Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition (PC) Review - A timeless classic remade

Gameplay, content and conclusion

How do you play this game?

Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition’s core gameplay loop hasn’t changed much. You’re still building up armies, chopping down trees and herding sheep to prepare for invasions against others - or against you. Its campaign stories can change up this gameplay loop a little, with different mission objectives to make things interesting. For example, in the first Joan of Arc mission, you’re tasked with escorting Joan to a specific part of the map, while avoiding or eliminating any threats you might come across. 

The campaign missions serve to give players a story to play through and objectives to complete - but game modes that force you to build your armies from the ground up are arguably what this game is known for. That part of gameplay is a whole lot of fun still, though there have been several quality of life improvements made to smoothen the process out. Newer players might not notice these changes, but older players will probably find them welcome.

Don’t expect any huge changes though - everything is still very faithful to how the original game played. Developer Forgotten Empires didn’t skimp out on those new campaigns either - they’re still quite challenging, and just as interesting to play when compared to the older campaigns. I only wish the AI pathfinding had been fixed by now - that’s one frustrating part of the game still stuck in 1999. 

Content, content, content!

In terms of bang for your buck, buying Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is somewhat similar to buying a sofa - only for the seller to give you not just the sofa, but the house it came with as well. This game is absolutely packed with stuff to do. Even if you just want to play the campaigns - there are so many of them, that you could easily pour hundreds of hours into those stories alone. 

There are also regular game modes like skirmish, custom scenarios and multiplayer - ways to play the game that could be a whole lot of fun for a very, very long time. When you add all of it up, along with the new content in Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, there is practically no argument to be made against this game’s value for money. If you enjoyed Age of Empires 2 and want to relive the time you spent with it, absolutely pick this game up. 

Conclusion 

Overall, Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is a resounding success for Forgotten Empires. It can’t be easy to dust off a beloved game from 1999 and bring it up to mainstream audiences’ standards without betraying what made it so loved in the first place. Older players will enjoy returning to a game they love in a very different light, while newer players won’t find it too difficult to see what all the fuss is about. 

It’s not a perfect game - AI pathfinding in particular can get frustrating - but it’s just as good as it needs to be. Age of Empires 2 is a beloved classic for a reason, and its core gameplay loop is proven to be timeless here, with multiple game modes that allow players to engage with the game in any way they like. It’s not going to blow anyone’s mind as a new addition to the RTS genre, but hey, it’s a good way to keep busy until Age of Empires 4 arrives.