As an Expanded Real-Time Strategy (RTS) title, Age of Mythology: Extended Edition tasks you with guiding Greek, Egyptian, or Norse civilizations through four Ages, balancing resource management with military buildup. Its core distinction is the integration of mythology: you summon legendary units like Cyclopes and call upon powerful, one-time God Powers to crush opponents. This 2014 edition features enhanced graphics, day/night cycles, Steam achievements, and the Treaty game mode, offering a modernized experience of this classic strategy foundation.
The strategic depth of this RTS lies in managing your economy while leveraging mythological power. As you progress through the Ages, you unlock stronger military units and crucial technologies. A key decision point is selecting your Major God before the match begins, followed by choosing Minor Gods upon advancing to subsequent Ages. These divine choices grant access to unique myth units—such as Minotaurs or Cyclopes—and powerful, one-time "god powers." These powers can range from devastating offensive strikes, like summoning meteors, to tactical defensive maneuvers.
The integration of divine intervention sets this game apart from many historical strategy titles. Players must account for the direct impact of deities on the battlefield and their civilization's development. The three playable cultures offer significantly varied playstyles, requiring different strategic approaches to resource management and military composition.
This specific version serves as a comprehensive package, building upon the foundation of the original release. It features significant technical upgrades designed for modern systems, enhancing the visual presentation of the ancient world.
The most notable improvements focus on visual fidelity and new gameplay options. These include enhanced graphics, updated water rendering, improved lighting effects, and the introduction of dynamic day/night cycles that can influence gameplay. Furthermore, this edition incorporates new features such as Steam achievements and access to the mod workshop, allowing for community-driven content expansion. A specific addition to the gameplay modes is the Treaty game mode.
This release incorporates the content from the original base game and its subsequent expansion, detailing the conflict involving the Atlanteans, the Titans, and the established Greek, Egyptian, and Norse civilizations. The narrative explores the fallout from the destruction of Atlantis and the machinations of Kronos's servants as they attempt to undermine the Olympian Gods.
This expanded version is available exclusively on PC (Microsoft Windows).