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Age of Mythology

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8.5 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 31 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 40 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: Ensemble Studios

Genre(s): Real-Time Strategy

Players: 12

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: October 31, 2002

Summary

Age of Mythology transports players to a time when heroes did battle with monsters of legend and the gods intervened in the affairs of mortal men. Players wage war using human armies and diplomacy, progress through development ages, enhance military and economic performance with improvements, and manage economics through resource gathering and trade. Mythology enters the mix when players call upon the gods to act on their behalf or reinforce their armies with more than 20 mythological creatures. Ensemble Studios' new 3D engine adds a deep richness of graphical detail and creates a unique new title based on the ancient cultural history of the Greek, Norse, and Egyptian cultures, which are divided into nine detailed civilizations. [Microsoft]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Age of Mythology: The Titans

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central Game Revolution IGN Insider Guide

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

G4 TV

The balance between the powers, the factions, the troops, and the monsters lends the game tremendous depth and replay value.

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100

Adrenaline Vault

Appealing to both the intellect and the imagination, it presents itself vividly and audaciously, leaving little doubt that it intends to be a complete experience in every possible way.

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100

Yahoo! Games

Stylistic RTS ambrosia, mana from heaven and a cornucopia of gameplay and replay value. This one is fit for the gods.

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100

eToychest

It's certainly the closest I've ever gotten to a perfect gaming experience with an RTS game.

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100

Entertainment Weekly

With its streamlined interface and modern makeover, AoM is itself a mythical beast: a sequel that's simultaneously deeper and more accessible than its predecessor. [10 Jan 2003, p.76]

GameZone

The game looks, plays, and feels splendid! This game will not leave the player's CD-Rom for a long time, since it has such an astounding replay value.

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Game Informer

Drives the gameplay stake through the heart of this genre, and keeps on stabbing. [Jan 2003, p.116]

Gamers' Temple

Among the best in the Valhalla of strategy gaming.

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Game Over Online

Combining a great storyline, great gameplay, great graphics and an enjoyable multiplayer experience, Age of Mythology is guaranteed to delight RTS fans everywhere.

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Gamer's Pulse

The quintessential RTS game.

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IGN

A fantastic complete package. It's a real ornament for the genre and a benchmark that won't soon be surpassed.

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netjak

AoM takes what makes both the "Age of Empires" series and the "Warcraft" series great, and blends it all together into a tasty frappe, and the end result is simply divine.

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GameSpot

Plays remarkably well. Featuring lots of interesting, inventive design decisions, plenty of fun-to-use units, and tons of variety, Age of Mythology is the last real-time strategy game you'll need for a long time.

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GamePro

Polished, intuitive, balanced, and fun, this is one of the best RTS games ever made, but if you’re bored with the genre this isn’t going to suddenly make you a believer again.

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Computer Games Magazine

The unit AI is good enough that you can give broad orders without worrying about your men and monsters doing too many dumb things. [Jan 2003, p.60]

Electric Playground

It's just so frickin' wild and cool. You can get whole forests to come to life and attack your enemies, build huge monsters like the Hydra (yes, it grows more heads as it takes damage), and pound the enemy city into a crater with meteor storms.

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PC Arena

Without a doubt, the gameplay, graphics and sound all add up for a spectacular RTS title that you will be able to play for hours upon hours without getting remotely bored.

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Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

The best Age game yet, featuring frightening fantasy units without all the bearded baggage. [PC Gamer UK]

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All Game Guide

Games feature furious battles over centrally located resources, enormously powerful mythological units wreaking havoc, and players competing for the favor of ancient gods. The result is fantastic, fun.

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Voodoo Extreme

The storyline is as good as - if perhaps better than - "Warcraft 3" in parts, and the various multiplayer modes and the strategy of the different sides combined with the various gods add up to a good deal of longevity.

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FiringSquad

Felt tired in its singleplayer campaign – though it was still far better than "WarCraft III."

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PC Format

It’s managed to make ostensibly the same game as it always has, but with just a little bit of lateral thinking has revolutionised its own formula. Bring on Age of Bomber Jackets, already.

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PC Gamer

Regrettably, most of AoM's missions suffer from one recurring, frustrating problem: a severe case of "build base-itis." [Holiday 2002, p.68]

GameNow

While AoM sports the best single-player campaign in any "Age" game, it's still no award-winner. [Jan 2003, p.66]

ActionTrip

As rich, inspiring and epic as strategy games get, and (save for Blizzard's "Warcraft III") it's possibly the most immersive strategy game we have seen in quite some time... [Yet]the AI could've been better.

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GameSpy

While AoM sports a new graphics engine and three unique factions, on the whole it plays very much like its predecessors. Too much like its predecessors, if you were hoping for a truly different game experience.

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Game Revolution

Just don't expect anything new. Like the myths themselves, AoM's gameplay has been passed down from generation to generation for many, many years.

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TotalGames.net

Not since "Zeus: Master Of Olympus" have the gods smiled so benignly on RTS worshippers, and for new adorers and regular acolytes alike, Age Of Mythology is a revelation – this is a must for followers and atheists alike.

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Eurogamer

"Warcraft III" is very innovative and has production values higher than just about any game ever released on the PC, while Age of Mythology is simply a worthy successor to an excellent series.

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Computer Gaming World

I'll still marvel at the design and balance of the game. But deep in my heart, I'll still be waiting for something new to make me excited about RTS games again. [Jan 2003, p.98]

PC Gameworld

My experience with Age of Mythology was one of apathy and boredom... Think of AoM as Led Zeppelin’s "Stairway to Heaven." Sure, it’s a great song, but do you really want to hear it over and over again?

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 40 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

William S gave it a10:
This rts game is one of the easiest to play for how much fun it is. My first game i struggled to survive god powers from the enemy, attacked them with a massive army, lost and then cut out their resources after almost losing my base. The point is it was a roller coaster as were all my other games with the hear pounding defensive maneuvers to the triumph of fortifying crucial resources. All of the aspects are amazing. The selection of gods won't keep you bored. The only thing that is bad is the cinematic mode which you might want to use because you want to see a jackal fighting alongside a spear wielding greek soldier. This game will keep you satisfied, and all the maps will shake it up a little if you somehow become bored with this near perfect rts game.

James D gave it a10:
Possibly the best RTS to date. AoE 2 and this are both excellent, but this one pulls ahead through excellent multilayer and an enthralling campaign. Titans is an excellent add- on to the game. I can still play this now and have more fun than Rome: Total War.

Snoopy M. gave it a10:
This is probably the single best game i've ever played. It's got great replay value, good story, and fun online play.

Randall S. gave it a10:
This is probably the best strategy game I've ever played. It's fast paced and exciting compared to other age games, and the campaign, although the story sucks, is a lot of fun. The real gold is the multiplayer mode, hundreds of hours of fun fighting other players.

Meta P. gave it a9:
A superbly entertaining mix of a few spectrums of mythology into what makes a very entertaining RTS with brilliant gameplay, though a very slightly lacking plot.

Michael L. gave it a9:
An excellent RTS. With elements from Age of Empires with monsters and incredible God powers thrown into the mix, you're left with a deep, fun, and fulfilling experience.

Mathias P. gave it an8:
A really good game. The graphics is great, and the god section works very well, but it seem like you have played this game before.

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Age of Mythology

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What The Critics Said

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