Game On: Is Xbox Game Pass the way ahead?
Taking stock after a month of 'Age of Mythology Retold', 'FrostPunk2', and 'Ara: History Untold
Hyderabad: The last month has been unidimensional Sony fare – the much-criticised launch of the PS5 Pro, the success of the new Astro Bot, and the announcement of a sequel to ‘Ghost of Tsushima’.
However, while Sony has been in the spotlight, Microsoft has been quietly expanding its catalogue with three solid Real Time Strategy (RTS) games in ‘Age of Mythology Retold’ – a remaster of the 2002 classic, ‘Frostpunk 2’, and ‘Ara: History Untold’.
With the addition of these three games, the Xbox Game Pass catalogue has something for almost everyone. This week’s column offers a snapshot of all the three RTS games and asks if Microsoft should double down on PC gaming as means to counter Sony.
Age of Mythology Retold
Developed by multiple production teams, this remaster manages to deliver a cohesive experience that’s as satisfying as I remember. It’s a treat to see the terrains and maps from 2002 reimagined with modern mechanics. The game retains much of what made the classic great, offering an Age of Empires experience set in mythological times. With refined mechanics, a completely overhauled UI, a distinct aura surrounding Hero units, and a repurposed ‘attack move’ there’s plenty of new elements to enjoy, and learn.
Frostpunk 2
The second entry on the list arrives over six years after the original ‘Frostpunk’, and I can’t help but marvel at how beautiful the game looks, despite most of the terrain being blanketed in layers of snow. The interface and controls are a joy to behold, especially the way icons change colours and take on ghostly, smoky appearances when things start to get tough in-game. With a detailed tutorial and in-depth rules, there’s room for players to both arrive at perfect solutions and devise creative strategies to survive the frost.
Ara: History Untold:
The final game on this list launched just last Tuesday and, in many ways, offers a 4X experience similar to ‘Sid Meier’s Civilization’. This is a world-building game where you start in the Neolithic age and race toward the modern era by researching technologies and constructing buildings — think 2007’s brilliant ‘Rise of Nations’. However, the game envisions a much richer future than most, embracing sci-fi concepts like Transhumanism, Cybernetics, and, of course, AI. With a diverse range of leaders to choose from, you can select the ideal nation for your playstyle.
With three amazing RTS games to choose from, PC players are certainly spoiled, especially since some of the games here don’t even offer controller support. However, this also means that, in many ways, RTS players must rely on PCs and services like Game Pass to find their fix.
At a time when Sony seems to have perfected console play and the Xbox Series X struggles to keep up with the PS5, could the RTS and strategy genres be a possible way to counter Sony’s dominance? One can only hope.
