First look at the finished product! It’s super pretty and they added dynamic zoom, which is great. In the beta you had to change this from the menu and there were only three zoom settings. Music and sound effects are excellent. It looks and feels just like the original, so it won’t mess up your nostalgia one bit.
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Right, I’ve played about 3 hours of the game last night, and here are my first impression thoughts:
Age of Empires Definitive Edition feels like one of those old cars that have been built up and made more modern. Those cars that get the new engines and new suspension and stuff. Those cars look and feel like the older versions of themselves, yet runs more modern and better. And that’s what AoE feels like
Firstly the graphics overhaul is fantastic. The game looks visually stunning but still the same. All the buildings still look familiar, though they have received an update, the units have much more detail to them and the terrain is fantastic. But everything feels very similar to the old version. There is a stark contrast when looking at the two versions side by side though, and it’s only then that you really get to appreciate the graphical step-up the game has made.
There are a bunch of gameplay tweaks as well. Apart from the obvious bug fixes, you would come to expect, the population cap has been lifted from 50 to 250. That is a big change and makes all-out war extremely hectic. There are other changes, like attack movement added to the game, and you can now queue unit building, plus the farms are replenished by a right click. All these changes are welcomed.
However, much like the old car, there are drawbacks in just putting a new engine into an old shell. The game may look brand new but feels old. There is definitely some rose-tinted glass watching going on here. It’s been such a long time since last I played AoE that the core mechanics feel archaic and old. The AI and pathfinding, for example, is still precisely like the old game. Some may find that endearing, but I found it frustrating after so many years of playing other RTS games with better pathfinding and AI. Then there is the sound. While the new sound effects added to the game is welcomed and really well done, I found myself missing the old sound just too much, and I found the new audio files distracting to the point that I really didn’t like it.
Luckily the game has the option of playing in Classic mode. In this mode, the game reverts back to the old graphics, old sound files and static non-zooming camera. While the look is similar to the old game, you can clearly see the assets are higher resolution, making the Classic mode an absolute joy of nostalgia.
Overall I feel like the game delivers on its initial promise; giving you that AoE experience you fell in love with all those years ago. The game looks great, runs even better, plays just as you remember and is still fun all these years later.
If you’re a fan of the franchise or the initial game, I would recommend this title, after only the first few hours I’ve played it.
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Seems like a fair summary. I have to put in some more time to fully form an opinion, but one thing that was evident from the beta already is that some of the old game’s shortcomings were preserved. My one gripe with the original was that the units from different civs just look too similar. In AoE2 they put a lot of effort into making the armies look and play differently. It’s not a major issue, but I find it just a touch disappointing.
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They only gave it a score of 60.
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Some good news for those who steered clear of this because it was a Windows Store exclusive.
Also, the next remaster, Ages 2 Definitive, will be present and playable at E3 next week. Personally, this is the one I am most excited for.
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And some more great news! I’m loving the remasters of classic RTS games currently. Still want to give the StarCraft remaster a go…
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It is very, very good. Plays exactly like the original, just much more modern and polished. Whether that is enough to justify the asking price, you’ll have to decide.
Does the definitive in “Definitive Edition” suggest that these updated versions will include the DLCs and Expansions for AoE2 and AoE3 and that they will also get the same update treatment? Or are they definitive versions of just the original base games?
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Judging by AoE: Definitve, you can expect 4K graphics, a remastered soundtrack, some minor gameplay polish (not that AoE2 needs any), and all the official expansions should be included.
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Teaser for Ages 2: DE!
Also, both this and AOE:DE are now listed on the Steam page. Not available as yet, but soon hopefully.
Some news from Gamescom: AoE Definitive is for sale on Steam as of right now. AoE2 Definitive is available for pre-order and will launch Nov 14. Both will support cross play between Steam and the MS store editions.
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And remember that if you have a Game Pass subscription, you’ll be able to play both DEs on Windows 10 using that.
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AoE 2:DE is now available on Steam and the MS Store, together with the free Enhanced Graphics Pack.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-za/p/age-of-empires-ii-definitive-edition/9njdd0jgpp2q
As promised, it is included for free in Game Pass for PC (or Ultimate) as well.
Very nice detail review of the release from RPS here:
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Yaaargh, beat me to it.
I love the new Art of War feature; it’s basically an advanced play guide that teaches you build orders etc so you can be more competitive. Very cool.
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Here’s a quick peek at the new Art Of War missions, that teach you more advanced build orders and tactics. Also: So pretty!
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I’ve played a few skirmishes and a few campaign missions. And all I have to say is wow. This version of the game feel brand new and just so great.
It is not just the great new graphics, the AI is much better than previous versions of AoE2. I like the new menus look and feel as well, and the music is also a big improvement.
Age of Empires 2 has never felt so great. And to think this is actually an old game. It doesn’t feel like it at all.
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At least there’s one game we agree on.
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I played a bit of AoE2:DE this past weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. Make sure to install the hi-res texture pack though… It’s not installed by default.
I played through the William Wallace tutorial campaign again, just for nostalgia. This is how a remaster should be done…
With XGP for PC giving me such great games I honestly questioning the viability of buying games anymore!
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Oh this is interesting. Will have to see if I have it installed. The game looks bloody fantastic, so perhaps I already have it installed. And if I don’t, oh boy…
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