Age of Empires 4 Review
It’s been over two decades since Age of Empires 2 launched and became an instant RTS classic and Relic hopes to recapture that magic with its release of Age of Empires 4 this month. It’s easy to see the inspiration the developers took from AoE2 as they put together their vision for the new entry in the franchise with a title that aims to please longtime fans of the series while also winning over the new generation with some accessible game modes. Age of Empires 4 is packed with game modes, tutorials, and difficulty levels that offer a path for almost any player interested in historical strategy, whether they’re new to the RTS genre or twenty years old. experience under their belt. The game may not have made too many attempts to add a ton of new features to the tried and true AoE formula, but it certainly nailed the variety of gameplay experiences available. In many ways, it’s incredibly impressive how much Age of Empires 4 looks, feels, and sounds like a modern spin on Age of Empires 2 that still feels unique enough. to not be AoE 2 Definitive Edition. The graphics and sound design have obviously come a long way, but, as a reviewer who spent a lot of time in the late 90s playing AoE2, the essence of the franchise shines through.
The new game comes with eight playable civilizations (factions), four of which also have their own campaign modes. Each of these campaigns is quite cleverly designed to help educate (or refresh) players on the fundamentals of RTS and AoE strategy. New players will definitely benefit from playing these scenarios to learn hotkeys, military strategy, resource management, and many other tips and tricks. The eight factions share the same base units, but each has its own perks and some different mechanics to help them feel unique and separate from each other. In addition to the campaign modes (which also contain tons of documentary-style footage and narration about the real-world battles each mission is based on), players can also openly battle online in co-op and competitive matches with up to seven others. players. The success of this part of the game will help determine how long it stays in the zeitgeist and what kind of post-launch content does or doesn’t arrive and so far it looks like it’s off to a good start. Competitive players will find all the expected game modes and online support for a modern RTS, though the game lacks anything new and shiny in terms of game modes to set it apart from the rest of the RTS scene. .
The only real areas where Age of Empires 4 may be lacking are with visuals and individual unit controls. The franchise has a fairly iconic art style and it doesn’t stray into new territory or push the limits here. Gamers playing at max settings won’t find a ton to fascinate, but the style still holds up well even though it’s aged a bit compared to some newer offerings in the genre. As for unit control, some players may be frustrated until they start to master the game’s hotkeys and quirks. Even then, some units may still not behave exactly as players expect them to when they are saved with an obstacle or enemy in their path. Overall, Age of Empires certainly brings enough to the table and captures enough nostalgia to make it an easy recommendation for any fan of the franchise or genre. For players new to RTS, the Story Mode and campaigns really make it a very strong choice to dive into as well, as long as they don’t expect cutting-edge graphics. The fact that the game will be available on Game Pass Day One could help expose a large new audience to the franchise and build some new fans. It will be very interesting to see what kind of reception it receives and, if it is successful, what kind of post-launch content may come in the coming year to keep the community hooked and engaged. Age of Empires 4 is available on PC via Xbox Game Pass and Steam starting October 28. Microsoft/Xbox provided Today Technology with an early access PC code for this review. MORE: Every Day One Xbox Game Pass Game Confirmed for Fall/Holiday 2021 Now