Age of Mythology: Retold – Immortal Pillars Expansion Brings Chinese Mythology to Life

Since its release on September 4, 2024, “Age of Mythology: Retold” has successfully revived one of the greatest classic strategy games, offering an enhanced experience that blends authenticity with modern improvements. With the “Immortal Pillars” expansion, excitement reached new heights by introducing the Chinese faction, complete with new elements from ancient beliefs, units, and engaging story campaigns. This expansion is a golden opportunity for both longtime fans and new players to discover rich, polished content that redefines gameplay strategies in fresh ways.

“Immortal Pillars” is the first paid expansion for “Age of Mythology: Retold,” adding a new set of Chinese mythological creatures and a story campaign focused on this faction. This update reimagines the older “Tale of the Dragon” expansion, which faced criticism for technical issues and unbalanced gameplay. For this reason, the developers at “World’s Edge” and their partners decided to rebuild the content from scratch rather than trying to fix an expansion that didn’t resonate with players.

About the Original Game

Before diving into the new expansion’s details, let’s talk about the base game if you’re not familiar with it.

In Age of Mythology: Retold, myths aren’t just ancient tales but a living reality where humans, rulers, and monsters constantly battle for the sacred throne and control over the land. This enhanced version brings back the classic game with modern touches, featuring stunning graphics and smoother gameplay—like rewriting myths with new letters that blend past and present into an unforgettable epic.

The game isn’t just about swords and arrows; it’s a true test of strategic thinking. In this rich RTS world, you’ll start with a rising civilization, gathering resources, building cities, and rallying armies under the banner of the rulers you choose. Will you protect the sun under Ra’s shadow or unleash Zeus’s wrath? It’s not just humans fighting for you—mythical creatures will join your ranks too, from swift Centaurs to the bloodthirsty Jormund Elver.

The game lets you ally with major mythological entities, with each civilization having unique powers that can turn the tide of battle. Egyptians can summon Osiris’s power to turn sand into an army of warriors, Vikings unleash snowstorms that paralyze enemies, Greeks fight under Zeus’s protection with his mighty lightning, while Atlanteans rely on magical technology to summon unstoppable creatures.

The main campaign takes you through 50 legendary missions—besieging Troy’s walls, battling giants in frozen Viking lands, and discovering lost temple secrets in Egyptian deserts. Each battle has its own story, and every victory brings you closer to legend.

Whether you prefer solo play or epic online battles, Age of Mythology: Retold offers a fun, challenging experience. The advanced AI makes encounters tougher and more exciting, as enemies adapt to your strategies, forcing you to get creative in every battle!

The Story

“Immortal Pillars” emerges as the first expansion for “Age of Mythology: Retold,” opening a new chapter with ancient Chinese civilization and taking players on a journey filled with miracles and myths.

The story follows Yan Feifeng, a warrior chosen by Shennong, one of the heavenly sages, to stop Huang Chaowu—a tyrant who was once a respected hero but turned vengeful after losing his wife. His rage leads him to destroy the “Immortal Pillars” that maintain the world’s balance and seize heavenly rule. As the conflict escalates, Yan Feifeng is joined by the legendary archer Houyi and a group of warriors in a perilous journey.

Through nine main missions, the expansion presents challenges beyond ordinary battles, blending deep strategy with engaging storytelling. In one mission, you must navigate great rivers to save a village threatened by floods before it’s too late. In another, you’ll defend a massive wonder surrounded by enemy hordes, testing your resource management and defensive planning.

The expansion also introduces new mythological figures like Fuxi, Shennong, and Nuwa, each with unique abilities that change the course of battles. Mythical units vary from the beastly Yazi to the cunning Zhulong and the mysterious Taowu, adding more strategic depth.

One standout feature is the cinematic scenes that make you feel part of the story, not just a spectator. While early missions serve as tutorials for the Chinese faction’s mechanics, the real challenge appears in later stages where battles intensify and planning becomes crucial.

Gameplay

If you’re new to Age of Mythology: Retold or strategy expansions in general, “Immortal Pillars” introduces fresh, enjoyable gameplay through the Chinese faction’s unique mechanics. This expansion plays differently from other civilizations by focusing on smart city-building and innovative resource management.

The key feature is “Favored Land”—a simple yet game-changing concept. Instead of placing buildings randomly, the game encourages clustering structures together for bonuses like faster production or stronger defenses. It’s like solving a puzzle to maximize efficiency.

The expansion also adds 12 new mythological figures, each with distinct playstyles. Some help gather resources faster, others strengthen troops in combat, and some fortify your city against attacks. This lets you choose a leader that fits your strategy, whether you prefer direct assaults or strong defenses.

For combat units, the Chinese faction boasts powerful mythical creatures like Qilin, which heals wounded soldiers mid-battle; Hundun, a cute-looking but deadly beast against enemies; Xuanwu, which moves on land and water; and Qinglong, a dragon that devastates everything from the skies. Each unit has special abilities, allowing diverse tactics based on battle conditions.

The expansion also grants powerful god powers, like the “Great Flood” that drowns enemies quickly, “Rain of Fire” that showers foes with fireballs, and “Blessed Land” that strengthens buildings and units within Favored Land. These abilities can turn battles in your favor.

Another new addition is the “Pioneer” hero, an exploration-focused unit that sends out flying lanterns to reveal map areas without needing an army. This tactical advantage lets you monitor enemy movements and plan attacks wisely.

With all these additions, “Immortal Pillars” makes gameplay more diverse and exciting. You’ll discover new ways to build cities, powerful combat units, and godly powers that unlock unexpected strategies. If you want a fresh Age of Mythology: Retold experience, this expansion delivers fun moments and thrilling challenges.

Graphics & Technical Performance

This expansion shines in reviving ancient Chinese architecture with breathtaking detail, making buildings reflect traditional culture accurately. The unique designs highlight clear differences between the Chinese faction and others, enhancing the expansion’s visual appeal. The overall environment creates an immersive experience, bringing Chinese cities to life with bustling streets, vibrant colors, and intricate decorations that evoke history and grandeur. Dynamic lighting and realistic reflections make scenes stunning, as if you’re inside a world inspired by Chinese mythology.

Despite high-quality graphics, some technical issues may affect gameplay. Certain units, like the speedy Yazi, can struggle with environmental obstacles like trees, disrupting combat strategies at critical moments. Even flying units like Qinglong sometimes face similar problems despite their aerial advantage. The story itself is enjoyable and adds historical depth, but it feels somewhat short since early missions focus on teaching mechanics, reducing truly challenging missions.

Overall, the expansion delivers a visually magical experience that reflects Chinese history realistically but needs performance improvements for smoother gameplay. With some updates, it could become even more balanced and powerful.

Final Verdict

8.5/10

The “Immortal Pillars” expansion breathes new life into Age of Mythology: Retold, redefining mythical strategy with rich, deep content. Introducing the Chinese faction isn’t just a numerical addition—it’s a fundamental change that creates new ways to play, whether in city-building, using god powers, or managing epic battles. Despite some technical issues, the overall experience offers creativity and balance that make it worth trying. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to this world, this expansion is a perfect opportunity to discover new legendary tales that will stay with players.