heroes and minor gods, and a standout Eidolon spell, though this high-production expansion feels overpriced.

Demeter brings a fresh Greek playstyle: Demeter introduces an engaging mix of economy, terrain control, and defensive map control, giving Greeks a new strategic identity. Her resource denial and positioning mechanics make her a standout addition that changes how the pantheon can be played.

New myth units are creative and fun: Units like the stealthy Lykaon, werewolf-transforming villagers, and tree-disguised Hamadryads offer unique mechanics that fit the setting. Their creativity and gameplay impact have been widely praised.

New heroes and minor gods impress: Heroes like Orpheus, Iolaus, King Midas, and the flying Icarus are beautifully designed with unique abilities. Minor gods Pan, Hestia, and Persephone offer fresh mechanics that differ greatly from existing ones.

Persephone's Eidolon spell stands out: Persephone's Eidolon god power creates a shadow army from fallen units and offers an all-or-nothing strategic choice similar to Ragnarok. It also allows rebuilding command centers after a delay, adding deep tactical options.

Expansion features high production value: The bonus mission is fully voiced and exceptionally well-produced, with charming touches like Orpheus humming the main theme. The mythic battle with Orpheus and Cheiron is beautifully designed and fun to replay.

Overpriced DLC content: Many players find the DLC overpriced relative to the amount of content offered, citing high cost for few new units and gods. This sentiment appears across multiple clusters.

Broken chapters and bugs: Several reviews report broken chapters, locked symbols requiring repurchase of DLC, and long-standing unfixed bugs. This includes specific chapters like Reginleifs Rally and Silent Sanctuary.

Balance and synergy concerns: Reviews mention vague pantheon positioning, weak competitive strength, and insufficient mechanical synergy. These factors contribute to an unbalanced experience.

Unit cost inefficiency: Certain myth units like Hamadryads and Harpies are considered not worth their cost due to slow hiding or weakness. The resurrected army trade-off is also seen as unfavorable.

Greek-only content limited: Feedback indicates the DLC adds only a few new myth units and remains focused on the Greeks, limiting variety. This contributes to dissatisfaction with content volume.

Demeter DLC adds Greek content: The expansion introduces a new Greek major god, Demeter, along with three minor gods, new units, god powers, and heroes, significantly expanding Greek gameplay. Cluster 52 confirms one new major god, three unique minor gods, unique units, and a mythic battle.

Unique myth units and mechanics: The DLC adds myth units like tree dryads that can disguise as trees and villagers that transform into werewolves. These units offer new strategic options and fit the mythological setting.

New minor Greek gods introduced: Pan, Hestia, and Persephone are added as minor gods, each with distinct mechanics. Pan has a weakened area-limited peace spell, Hestia grants a hearth that converts enemies and boosts gathering, and Persephone resurrects fallen units when town centers are destroyed.

New god powers and abilities: The DLC introduces new god powers such as Persephone's resurrection and Hestia's hearth, along with other abilities that change gameplay dynamics.

New Greek heroes added: Orpheus, Iolaus, King Midas, and other heroes with unique abilities expand Greek hero options. A flying hero Icarus and Stymphalian birds are also included.

Mixed purchase recommendations: Several clusters show a split between recommending and not recommending the DLC, with some players finding it worthwhile and others advising against buying it. The sentiment is inconsistent and depends on individual preferences and spending priorities.

Poor value at full price: Multiple reviewers feel the DLC is not worth its full price, with some saying it is only worth it at a discount. The high cost relative to content is a common complaint.

Better value with bundles: Several reviewers suggest buying the DLC as part of a bundle or season pass rather than standalone, as it offers better value and includes additional content like the Aztec pantheon. This is seen as a more economical choice.

Worth it for Greek pantheon players: Recommendations are often tied to interest in the Greek pantheon, with some saying it is only worth it if you play that pantheon. Others not interested in Greek mythology find it less valuable.

Decent if on sale: The DLC is considered a decent pickup if it is on sale or if the buyer is not concerned about spending. It is viewed as more acceptable at a lower price point.

Community fair range: $25.00 - $35.00.

Pantheon Strategy Tinkerer: Defensive, map-control-oriented play built around a new god's unique units and abilities, heavily comparing and remixing established faction options. Motivation: Exploring a mechanically distinct god kit that reshuffles existing faction strategies and opens new tactics. Stance: buy.

Story and Theme Seeker: Plays through single-player story missions and values lore-accurate units and abilities aligned with the setting. Motivation: Experiencing narrative missions and thematically faithful mythological content that feels true to the setting. Stance: buy.

Value-Conscious DLC Comparator: Buys and compares DLC selectively, weighing content volume, quality, and price before committing. Motivation: Getting enough meaningful new content to justify the cost relative to other available DLC. Stance: sale.

DLC pricing and packaging: Multiple clusters mention different pricing and packaging options, including expansion pass, standalone DLC, deluxe add-on, and premium edition. The price varies from one third to half of the base game depending on the version.

Post-launch patches and balance: Patches have strengthened Hestia's hearth spell, fixed Persephone's soldier upgrade, and changed Demeter's access from Hephaestus to Hera based on community feedback. The new mechanics and upgrades work flawlessly with the current patch.

DLC content and features: The DLC includes one major god, three minor gods, units, and a mythic battle. The bonus mission is fully voiced and the mythic battle with Orpheus and Cheiron is beautifully designed.

German voice localization quality: The German synchronization is almost complete, with only a few English voice lines remaining.

Community desire for future content: Players look forward to future updates that would add a fourth god for Atlanteans and Egyptians.