Age of Empires IV
I was struggling to decide which Age of Empires game to place here, and it was always going to be between the original Age of Empires or Age of Empires IV. I always argue with people that we shouldn’t let our nostalgia for the past completely dominate our view on games, and while it’s important, and you could argue that’s a very important part of some experiences, it’s also as important as giving what’s new a fair chance.
Age of Empires IV is a return to form for the franchise, and it manages to take what made Age of Empires II great and tweak it in a way that I think makes Age of Empires IV one of the best of the series, especially if you’re a single player kind of guy, as the campaigns are the best in the series: their historical focused, every mission is different, and with every level you get dished out a small history lesson. This fourth entry does a phenomenal job of recreating period and culturally authentic buildings. The new 3D models are all high-resolution and detail-ridden, even for the most basic of houses. Better yet, Age of Empires IV doesn’t shy away from peppering the map with small, but visually impactful details. Roads sprout in between buildings organically, and houses sometimes generate farms and enclosures that add a lot of flavour to towns and fortresses.
I think that if Age of Empires IV had shied away from its more cartoony graphics and stayed true to the art style the series had in the first and second games, a lot more people would have given it a chance. It’s undeniable, however, that Age of Empires IV was still very well received by its demanding community. We could benefit much if the team decided to introduce new civilizations and campaigns more often.
Age of Mythology: Retold
Age of Mythology: Retold is a remake of the Ensemble Studios 2002 original title. This seminal and classic RTS title is still considered one of the best and most imaginative takes on the real-time strategy genres to ever grace our computer screens. Hailing from the minds of the team that made Age of Empires, Age of Mythology followed a very similar gameplay style, but added some flavor mythical units, and a couple of new mechanics, like active unit abilities and God Powers.
Had Age of Mythology: Retold not come out at the tail end of 2024, I think that Age of Mythology would be lower on the list, because the series was in dire need of an upgrade, after the less-than-stellar Age of Mythology: Extended Edition from 2014. But since we have this new and much-improved version of Age of Mythology )Everything was redone from scratch: new unit models, new buildings, new animations, new effects, and even new sound and voice acting), it’s hard to say that it isn’t the definitive way of enjoying this classic.
The amount of content available, alongside a relatively low price, makes Age of Mythology: Retold one of the best RTS you can pick up right now, and in all honesty, one of the best RTS of 2024. Age of Mythology: Retold is a testament to the everlasting appeal of both the original’s game design and the fantastic setting that is classic mythology. If you played and enjoyed the original, I can promise you, you won’t be disappointed.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
It’s undeniable that Age of Empires II was not only a genre-defining title, but at the same time, it was a platform-defining game, making PC the official home of strategy games. It’s a very special game in many other ways, and the first one is that most of the videogame-playing adults today played it sometime in their past, or their childhoods, so a bit of nothing is always present.
Every single time anyone mentions the Real-Time-Strategy genre, it’s inevitable that Age of Empires II is the game that instantly comes to mind. The seminal RTS was released all the way back in 1999 and it still remains one of the most played games in the genre. Age of Empires II expertly encapsulates the popular look and feel of what a medieval town/ hamlet) city centre could look like if it was ripped straight out of a history book. Its battles strike a perfect balance between deep mechanics and simple to read and play around with. Age of Empires II is a game whose formula still remains as modern today as it was in 1999, and pair that up with a great sense of nostalgia and familiarity, and its throne as the king of RTS isn’t going vacant anytime soon.
The original Age of Empires II was released all the way back in 1999. An HD Edition came out in 2013 and more recently, a Definitive Edition was launched in 2019.
I hope you enjoyed the article and it took you back on a trip to one of gaming’s most influential franchises, and a childhood favourite for many of us. Please let me know if you agree with me if you think my list is wrong in any way, and what would your list look like!
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