GODS AND MONSTERS

AGE OF MYTHOLOGY: RETOLD modernises a classic RTS with care

- Phil Iwaniuk

How are the mighty fallen. RTS was the beating heart of PC gaming once, now surviving on the platform’s periphery as indies, remakes and remasters. Enter Age of Mythology Retold, not a 100% faithful translation of the 2002 original but, as the name indicates, a modern interpretation.

This is a particularly tricky kind of alchemy to pull off, and although there are some tonal mis-steps such as the voice acting it largely succeeds in knowing when to stick and when to twist.

For anyone who didn’t play the original: It’s more or less Age of Empires set in mythical eras, where powerful hero units and mythological beasts fight alongside conventional military units. Friendlier and slower–paced than Starcraft’s ruthlessly aggressive take on RTS, but built around the usual rock–paper–scissors game of unit strengths and weaknesses. Victory is wrought by finding the right army composition and using your limited resources – food, wood, gold and favour – to materialise it.

For fans of the original, these are the most significant changes: a UI and visual overhaul occupies the headline billing since it’s the most noticeable element, and it feels in-touch with the original’s visual components without being overly married to them. UI layout is logical and clean, and the game worlds hit your eye with impressive detail.