Triskell Interactive announces Theos: Cities of Myth as spiritual successor to Zeus
Developed by the studio behind the 2023 Pharaoh remaster, the title shifts focus to Greek mythology and allows players to control delivery routes, addressing pathing issues from the original 2000 release.
Triskell Interactive has announced Theos: Cities of Myth, a new isometric city-building game positioned as a spiritual successor to Impressions Games’ 2000 classic, Zeus: Master of Olympus. Published by Dotemu, the title is scheduled for release on PC later this year. The developer, known for the 2023 Pharaoh: A New Era remaster, stated the project was conceived as a successor to the Zeus sequel rather than a direct remake, potentially to navigate licensing complexities or costs associated with the original IP.
The game retains the core loop of the Impressions catalog, where players design efficient supply chains to provide citizens with housing, food, and water. Each structure deployed sends out a non-player character, or walker, to deliver goods. Unlike the original titles where players had to design road networks to accommodate the AI’s pathing, Theos grants players full manual control over walker routes. This mechanic allows users to draw specific delivery paths, aiming to resolve the pathing issues that often frustrated players in the earlier games.
An early build of the game was reviewed by Engadget, revealing that the Athens campaign is currently playable, though many tooltips and assets remain in placeholder status. The reviewer noted that while the manual routing system offers greater control, the current interface lacks clarity regarding walker range. In the tested build, the system introduced significant micromanagement, with the game failing to automatically adjust routes as new housing blocks were added, requiring players to manually sketch delivery paths.
Criticism was also directed at the visual presentation. The reviewer observed that the non-player characters appear incongruous with the building and landscape designs, a criticism previously levied at Triskell’s 2023 Pharaoh remaster. While the original Zeus featured simple, colourful isometric graphics that conveyed the vibrance of its setting, the new title’s NPCs seem to originate from a different aesthetic context, creating a disconnect within the art style.
Despite the rough edges of the early build, the developer maintains that the manual routing will allow for flexible city design. Theos does not attempt to reinvent the genre in the manner of titles such as Manor Lords or Frostpunk, but rather seeks to execute the classic Impressions formula. Triskell Interactive aims to address the historical frustrations of the series while providing a familiar experience for players who enjoyed the original 1998 to 2000 releases.
