Steam reviews for Age of Mythology Retold's DLC are'very negative', with the DLC being compared to horse armour.

Age of Mythology Retold is a remake of the classic strategy game from 2002. As per our Age of Mythology Retold review (which gave it an impressive 75), "it walks the tightrope of updating those bits that feel clunky in today's world without killing the nostalgia."

But there's something wrong with those rose-tinted lenses. The Legacy Deity Portrait Pack is the only DLC the game offers (apart from the soundtrack). It's currently available for $6 (PS5), and as the name suggests allows players to use the portraits of the 2002 original release.

The DLC is also included in the premium edition, along with advanced access. This is why both the base and DLC are currently available for review. This is a rare situation, as this may be the first time a DLC received a "Very negative" Steam review before the game to which it's attached has even been released.

It's also not undeserved. I'm not against cosmetic DLCs, but I think they are a waste of money. It's absurd to pay $6 for a few old jpegs from 2002 when a modder can do it in an afternoon. As a bonus for the premium version? Sure, harmless. Worth it on its lone? Not worth your immortal life.

The reviews are pretty clear: "WORSE than HORSE ARMOUR" writes an angry player, probably in the throes a vivid flashback to Bethesda’s progenial graft. Another player who purchased the advanced access version said: "I got it free, but everyone else should too." The images are 20 years old, and the players who would be interested in them are the same ones that have supported the series over the past 20.

I'm not defending the DLC here, but I feel obliged to mention that the premium version seems to be fine. For $20 more, you get seven days of early access, a new God to play with, as well as two upcoming expansions. This seems like a reasonable price.

Age of Mythology Retold seems to also be pleasing its long-term fans. As of the time this article was written, the game had a 92% positive score from users, with approximately 3,670 advanced players giving it a thumbs up. Not bad. I'm reminded about a bigger-scale fiasco with Dragon's Dogma 2, where the game was a riot but some poorly packaged DLC gave it a beating on Steam. As always, optics are crucial.