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, trendy reimaging of the 2002 technique basic.
Watch the total podcast beneath – 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 reside and battle alongside monsters and gods. “It’s a fantastical, magical, chaotic world that you simply get to regulate,” says Bridle.
Through the trailer, we obtained a primary have 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 purpose 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 can be instantly impressed by Egyptian mythology – Petsuchos (or ‘laser crocs as Bridle jovially refers to them), massive, 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 count on 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 response to Yuen, there’s a triangle of means – the mythological models are sometimes excellent towards human models, however then you could have the Hero models, that are particularly good towards mythological enemies.
“As a participant, it actually makes you concentrate on the place to position your models as you progress by the degrees,” Yuen provides.
The backdrop of this motion can 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 light-weight, angular buildings grace the Egyptian marketing campaign, whereas a blanket of snow settles on the mountains and thatched huts of the Norse setting. This can be a sport that weaves in components of magic, however all the things seems and feels genuine to the interval your Pantheon is enjoying in.
Bridle provides that the entire unique sport’s artwork has been utterly remade, according to creating this contemporary, unbelievable trying recreation of the unique title. Through the podcast, this was showcased with pictures 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 real looking, and the Atlantean Titan, now with blazing lava veins woven between scorching rock – fairly actually a “glow-up” for the creature, Bridle provides.
“After we evaluate these models, they’re displaying extra definition, you may see the particle results, they’re actually coming to life extra,” Bridle says.
One core purpose 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 purpose for the Definitive Editions is to construct the superior sport that individuals keep 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 at the moment are 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 that may not have been the optimum strategy for Retold.
“Since you may solely use that God Energy as soon as, folks would attempt to reserve it for the best second, however what really 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 best 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’ll take into consideration the best way to do it strategically.”
Even higher, Age of Mythology: Retold contains a further age on the finish of the sport – the Marvel age. Right here, God Powers are cheaper to make use of, so the choice to make use of them much more is on the market throughout this in-game interval. “It’s simply chaos,” Bridle provides. “You may simply unleash all the things you’ve obtained, and it’s a lot enjoyable.”
The pair delved into masses 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. Remember to test it out!
Age of Mythology: Retold launches on September 4, and is on the market day one throughout PC, Xbox Collection X|S and Sport Go.
