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	Age of Mythology: The Titans
	Developer: Ensemble Studios Publisher: Microsoft Genre: Real-Time Strategy Players: 1-12 Similar To: Age of Mythology Rating: Teen Published: 10 :24 : 03 Reviewed By: Ryan Newman Overall: 8 = Excellent

Screenshots

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Intro
For all his power, Zeus proves to be a forgetful god. As man begins to rebuild their lives after the destruction that took place during the original Age of Mythology, Zeus' prisoners begin to toy with man to help them gain their freedom and revenge in Esemble's latest fun, but short, expansion.

Gameplay: 8/10
As polished as Age of Mythology was, it really didn't grab me as much as I had anticipated. It was a good game, but it lacked something that other titles like Myth: The Fallen Lords and C&C: Red Alert 2 have. While I didn't mind playing through it, it was something I wasn't planning on going through again. Needless to say, the announcement of the expansion didn't send me shooting to heaven. And while I do hope to see Ensemble return to their more earthly roots, having The Titans around to pass the time certainly doesn't hurt.

As I said in our preview, there was something about the expansion that made it more engrossing and enjoyable to me than the original. I really think it's because the Atlanteans fit so much better in the Age of Mythology atmosphere and they're genuinely interesting. As they're duped into letting out Kronos, then led back to victory through Gaia and Oranos, they'll have a chance to utilize god powers that range from time shifting buildings, deconstructing buildings (which is pretty damn cool); invoke forests to act as resources and protection; enjoy the myth units (sea creatures that can repair ships, four-armed monsters, etc.); and the various attributes of worshipping certain minor gods, like the ability to construct teleportation-enabling buildings, sky towers

The story is told in a way that has the Atlanteans facing off against the heroes of the original and their plight of finding a suitable land for them to claim as their new home. They are an interesting bunch, with the ability to promote any unit to hero status, citizens that use their own donkeys as sites for dropping off resources, and one of the most devastating units in the game: destroyers. Destroyers look like Roman legionnaires, but with yellow and blue colors, they carry large shields and tridents, with the strength a group of four can take down buildings in a matter of seconds. There's nothing like tying up an opponent with infantry and have a handful of men permanently cripple them for the rest of the game.

Surprisingly, the titans themselves, which come in two sizes and pack massive amounts of damage, don't come into their own until the end. I'd say 2/3 of the game is the tale of the Atlanteans, with a few levels halting a rampaging minor titan, and then being able to use them during levels that have the player commanding Norse and Egyptian troops, as well as their own. While they are a major story device, and pretty cool, it seems as though the title should focus more on the Atlanteans as they are the prominent force in the expansion. So, those who are hoping to have massive duke outs over continents will have to rely on multiplayer for that, because they'll only get a taste of it during the single-player campaigns.

That's really Age of Mythology: The Titan's only problem: the lack of the titans. I don't want to say that gamers are being duped, since they are definitely a force to move the story along and will play a role in making multiplayer games an even more enjoyable experience, but, merely getting a hint of them during the campaign just doesn't seem like enough. The number of levels is also somewhat disappointing as the expansion has only 12 levels, with only a handful taking a while to complete. Maybe cutting it short was better than letting it drag on, but it feels a little underwhelming when it's all over. I also wish there were more detailed formations, while not needed; this is more of a personal preference. A more enjoyable experience than the original, just a few levels too short for my tastes.

Graphics: 8.5/10
The game is still a looker, with the Atlanteans looking extremely sharp with great character designs. The animations are still looking good and textures give off a soft appearance, giving some of the levels a real sense of it taking place in another plane. The god powers still look great, particularly the deconstruction power, which has a building get torn apart piece by piece. I do wish that in-game graphics weren't used for the cutscenes, because those cool soldiers look pretty ugly and deformed when they are seen up close; likewise, some of the titans can look not-so-pretty since their large size is the equivalent of a soldier being zoomed up on for a cutscene.

Sound: 8.5/10
The soundtrack is good with tracks that go along well with the atmosphere. Similarly, the voice-overs are also done well and synch well with the characters. The sound effects were good, but I do wish some aspects, like arrows going through the air, could've been represented better; one of the best sounds is a hail of arrows flying through the air, and the sharp clash of steel, but what's there are - serviceable - thuds and clangs.

Control: 8/10
Aside from not doing much in the way of giving the player a bit more control and giving the units a bit more to do (re: better formations, ability to have soldiers march double-time, etc.), there really are no complaints. The game controlled fine to begin with and Ensemble went with the classic adage of not fixing what isn't broke. There have been some additions, which are an enhanced blow-up version of the strategy map and the ability to lock in a repeating production sequence; both are cool and very handy. There was one mishap where an objective banner seemed to vanish, but it was very rare.

Overall: 8/10
Age of Mythology: The Titans is an enjoyable expansion that certainly caries the series well, but suffers from being relatively brief and not giving the player nearly as much titan-action as one would think. The Atlanteans are a great addition, and the titans will come in handy for multiplayer, but those 12 levels left me wanting a little more. All in all, if you are a fan of the original, the new additions are excellent and should prove to be worth the asking price.

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