Final weekend, Age of Mythology: Retold made an look on the Xbox Video games Showcase 2024, revealing in-game footage for the very first time, in addition to a launch date of September 4, 2024. As a part of the Official Xbox Podcast’s deep-dive collection, hosts Malik Prince and Jenn Panattoni sat down with Emma Bridle and Earnest Yuen from World’s Edge to share some perception into this thrilling, fashionable reimaging of the 2002 technique basic.
Watch the total podcast under – the Age of Mythology: Retold part begins at 25:40:
For these unfamiliar, Age of Mythology: Retold is a trustworthy retelling of the unique title, a real-time technique sport the place people dwell and combat alongside monsters and gods. “It’s a fantastical, magical, chaotic world that you just get to regulate,” says Bridle.
Through the trailer, we bought a primary take a look at one of many marketing campaign missions, set within the Egyptian Pantheon (the identify for the playable factions). Enjoying as Amanra, your major objective is to destroy the Migdol Stronghold, and to do this, you’ll must amass a military. Right here, we see Amanra amassing models from temples scattered across the environment, however they’re not your typical sword and bow wielding troopers. We see models of monsters which might be instantly impressed by Egyptian mythology – Petsuchos (or ‘laser crocs as Bridle jovially refers to them), giant, bejeweled crocodiles that fireplace devastating long-range beams of daylight at their enemies, in addition to what Yuen calls “Kaiju Scarabs,” dealing close-range injury to buildings.
Theoretically, you’d anticipate a humongous crocodile with a radiant sniper to outwit any little human charging at it with a sword, however Age of Mythology is finely balanced to make sure people, monsters and gods all share an equal shot at victory. In accordance with Yuen, there’s a triangle of capability – the mythological models are sometimes excellent in opposition to human models, however then you could have the Hero models, that are particularly good in opposition to mythological enemies.
“As a participant, it actually makes you concentrate on the place to position your models as you progress by means of the degrees,” Yuen provides.
The backdrop of this motion can also be draped in beautiful environmental design that matches the setting. Bridle explains that every Pantheon (the identify given to playable factions) has its personal distinct biome and structure – golden sands and lightweight, angular buildings grace the Egyptian marketing campaign, whereas a blanket of snow settles on the mountains and thatched huts of the Norse setting. It is a sport that weaves in components of magic, however every little thing appears to be like and feels genuine to the interval your Pantheon is enjoying in.
Bridle provides that the entire unique sport’s artwork has been fully remade, according to creating this contemporary, unbelievable wanting recreation of the unique title. Through the podcast, this was showcased with photographs and animations evaluating 2002’s Age of Mythology to the upcoming Retold. A screenshot from one of many marketing campaign missions involves life in unbelievable element, and Bridle provides that “the entire world has been redone.” This included seeing unique fashions for 2 Heroes, Arkantos and Athena, each now super-refined and life like, and the Atlantean Titan, now with blazing lava veins woven between scorching rock – fairly actually a “glow-up” for the creature, Bridle provides.
“Once we examine these models, they’re displaying extra definition, you’ll be able to see the particle results, they’re actually coming to life extra,” Bridle says.
One core objective for Age of Mythology: Retold is that it’s going past the already spectacular blueprint set by the current ‘Definitive Version’ Age of Empires titles. “The objective for the Definitive Editions is to construct the superior sport that individuals bear in mind in your head, however not essentially the way it actually was,” Yuen explains.
“With Age of Mythology: Retold, we’re going past that so as to add new options and mechanics to the sport. It’s not nearly preservation, we additionally now have the expertise to do that idea the justice it deserves.”
Yuen particulars one new characteristic coming to the sport, which is that God Powers are actually rechargeable, which means that they can be utilized a number of instances throughout a sport. Within the unique Age of Mythology, many of the God Powers may solely be used as soon as, however Yuen shares perception on why which may not have been the optimum method for Retold.
“Since you may solely use that God Energy as soon as, folks would strive to reserve it for the correct second, however what truly finally ends up taking place is that the match would finish earlier than they get to make use of it,” Yuen explains. “God Powers are the good factor you are able to do within the sport, so we’re making it to allow them to be used a number of instances, and you may take into consideration methods to do it strategically.”
Even higher, Age of Mythology: Retold contains a further age on the finish of the sport – the Surprise age. Right here, God Powers are cheaper to make use of, so the choice to make use of them much more is out there throughout this in-game interval. “It’s simply chaos,” Bridle provides. “You possibly can simply unleash every little thing you’ve bought, and it’s a lot enjoyable.”
The pair delved into hundreds extra matters within the podcast, together with the place to get began in Retold as a brand-new participant, and the way Age of Mythology and Age of Empires’ long-running fanbases have been instrumental to the event of recent entries. Make sure to test it out!
Age of Mythology: Retold launches on September 4, and is out there day one throughout PC, Xbox Sequence X|S and Recreation Move.
