Most strategy games are noticeable by some key factors : Tactics,Big Armies,Good Sound and Graphics,Game-Play etc. Age Of Empires has all these features and stays fresh to this day. In AOE you basically play one of the Middle-Age armies or sides. You can choose from a mouth-full of nations or sides and these include - China, Japan, Vikings, British, Celts and many more. All sides are unique with strong building designs and units. While it may be unreal that some sides fight against each-other its not as important as the game-play itself. You start the game with a town-center,a hand-full of villagers and a scout. Your objective is quite simple : Advance from the Dark Age to the Imperial Age and kill your enemy. While it may sound easy at first you will quickly learn that you need to manage many things at once. These include : Gathering resources,Scouting the map,building-up an effective army and defending your own base. Its hard but it is extremely fun while it lasts. The combat in AOE is awsome,the portion of units you have is crazy not to mention all the tactics you can employ. Out-smarting your enemy is king in this game. While you can still win a bloody battle it is still extremely satisfying to see your army take minimal loses. For exsample : Placing archers on a hill to cover your swords-men below will work really well in your favor. While the tactics you can employ really matter if you are going to win or not, the action does not go limited to ground only. Massive naval battles take place early in the game and the beautiful graphics and sound make the battlefield come alive before you. Everything in AOE particularly looks and sounds really good. Despite some bugs AOE works just fine on almost any machine.
Overall many games have good parts and bad parts. AOE has so many good parts that the bad parts sink into the shadows. IF you like Strategy-Games, you will no doubt love AOE.
Other Helpful Reviews for Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
When Microsoft released Age of Empires in 1997, it had high reviews. Some people loved the war, and the building of an Empire. People liked the wide variety of troops that you can make to topple your enemies. Others, lik... Read Full Review
This game is legendary. I have played this game since when I was about 6-8 (so around 2002-2004), and still enjoy it today. The replayability level is very very high. The graphics are amazing for its time, and still ... Read Full Review
