With the first look at the forthcoming Age of Empires 4 has come comments that the game is too bright for a title about war.

Speaking to PCGamesN, game director Adam Isgreen has said that the franchise has always strived for this sort of look and that he's sure the modding community will be able to make the title as grim and depressing as they want.

“One of the pillars of the Age games has always been ‘a bright, inviting world,’” game director Adam Isgreen said, "and we certainly mean to maintain that in Age 4. Given the response to the trailer and the look, I think we’re pretty close to where we want to be. Being a PC game, we’ll be sure to include a vibrancy setting if players want to pull the saturation down a bit.”

He continued: “However, much like every other Age game, I’m sure we’ll have a ‘bloody mess’ mod (or something as equally creative in name) within a day or so of release by an enthusiastic fan for those that want that in their gameplay.”