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Battle against complex computer opponents or play against friends in this popular real-time strategy game

Battle against complex computer opponents or play against friends in this popular real-time strategy game

Vote: (12,938 votes)

Program license: Trial version

Developer: Ensemblestudios

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(12,938 votes)

Trial version

Developer

Ensemblestudios

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Enthralling campaigns and historical battles
  • Well-balanced online gameplay
  • World-class soundtrack

Cons

  • Graphics are outdated
  • Online gameplay can be extremely competitive

Age of Empires 2 is a popular real-time strategy game that puts in you in control of some of the most iconic leaders throughout history.

When it comes to real-time strategy titles, very few games have received as many awards as Age of Empires 2. Even though this game is over 20 years old, it continues to set records as new players discover the amazing mechanics, beautiful soundtrack, and intense combat. If you have been on the search for a fast-paced strategy game that you can sink countless hours into, then you might want to take a closer look at Age of Empires 2.

The overall storyline within Age of Empires 2 is relatively complex, and it loosely follows just over 1,000 years of history. In the game, you are going to play as Ghengis Kahn, Joan of Arc, William the Conquerer, and other notorious figures. Those leaders must wage war in order to expand their empires or prevent others from taking over their civilizations. After a stage is complete and you have won a series of battles, you will then move to a new leader in a different era.

One of the reasons why this game has stood the test of time is because of the complexity of each individual civilization. In the Definitive Edition of this game, there are 35 different civilizations to choose from, and each empire has a variety of unique units, characters, bonuses, and penalties. One civilization might be adept at seafaring and trading while another will focus on heavy cavalry and quick movements over land. Before you choose a civilization to play as, you might want to spend some time familiarizing yourself with all of those different factors so that you can refine your tactics.

While some of the campaign matches have unique goals that you will need to achieve, the average game follows a relatively basic progression. When you first start a match, you will typically be provided with a few villagers, a single combatant, and very few resources. You must then direct your villagers to collect resources so that they can recruit more units and build additional structures. As the match progresses, you will be able to unlock new units, carry out research to improve your stats, and build an army. During that time, you must continue to fight off other armies while probing your enemies for weaknesses. The match is over when you defeat the other armies or achieve the set objectives.

Throughout each match, you will carefully need to manage your village and all of your units if you want to be victorious. While the game is going to be relatively slow at first, the pace is quickly going to pick up as you recruit additional units and come into contact with enemy civilizations. If you spend all of your time focusing on collecting resources, then you might not realize that your enemies are right on top of you. On the other end of the spectrum, your resources are going to become depleted if you do nothing more than micromanage your combatants.

The campaigns in Age of Empires 2 are enthralling, but online play is one of the biggest reasons why this game has remained popular for so many years. Players can either match up against one another in head-to-head combat or set up team matches. You also have the option of creating teams to combat advanced AI enemies. As long as your friends have copies of Age of Empires 2, you will be able to team up with them from anywhere in the world and engage in epic battles.

Leading up to each match with your friends, the leader of the party will be able to decide on a wide variety of different factors, but each player should have some input as well. You will be able to change variables such as what types of resources you start with, which objectives are needed to win, the structure of each team, and which Age you start in. Your party even has the option of mixing and matching AI teammates to add a new element to the game. A weaker player might stand a better chance against more skilled adversaries if they are given a few AI allies to balance the teams. When the AI is set to the lowest skill levels, they are going to be nothing more than a distraction, but those same opponents will be ruthless at the highest difficulty levels.

Age of Empires 2 continues to be one of the most iconic games ever made, and it is a must-have for anyone who is a fan of real-time strategy titles. Even though the graphics are slightly outdated, the overall balance of the game is phenomenal. Practically everyone is going to enjoy at least a few aspects of this outstanding game.

Pros

  • Enthralling campaigns and historical battles
  • Well-balanced online gameplay
  • World-class soundtrack

Cons

  • Graphics are outdated
  • Online gameplay can be extremely competitive