Ensemble Studios’ Age of Mythology is a real-time strategy game published by Microsoft Game Studios. As a spin-off from the hugely popular and influential Age of Empires series, it shares numerous gameplay elements from its parent game. However, unlike Age of Empires (which uses real-world historical events to base its campaigns and factions off of), Age of Mythology takes inspiration from Greek, Egyptian, and Norse mythology. Instead of opting for tried-and-true realism and military tactics, players have the powers of gods at their disposal.
The development of Age of Mythology was preceded by the release of Age of Empires II and the creation of a new game engine by Ensemble Studios. This new engine, the BANG! Engine is also the engine in use in Age of Empires III, which arrived just 2 years after the release of Age of Mythology. As the first 3D game in the Age of Empires series, Age of Mythology received plenty of praise from critics for its visuals while still retaining the core gameplay of the main series that fans love. Additionally, there is a popular multiplayer mode for the game, although this mode is no longer accessible without a previously active account.
Despite being a spin-off of the main series, Age of Empire has its own series of expansions thanks to its popularity and reception. The first of these expansions is Age of Mythology: The Titans. This expansion is packaged with Age of Mythology‘s core experience in the Age of Mythology: Extended Edition. In October 2022 Ensemble Studios revealed that a remake of Age of Mythology titled Age of Mythology: Retold is in development using the same engine and assets of the Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition. The title has no release date as of yet.
Age of Mythology Premise
Gameplay in Age of Mythology is very similar to that of Age of Empires. Since it is a real-time strategy title, most scenarios in the campaign and beyond involve building up towns and units to then take down and conquer rival encampments. While Age of Empires features different historic ages to advance through (the Stone Age, Iron Age, Bronze Age, etc.), Age of Mythology switches up this format. Players begin in the Archaic Age and can then upgrade to the Classical, Heroic, and Mythic Ages based on their progress through the campaign. Similar to Age of Empires, upgrading your age requires investing vast sums of resources.
The three playable cultures in Age of Mythology are the Egyptians, Greeks, and Norse factions. Each of these cultures has gods based on their mythology and religious beliefs from antiquity. At the game’s outset, players choose which of their culture’s gods they will pay tribute to. These gods then grant the player various boons such as new technologies, exclusive units, and even godly powers to use on the battlefield. Players can also select various minor gods based on their culture’s mythology each time they advance to a new age.
Like nearly every other RTS title, players must manage their resources, with careful gathering and allocation essential to success. Age of Mythology features the same core resources from the Age of Empires series — food, wood, and gold. One key difference between Age of Mythology and other Age of Empires titles is the lack of the stone resource, a critical component in other Ensemble Studios titles. Resources are used to construct and upgrade buildings, train and upgrade units, and repair damaged structures.
Age of Mythology Main Characters
While both Age of Empires and Age of Empires II feature multiple campaigns, Age of Mythology features only one. However, this single campaign is significantly longer than most other single campaigns in the series, with 32 scenarios to play through. The Fall of the Trident campaign features several new characters, along with noteworthy individuals and creatures from each of the game’s cultures’ mythology. The main characters in Age of Mythology include:
- Arkantos: Arkantos is the main character of the campaign. A resident of Atlantis, he joins up with the Greek army in Troy after the evil pirate minotaur Kamos steals Poseidon’s Trident.
- Kamos: Kamos is a minotaur that commands a fleet of pirates. His kidnapping and rearing from the Egyptian goddess Bast leads him to steal Poseidon’s Trident from Atlantis.
- Agamemnon: Agamemnon is the king of Mycenae who starts the Trojan War to reclaim Helen from Paris, the Trojan prince.
- Odysseus: Odysseus is the king of Ithaca and the very same hero from Homer’s The Odyssey. He appears in Age of Mythology as both a character and a hero unit.
- Poseidon: Poseidon is the Greek god of the seas and the patron deity of Atlantis. He appears in Age of Mythology as one of the primary antagonists.
- Osiris: Osiris is the Egyptian god of judgement and the husband of the goddess Isis. He features in Fall of the Trident after the heroes hunt down his body parts to resurrect him.
- Brokk: Brokk (and his brother Eitri) are the very same Dwarven balcksmiths of legend who craft Mjolnir. In addition to featuring heavily in the Norse part of the campaign, he is also a hero unit players can control.
