The first AoE game started things off on a good note, but came packed with a few too many oddities.
The gameplay is basically the same as any other real time strategy game. It comes packed with ages, upgrades, and units of all different shapes and sizes. The storymode itself is pretty good, but the thing that really caught me was the multiplayer. Even on slower connections, this game will run pretty smoothly and is enjoyable. There is a pretty steep learning curve though, as more hardcore players who know the game better can easily take out new players to the game.
Features that should have been implemented into the original game, like gates and better proportions for characters, are available in AoE II. Even though the game was really well done for its time, there was still room for improvement that could have been completed in the original Age of Empires game.