Age of Mythology Screenshots

What: "Age of Mythology"
Publisher: Microsoft Corp.
Developer: Ensemble Studios
Format: CD-ROM for Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows XP and Windows 2000 operating systems
Availability: Spring 2002

Product Overview:
"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 3-D 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.

Key Features:

• Simply stated, the game is gorgeous - "Age of Mythology" features beautiful environments, buildings, units and special effects rendered in full 3-D using Ensemble's revolutionary new engine. Hundreds of unit animations bring the game world to life, as players will see units fighting using a variety of attack and defense maneuvers rather than endlessly repeating the same sword poke animations. In addition to beautiful cascading waves and lifelike terrain, "Age of Mythology's" incredible special effects include waterspouts, infernos, lava, tornadoes, earthquakes and smoke with astonishing levels of detail.
  
• A game for everyone - "Age of Mythology's" diverse game modes offer a variety of settings and options for novice and experienced real time strategy fans alike. In-game cinematics create a seamless, story-based and character-driven campaign. The game offers more than 20 artificial intelligence opponents, 15 map types, 13 game variants and five starting conditions in its multiplayer lineup. With the strategic depth of playing nine detailed civilizations and the inclusion of a random map generator, the game supports massive replayability. In addition, "Age of Mythology's" intuitive, streamlined interface makes control of all in-game aspects easy to learn and use.
  
• An interesting and exciting world - Players can now heed the wishes of the gods and petition them for favors throughout gameplay. Persuade Ra to strike the center of an enemy's city with a meteor, enlist Thor to trap opponents in a snow squall or convince heroes like Hercules, Odysseus and Beowulf to serve a cause. Players can reinforce their armies with minotaurs, griffons, giants, Cyclopes and more then 20 other mythological creatures, each with unique values and specific worth. In addition, players can seek out hidden treasures like the Golden Fleece and Hades' Helm of Invisibility while traveling through underworld domains, on the rough seas or in the midst of a vast desert.
  
• Preserving the fun of "Age" while adding new gameplay - "Age of Mythology" preserves many familiar elements from the "Age of Empires" games, including wonders, technology trees, ages, research and civilization bonuses. The game adds more skill-based combat decisions as smarter units require less micromanagement and allow players to make better use of unit strengths and terrain advantages. "Age of Mythology" adds unique twists to the economic model as new farms change the way players approach their economies and encourage player interaction. The game's mythology model also supports viable game strategies in all ages, making a race to the final age less of a universal tactic.