Age of Empires 3and Age of Mythology are two of the most iconic RTS games of all time. Both these games have also received modern remakes that have not only upgraded their engine and graphics but also brought new gameplay changes to appeal to a much broader audience.
This article will rank both Age of Mythology: Retold and Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition on the basis of their graphics, campaigns, and much more to decide which is the better game once and for all. Although we have played AOE 3 a lot more, as it has been out for a much longer time, we will try to be as unbiased as possible in our judgment.
6Graphics - Tie
A Close Competition
Although amazing graphics aren’t exactly the reason most people play RTS games, they do play a factor, especially considering boththese games are remakesand are meant to improve the graphics of their originals. The reason we’re unable to decide between these two games in this category is mostly because both of them use the same engine, which means a lot of their graphical elements are similar.
The original Age of Empires 3 felt quite ahead of its time in terms of its graphics, and the Definitive Edition probably solidifies its position as the best-looking Age of Empires game, even ahead of AOE 4. Age of Mythology has always been the more ‘grand’ game due to its mythical elements, which are represented well in the remake and help it match up to the high standards of AOE 3.
Both games have amazing environments, buildings, and many other features that stick to the art styles of their respective games but still manage to look great.
5Campaign - Age Of Mythology: Retold
Fantasy Vs History
Age of Empires 3’s campaign mode is perhaps one of the main reasons it never managed to live up to the high standards of AOE 2. Although there is a lot of variety, with the different modes such as the Asian Dynasties and the African Royals, the fact that this game didn’t follow an exact historical storyline and portrayed fictional characters, instead of real figures in history, just made it not as fun. The Historical Battles, which were added with the Definitive Edition, are probably the best parts of this game, but there are still too few of them.
Although the campaign isn’t the greatest part of Age Of Mythology: Retold, it still feels a lot more fun to play through than AOE 3. Not only is the campaign very long and intense, it also has an exciting story about the Atlantean Arkantos and his journey across different parts of the world. Theimproved voice acting and special effects also make it a lot betterthan it used to be in the original, even if they may lose a little of the nostalgia.
4UI - Age of Empires 3
A Matter Of Preference
Every RTS game needs to have a good-looking and,most importantly, efficient UI. Though you can get mods for both games to change their user interfaces drastically, Age Of Empires 3: Definitive Edition does a much better job with its three different types of HUDs, giving players a lot of options. The whole UI is just a lot more streamlined in general, and everything is simple to understand, which is what makes it so good. In this sense, it is much more reminiscent of Age of Empires 2, more so than AOE 3.
In Age of Mythology: Retold, you also get a lot of variety in terms of HUD placement, although our main issue with this game’s UI is that the bar on top of the screen just feels a little too big and distracting. This game also does a great job in terms of its accessibility options, similar to AOE 3, and there are a lot of features such as text-to-speech, contrast options, and much more. Both games do share quite a few similarities in their UI, and it mostly comes down to your preference, which is AOE 3 in our case.
3Gameplay
The Most Decisive Factor
As both these games work on the same loop of building civilizations from the ground up, there are bound to be a lot of similarities between their gameplay. The different number of pantheons in Age of Mythology add a new and unique twist to this game and makes it stand out much more than AOE 3. The different Gods and mythological creatures, with their different skills and abilities, are so much fun to play with, no matter if you’re playing the campaign modes or online games. Base building is also very simple, and the Villager Priority mode, which allows the villagers to work towards several goals without the need for micromanagement, is a helpful addition for those who don’t want to deal with this part of the game.
There were a lot of reasons AOE 3 didn’t manage to live up to the high standards of its predecessor, and its lackluster gameplay was probably the biggest. The XP system just doesn’t feel too exciting in a game like this, and the maps feel a little too small, which means that you can’t have large-scale battles as frequently as you would like to. Thelarge number of civilizationsdo provide a lot of variety, but they’re overshadowed by the combat being not as fun. A heavier focus on gunpowder is also one of the reasons we believe the combat doesn’t feel as fun, as it takes away the medieval vibe that makes Age of Empires so good.
2Multiplayer - Age of Mythology: Retold
A Huge Contrast
The multiplayer skirmishes are probably the best part of Age of Empires 3, but those seem to be falling off now due to a shrinking player base. The sad reality is that most AOE fans would rather play AOE 2 or 4 rather than this game, no matter how fun it can be at times. But still, if you do manage to find games, the ranked mode can be fun and competitive, as the civilizations seem well-balanced, which is a tough job considering how many there are.
Age of Mythology: Retold has a very active player base, and its multiplayer mode is just as fun as its single-player campaign. Playing team games with your friends is super fun, and outmaneuvering other players gives you a feeling of satisfaction that can’t be compared to just beating the AI. Playing against opponents with different playstyles is what also makes multiplayer even more fun, as some people like to choose aggressive, rush strategies on the basis of the strengths of their Gods while others take their time.
While there are certain technical issues with the multiplayer mode of Age of Mythology: Retold, we expect them to be fixed within a few updates.
1Final Verdict - Age Of Mythology: Retold
A Simple Decision
There’s no denying that Age Of Mythology: Retold is just a much better game than Age of Empires 3. Whether it be single-player or multiplayer, or whether it be the core gameplay and the variety it comes with, Age of Mythology is just more fun to play. The fantasy themes of the original Age of Mythology are something that AOE 3 also tried to copy in its campaign while keeping the historical concept of the series, but it just doesn’t compare to the high standards set by Age of Mythology. Other reasons, such as better maps and the potential for more versatility in playstyles, are why we believe this game is better.
Age of Empires 3 does have a few positives about it, but at the end of the day, it is arguably the most disliked game in the series, mostly due to how far the campaign and overall gameplay stray away from what made Age of Empires 2 so good. Age of Mythology: Retold improves on all the aspects of its original to make a complete game that doesn’t have too many flaws at all.