Games in the Age of Empires Series
For more than 25 years, the Age of Empires series remains one of the best historical RTS games in the genre. Both the first and second games are two of the best RTS titles of all time and the many expansions, spin-offs, and sequels continue to be critically and commercially successful. The games and expansions in the Age of Empires include:
- Age of Empires (1997)
- Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome (1998)
- Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (1999)
- Age of Empires II: The Conquerors (2000)
- Age of Mythology (2002)
- Age of Mythology: The Titans (2003)
- Age of Empires II Mobile (2005)
- Age of Empires III (2005)
- Age of Empires III: The Age of Kings (2006)
- Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs (2006)
- Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties (2007)
- Age of Empires: Mythologies (2008)
- Age of Empires Online (2011)
- Age of Empires II: HD Edition (2013)
- Age of Empires II: The Forgotten (2013)
- Age of Mythology: Extended Edition (2014)
- Age of Empires: Castle Siege (2014)
- Age of Empires II: The African Kingdoms (2015)
- Age of Empires: World Domination (2015)
- Age of Mythology: Tale of the Dragon (2016)
- Age of Empires II: Rise of the Rajas (2016)
- Age of Empires: Definitive Edition (2018)
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019)
- Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition (2020)
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – Lords of the West (2021)
- Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition – United States Civilization (2021)
- Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition – The African Royals (2021)
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – Dawn of the Dukes (2021)
- Age of Empires IV (2021)
- Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition – Mexico Civilzation (2021)
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – Dynasties of India (2022)
- Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition – Knights of the Mediterranean (2022)
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – The Return of Rome (2023)
Age of Mythology Cheats
Like many of the games in the series, Age of Mythology features of plethora of cheats. All the the available cheats are easily entered at any time during gameplay. To activate cheats, simply press Enter during gameplay. Type the cheat as it appears in the table below, and then press Enter again.
| Cheat | Effect |
|---|---|
| JUNK FOOD NIGHT | 1000 Food |
| TROJAN HORSE FOR SALE | 1000 Wood |
| ATM OF EREBUS | 1000 Gold |
| LAY OF THE LAND | Show Map |
| UNCERTAINTY AND DOUBT | Hide Map |
| THRILL OF VICTORY | Win Game |
| L33T SUPA H4X0R | Faster Build |
| ATLANTIS REBORN | Heroes from Expansion Campaign |
| BARKBARKBARKBARKBARK | Superdog with 5000 Life Points |
| WUV WOO | Have a Flying Purple Hippo |
| TINES OF POWER | Have a Forkboy |
| O CANADA | Have a Lazer Bear |
| ISIS HEAR MY PLEA | Get the Heroes from the Campaign |
| I WANT TEH MONKEYS!!!1! | Monkeys Galore |
| MOUNT OLYMPUS | Full Favor |
| MR.MONDAY | AI Handicap |
| IN DARKEST NIGHT | Make it Nighttime |
| RED TIDE | Makes Water Red |
| TITANOMACHY | Instant Titan |
| TINFOIL HAT | Randomize Ownership of Every Unit on Map |
| SET ASCENDANT | Show Animals on Map |
| CHANNEL SURFING | Skip to the Next Scenario in the Campaign |
| CONSIDER THE INTERNET | Slow Down Units |
| LETS GO! NOW! | Faster Gamplay. Note: 2 spaces between “GO!” and “NOW!” |
| RESET BUTTON | Un-builds All Buildings |
| ZENOS PARADOX | Grants Random God Powers |
| PANDORAS BOX | Get Random God Powers |
| BAWK BAWK BOOM | Get the Chicken Meteor God Power |
| DIVINE INTERVENTION | Use a Previously Used God Power |
| FEAR THE FORAGE | Get the Walking Berry Bushes God Power |
| WRATH OF THE GODS | Get Lightning Storm, Earthquake, Meteor, and Tornado God Powers |
| GOATUNHEIM | Get a God Power that Turns All Units into Goats |
| GODS CLASH | Grants Osiris |
| ENGINEERED GRAIN | Get More Food from Animals |
Age of Mythology Cheat FAQs
How do you enable cheats in Age of Mythology?
To activate any cheat in Age of Mythology, simply press Enter during gameplay, type the cheat exactly as it appears above, then press Enter again.
What is the hippo cheat in Age of Mythology?
The Flying Purple Hippo is a mythical airborne unit that players can summon using the WUV WOO cheat.
What is the cheat bear in Age of Mythology?
The Lazer Bear is another cheat unit with high hit points and laser beams. It can be summoned using the O CANADA cheat.