For those who like their Age of Empires a dash more beardy and with a smidgen more smiting, Age of Mythology Extended Edition will be descending from Mount Olympus this May.

Microsoft announced the reworking today, which has been scrubbed up and had its warpaint slapped on to bring it kicking and screaming into 2014…

Age of Mythology was (and still is I guess…) classical take on strategy, replacing deer-hunting with cyclops battles, and mining ore for discovering Atlantis. You know, the usual ancient god stuff. It blends the mythology of the Greeks, Egyptians and the Norse into one big hammer-tossing melting pot, and it was also pretty damn good when it launched back in 2002.

Ensemble Studios’ classic is back and looking better than ever, with enhanced water effects, dynamic shadows, night/day cycles and more give it that 2014 boost. Age of Mythology Extended Edition (clues in the name) also comes packing the Titans expansion, which made things bigger and larger and explodier.

It’s available to pre-purchase on Steam early this month, with Early Access also included should you stump up the cash. There’s full Steamworks integration, Twitch TV, and of course support for Windows 7 and 8.

Unsurprisingly for a souped up game there’s some enhanced specifications to go along with it too. These minimums aren’t too bad and shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for someone who’s bought a gaming PC with the last 7-8 years or so.

Age of Mythology Extended Edition Minimum System Requirements

OS: Windows XP 32-bit
Direct X: DX10+ 
GPU: Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT, AMD Radeon X1950, or Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Sound Card
System Memory: 3GB RAM

For those who want to take a classical waltz down memory lane, Age of Mythology Extended Edition will be arriving on PC in May. 

Is Age of Mythology a fondly remembered classic for any GD'ers?

Do you miss the days of Microsoft Studios funding quality new titles for PC gamers?

Practice your trident hurling down in the comments below!