When we talk about strategy games, one of the first names that comes to mind is without a doubt Age of Empires, one of the most solid pillars of the genre. And it is not for less, the saga originally of Ensemble Studios It has numerous titles and expansions behind it since its debut in 1997 and, during all these years, it has been able to move us and make us relive different times in history and that marked a before and after in the world in which we live.
From the stone age to beyond the industrial revolution, each installment has been unique and has encompassed major events and disputes, while at the same time it has endured over time thanks to the power of remastering, bringing new generations of players no longer have any inconvenience to play them.
But what about Age of Empires IV? As you know, World’s Edge -from Xbox Game Studios- is the new lead developer in charge of the series since Phil Spencer announced it in 2019 and, along with real-time strategy veterans from Relic EntertainmentThey have worked hard to continue the saga as it deserves. As for the game itself, its first announcement was nothing more and nothing less than in 2017. It has rained a lot since then and ‘overcome’ a delivery as it has been Age of Empires II -the most played title of the saga- will not be an easy task, although according to its creators, that is precisely their purpose because, with the help of the fan community, they have been shaping the game in a way that manages to innovate but without losing its true essence, becoming another unforgettable delivery. Will it succeed?
Back to the Middle Ages
We start by going back to the beginning: the Middle Ages, a time already seen in the saga and a decision that has created controversy, as many fans expected the story to continue as it did in the previous ones, being Age of Empires the one that spanned the Stone Age to the Iron Age, Age of Empires II the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and Age of Empires III from the Renaissance to the Industrial Age. It would be ‘logical’ to enter the contemporary age but for now that is not yet the fate of the saga and the truth, no need to. From the first moment Age of Empires IV gives the feeling of being a new rebirth Updating the franchise and taking one of the players’ favorite eras is a great way to start, but let’s get down to business:
500 years from the Dark Ages to the beginning of the Renaissance are many years, with which it was possible to experience multiple and great events marked in the history of the world, some already quite told as the history of Joan of Arc or Genghis Khan and others not so encompassed as the battles of the Normans, the last Russians and even fundamental pieces of the 100 years war never seen before. This is what the fourth installment of Age of Empires, to make us relive famous historical events but without neglecting other very important events that also happened in the same chronology. A feast for history lovers.The thing promises. The game has great tools so that the player can not only unravel each data of the time, meet famous people and immerse himself in it, but also thanks to the narrations, cinematics and explanatory videos in real image focused on construction, weapons and culture in general, we are offered a very complete narrative experience -of the most within the genre- and that little more can be asked of it.
This is what Age of Empires IV looks like on PC
Improving over the years
In the playable, he has improved a lot, he has learned from the best that the remasters of Age of Empires II and its respective expansions such as its 4k resolution, its improved graphics, its much more fluid and useful interface and of course its accessibility. This is perfectly enjoyed with its different forms of play such as the Campaign mode of a player, the skirmish mode and the online mode And, despite the fact that this last one is the most played, it must be said that it is very worthwhile -as we have already stressed before- its hard-working campaign mode, so it does not hurt to give it a try.On this occasion, we can meet and take the role of up 8 civilizations: the English, the French, the Chinese, the Delhi Sultanate, the Albanian Caliphate, the Mongols, the Rus and the Holy Roman Empire, protagonists of up to 4 unique campaigns with 35 missions involved and, in addition, with 4 difficulties : Story Mode, Easy, Intermediate and Difficult, perfect for any player to enjoy the title regardless of their experience with the genre because, whether they are a veteran in Age of Empires or are totally alien to the saga, Age of Empires IV It has different aids and tutorials to avoid leaving anyone by the wayside, a very positive point.
The stories develop and connect with each other very well, they make us feel like the real protagonists of everything that happened and not a mere spectator, but here without a doubt the strong point is its great balance building-battlesWe have our moment of calm where we can make our camps prosper, but also from one moment to another we take action in arduous battles with hundreds of soldiers. There is no shortage in any of the aspects -as was usual-, although we must not forget the naval battles, another star dish of the game.If we go on to talk about the skirmishes or its online mode, the experience is very enriching too. Although in the end what counts is the strategy used by each one as in a game of chess, the fact that each civilization has its own characteristics for both good and bad is something that can change a lot. You turn in each confrontation, so the trick is to learn, adapt and exploit our civilization benefits, as well as use them against the enemy.
Another highlight is starting customization, It has different options in terms of how to play but the map editor is the best: not only can we change the number of players, the shape of the map or how the teams appear, but we can also choose the biome In which we will play, whether in immense snowy mountains or in a multicolored Asian subtropical forest, the combinations are many and they will be even more with the creator of mods that they will supposedly add later. In addition, in this type of game the AI is not decoration like in other games, it is much more precise and logical, so if we don’t have someone to play with, nothing would happen either and it can be quite a challenge as well.
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And we finish with its visual section. It is true that I have only said wonders of the game and it continues to be so, its graphics have been totally improved and the actions of the characters are more fluid, the world is much more detailed but you miss something more of ‘life’ on stageAlthough the game does not focus on it, it is a shame to zoom in on the buildings and that there is hardly any movement, just like in the middle of a forest. Taking advantage of so many changes and improvements to adapt the title to current technologies I think it would have been very good to improve that section, although of course it is not something that influences the gameplay itself.
Age of Empires IV Analysis – Conclusions
Age of Empires IV is an example of what a historical strategy game must be like. It is pure strategy, but it is also learning and fun. It does not leave out components as important as the plot and gives us multiple options to play depending on our tastes. It has improved in different aspects with respect to its predecessors using the same formula that triumphed in its day, although little things are missing – something that could be curling the curl if it is true. It is suitable for any type of player, something very valuable and that will surely get new users to give the genre a chance.
World’s Edge has managed to improve something that was already difficult to do and I think that, in the end, Age of Empires IV if it is the successor that the saga deserves even if it touches something already seen and that perhaps cannot be treated as a ‘sequel’. As for its post-launch content, everything indicates that we are going to have the most complete game if possible of the popular franchise.