Age of Mythology: Retold is Great for Strategy Fans, and Civ 7 Could Be Too

Age of Mythology: Retold is Great for Strategy Fans, and Civ 7 Could Be Too

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that the early 2000s was indeed the golden age for strategy games, and Age of Mythology was a shining star in that firmament. The original game, despite not receiving a proper sequel, has managed to captivate me yet again with its remake, Age of Mythology: Retold.


In my gaming days during the early 2000s, I’d argue that strategy was at its peak, especially for real-time strategy (RTS) games. Titles like Starcraft and Age of Empires 2 laid down the blueprint towards the end of the ’90s, setting the stage for RTS games to come. Games such as the original Age of Mythology then came along and polished and expanded upon those foundational elements in the years that followed.

2002’s “Age of Mythology” was a significant hit in both critical acclaim and sales, yet it didn’t get a full sequel. Instead, it only had an expansion pack released a year later, followed by a controversial Extended Edition re-release in 2014. However, after a decade, “Age of Mythology” has resurfaced, offering a remake that not only thrills fans of the series but also enthusiasts of other popular strategy games like “Civilization”.

Why Age of Mythology: Retold’s Release Should Get Civilization Fans Excited

Age of Mythology: Retold Continues The Strategy Genre’s Modern Renaissance

As a dedicated strategy game enthusiast, I can’t help but notice the surge of top-notch, big-budget strategy games gracing both PC and console platforms over the past few years. Titles like “Civilization 6,” released in 2016, are still captivating fans on multiple platforms. The “Crusader Kings” series has managed to carve a unique spot in the strategy market. In 2018, “Frostpunk” stood out with its gritty atmosphere. “Stellaris” brought Sci-Fi grand strategy to new heights, and while “Midnight Suns,” Marvel’s entry into the genre, didn’t quite reach commercial success, it’s still worth mentioning.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a flood of outstanding strategy games hitting the market, marking what feels like a brand-new era of prosperity for the genre. Age of Mythology: Retold, however, takes this golden age to new heights. It offers an exceptional remake that implements crucial updates, all while preserving the heart and soul of the original game.

The reimagined version of “Age of Mythology,” titled “Age of Mythology: Retold,” has garnered impressive feedback across the board, boasting an 83 rating on Metacritic. Even its lowest ratings place it at a commendable 7/10. The remake is also demonstrating strong player engagement, as reported by SteamDB, with a peak of 16,845 active players within a 24-hour period, a figure that does not account for those playing on Xbox. These figures are quite promising, particularly given the absence of data from Xbox players.

As a devoted strategy game enthusiast, experiencing “Age of Mythology: Retold” is like stepping into the shoes of a time-traveler, transporting me back to an era when these captivating titles first took the gaming world by storm. Remarkably, it showcases that the strategy genre remains vibrant and thriving enough to spawn AAA games. This is incredibly promising news for the upcoming “Civilization 7,” which has been announced as the most ambitious project yet in the franchise’s history. With such a fierce competitive landscape nowadays, the developers of “Civ 7” at Firaxis have their work cut out for them, as they strive to meet and surpass the high expectations set by their predecessors.

Age of Mythology: Retold Paves The Way for a New Type of Civilization Game

Over the last few decades, the Civilization franchise has tested the waters with experimental spin-offs a few times. More often than not, these spin-offs have been Sci-Fi themed, with 2014’s Civilization : Beyond Earth being the most recent example. It might be fun to see Civilization experiment with more varied types of spin-offs in the coming years, and Age of Mythology: Retold‘s core premise would offer some great inspiration.

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2024-09-13 18:03