Check under graphics settings. There’s a checkbox for UHD textures that’s disabled initially. You have to install the hi-res texture pack “DLC” from the XBOX store area before it comes into effect. You can then zoom in and almost see the pores on the skin of your villagers…
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Yeah, just check to be sure. The game looks a bit blurry on my 1080p monitor without the UHD pack, and the zoom is very limited. With it however, it’s a thing of beauty.
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Big sale on the Definitive Edition bundle! For the amount of content you get, this is an absolute steal.
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It is time to revive this thread, as the last of the Age Of Empire Definite Editions have been released and now the whole series is available on PC in glorious HD graphics and modern look and feels.
I’ve played a fair few hours of AoE2 DE as well as AoE3 DE now. I’ve been a fan of the series for many year and playing these games in their current form is a joyous occasion. The graphics makes the games feel like they belong in the current day and age, and you wouldn’t say by looking at them that these games are more than 15 years old now.
Gameplay wise AoE 2 is still as fun and brilliant to play. The AI has been beefed up and the gameplay mechanics feels fresh and polished to the highest quality. AoE 1 and AoE 3 on the other hand feels very similar to the original games, which is when you see their age. There are many other innovations to come in path finding and AI that is present in AoE 2 but not the other games, which is strange and disappointing.
While the graphics is amazing and makes all the games looks fantastic, sound is a bit hit or miss for me. AoE 1 has all new sounds and music, and I have to say I was extremely disappointing on that. I guess I am too nostalgic for the old game’s sound, and luckily there is a toggle to go back to that.
There is a massive amount of new content for each game. AoE 1 has the least amount of new content, with a few new single player campaign and a few maps. AoE 3 sees 1 new civilization and new maps, but no new campaigns. AoE 2 has new civilizations, new campaigns, new maps, new modes and almost feels overwhelming in the amount of content in that game. All the DE versions include all the DLCs previously release and they all include a mode called The Art Of War, this is fantastic. This mode is a training mode to learn modern RTS strats and teaches all the latest tricks you would only find in YouTube tutorials. I honestly think this is a mode that many more games should look out for and incorporate.
Overall if you have any liking of Age Of Empires and have Game Pass, there is no reason not to go and install your favourite AoE game and playing it. It is super fun and I highly recommend them all.
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As excited as I was for AoE 3 DE, I’m a bit disappointed. Not in the whole SJW debacle it’s finding itself, but in how it aged. The new lick of paint somehow makes it feel even more dated than AoE 2 DE… I guess detailed sprites age more gracefully than high res textures on low poly (and badly animated) 3D models. I’ll give it a bit more time, but currently my favourite AoE of all time has been reduced to being my least favourite AoE DE version.
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