When the Eastern Han Dynasty era began, the population of China is estimated to have been around 50 million. Then came the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the campaign against Dong Zhuo, and the era of warlords. By the late Three Kingdoms period, the population had plummeted to a mere 8 million. Internal strife weakened national power, which led to the short-lived Jin Dynasty and foreign invasion.

Players Make Their Own Legends

Myth of Empires is set during 3rd century China, though the major events of that period are not actually depicted in-game. Instead, players are invited to see for themselves the world such events created. "We don't want to define this era as belonging to the end of the Han Dynasty or the Three Kingdoms," says the creator of Myth of Empires, describing Angela Game's intentions in developing the game. "We are simply restoring a depiction of the world as it existed at that time. As for the legends and myths the era spawned - it is up to the players to build their own legends and myths."

The Necessity of Horses

Horses played an essential role in life during ancient times. They were an inevitable part of peasant life, noble life, and of war. For this reason, the developers of Myth of Empires have placed great importance on the role horses play in the game. They have worked with global motion capture teams to capture the way horses moves so that they can be rendered realistically. In Myth of Empires, riding and fighting atop horseback are part of the immersive experience. From the dvelopment team's point of view, the horses in the game are not mere mounts or weapons of war - they are partners and companions. They are an integral part of the game's world.

A Living, Free World

The map in Myth of Empires is 64 square kilometers in size. For a player riding a horse, it would take over half an hour to cross the map from one side to the other. Coupled with the high degree of freedom afforded by the game's sandbox design, this means players have a large, exciting world to explore and shape. The world is also rich in various terrain and ecological resources. These play a vital part in the strategic element of the game. Players will need to use the environment ot their advantage when collecting resources, claiming territory, and building forts.

Brick by Brick

Myth of Empire's brutal physics-based combat has been designed from the ground up with immersion in mind. Players will need to collect the resources required to forge their weapons and armor, creating realistic and fulfilling gameplay. Players will also be able to farm, cook food, blacksmith, and raise horses. Myth of Empires is not a game of discrete elements - it is a fully integrated experience.

On the whole, this is a sandbox war game with a historical twist. Though this historical background can be found in many MMO, strategy, and RPG games, it's not something that's been tried in a sandbox game before. Add to this the extreme degree of freedom Myth of Empires gives to its players, and the game brings something wholly new to the table that will raise the bar for other developers of sandbox games.