Theos: Cities of Myth Preview: A Mythical City Builder

Back in 2023, Dotemu published a remake of a classic city-building game from 1999 known as Pharaoh, which was developed by Triskell Interactive. Now, three years later, Dotemu and Triskell are teaming up once more to develop Theos: Cities of Myth, which is something of a spiritual successor to both the original Pharaoh and their 2023 remake.

Thanks to the lovely people at Dotemu, I was able to preview the game prior to its debut at the MIX Summer Games Showcase. In my time spent with the game, it's clear that this is a team dedicated to preserving a very particular era for the city builder. It was a time period dominated by the likes of SimCity 2000 and Tropico, and a time when PC gaming was well on its way to a huge boom period.

This is not a genre in need of another new game, as plenty come out every single year, but Triskell and Dotemu are keen to target a specific style and time period for the genre. With Theos: Cities of Myth, Triskell takes its cues from classic 90s-era city builders, as well as their own fantastic work in the genre. Utilizing a slick art style and some sharp controls, Theos: Cities of Myth is shaping up to be a city builder to watch in 2026.

By the Gods

As far as city builders are concerned, it's actually rather hard to stand out in the space. That's especially true today, where everyone who likes the genre likely already has their favorite. And unless something has gone horribly wrong, chances are that person has made that game their home and any newcomers have to more or less earn their way into the rotation.

Whatever your city builder of choice is, be it SimCity or Cities: Skylines, it's the kind of genre where, if you are into it, you are already committed to the title you've put hundreds of hours into. A new city builder has a fairly steep hill to climb, but by the power of the gods themselves, Theos seems poised to take its best shot.

Like the original Pharaoh from 1999 and Triskell's 2023 remake, Theos is built around choosing an avatar of sorts, then building a city in their image. In the preview build I spent time with, there were quite a few options to choose from. It's hard to judge how different each one will be, as this was still a fairly early rendition of the game.

A new city builder has a fairly steep hill to climb, but by the power of the gods themselves, Theos seems poised to take its best shot.

That being said, there was something calming and chill about Theos that so many city builders strive for. The calm, gentle music is soothing, and the subtle sound design has the potential to lull you into a rather subdued state. If there's one thing that a great city builder will always do well, it's creating an atmosphere that feels altogether relaxing and inviting, and Theos is definitely on the right track here.

A Solid Foundation

I came away from my time with Theos: Cities of Myth very impressed. While the build in question was far too early to draw any conclusions, what was on display was quite enjoyable. It's a game with a strong, incredibly solid city-building foundation. Selecting and placing improvements feels quite snappy, and it's fairly easy to get a lot of new things added to your city relatively quickly.

Even at this early stage, Theos' performance on PC also seems quite good. It's always difficult to judge a game this early, but the level of detail in the artwork and environmental design is remarkably impressive. This is clearly a game made by some incredibly talented artists and designers, which looks and plays wonderfully even at this early stage.

If there's one thing that a great city builder will always do well, it's creating an atmosphere that feels altogether relaxing and inviting, and Theos is definitely on the right track here.

As a city-builder, Theos has a lot of potential. Whether it will be able to stand up against the already well-established franchises, as well as the rather exciting new city-builder games coming out this year, isn't quite clear yet. That being said, Theos is already well on its way to taking a big swing in order to at least try to be competitive.

If you've got a city builder you love already, but are looking for something new, I'd encourage you to keep an eye on Theos: Cities of Myth. There's something genuinely cool waiting in the wings here, and I can't wait to hear more about it as the year goes on. This is going to be a busy year for the city builder genre, but Triskell and Dotemu have a strong contender on deck.

Theos: Cities of Myth is slated for release on PC in 2026.