Keith Pullin clashes with Ensemble Studios' new RTS titan
There was a time not too long ago when the thought of Age Of Mythology from Ensemble Studios would spin us into a delighted whirlwind of anticipation. But times are changing. Don't get us wrong. We're excited all right, but we're under no illusions...
Black Cactus (Warrior Kings) and Creative Assembly (Shogun) have proved that Ensemble Studios can no longer take their status as unassailable kings of RTS for granted. The age of empires and kings has been ousted by an era of warriors, shoguns and the odd Cossack or two.
MYTH AND HYPE
AoM's BANG! engine propels Ensemble Studios into the 21st century with consummate style. The gorgeous environment features lifelike rolling landscapes and oceans, realistic sunlight, and lush, living forests. The fluid animation even gives Battle Realms a run for its money.
Yep, AoM will require a slight perspective adjustment for AoK fans, and we say AoK fans because there's no doubting the inspiration behind this new baby. AoM is literally AoK with divine intervention and 3D Medusas. And why the hell not? The only real reason AoK was surpassed in the first place was because technology moved on.
GOD ALMIGHTY
And so the 'build an empire from nothing' gameplay mechanics for AoM are wholly familiar. There are nine civilisations to choose from, with three each in the Greek, Norse and Egyptian cultures. Each of these civilisations features mythological gods and creatures. So, expect epic confrontations with armies led by Minotaurs and other monstrosities. Luckily, divine assistance is at hand from gods such as Ra, Isis, Thor, Odin, Zeus and Poseidon. Players can harness their powers, smiting enemies with meteor storms, volcanoes, lightning strikes and floods.
These godly shenanigans are all accompanied by glorious special effects. The approach of a tornado is particularly impressive: the world darkens as the sun is eclipsed by swirling wind and then the deadly funnel appears and carves its way through the land. Ah, the power of the immortals! Ah, the power of GeForce! It's all very satisfying indeed.
DESIGN AWARDS
AoM definitely has an explosive vibe about it - and it's clear that the developers are concentrating on keeping all 36 single-player scenarios as spectacular as possible. The range of locations and set-pieces include the siege at Troy, the pyramids in Egypt and a sprawling mythological underworld. Oh, and if you're interested, the people behind this inspired level design received the 2000 Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences award for story and character development. And yes, there is a huge multiplayer emphasis too, as well as a level editor that comes with the game.
So, we have a talented team of designers here, the question is can they make gathering berries and raising massive armies as exciting as the rest of the game? Well, obviously it's going to be tricky, but one thing Ensemble can do better than most is portray the mundane in a surprising compelling way.
Hopefully establishing profitable trade routes with other tribes and expanding your little settlements into technologically advanced civilisations will be another area that benefits from the loving touch of an award-winning level design team. And talking of advanced civilisations; there are a total of four ages to progress through regardless of your culture, and like AoK there's a massive technology tree to explore. Players even get to chose different ways to advance though the ages to create unique civilisation bonuses.
GOD ONLY KNOWS
From what we've seen, Age Of Mythology may just possess everything you could possibly want in an RTS game. It's got the looks, it's got the power and it's got gameplay heritage that simply screams quality. But like we said, it's going up against some damn fine competition. Warrior Kings and Shogun will not just stand aside. So, what's it to be? Gaming obscurity or immortality? In the end only God knows.