Age of antiques.
Somewhere in a cupboard upstairs, I have my original copy of Age of Empires. The CD-Rom is still in its oversized box that PC games used to be packed in back in the day, along with the game’s giant oversized manual. I have a distinct memory of the moment I purchased Age of Empires twenty years ago from the specialist PC store on the other side of my town, and I definitely remember the many hours I spent sat at my desk playing the game (on my old Compaq Presario battlestation, no less).
Twenty years ago, Age of Empires was the definitive real time strategy game. Not only was it a landmark title in terms of its impact on the genre, it was absolutely the franchise that got me hooked on RTS games for life. Needless to say, this was one remaster I couldn’t wait to get my hands on all these years later – even if it does make me feel a little old to admit it.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: PC
A fresh lick of paint
The technical upgrades in Age of Empires: Definitive Edition are excellent. The game’s visuals have been fully rendered in 4K, and the animations look much improved as a result. The audio design has also been overhauled, with the addition of narrated missions. If the 21st century polish is a bit much for some players, however, there is even the option to play the game in classic mode just as it looked at launch. It is, somewhat unexpectedly (and likely due to my fond memories of the original), quite a jarring comparison.
In terms of content, this version of Age of Empires certainly owns its Definitive Edition label. It features a healthy ten campaigns, seventeen factions and includes the Rise of Rome expansion. Individual missions are relatively varied and an aggressive AI will keep players on their toes.
Lost in translation
To compare a remastered game to its modern-day genre counterparts is a tricky thing. For one, it’s obviously a little unfair – clearly, with all the technical and creative developments that have taken place in the games industry over the past few decades, it’s clear that older games are going to fall behind in terms of their features; or the breadth and depth of their worlds. It really doesn’t need to be said that Age of Empires is a classic – it has received the remaster treatment because of that very fact. However, it is also clear that whilst this remaster is a noble exercise full of sincerity, Age of Empires does not quite fit in the present.
This is not simply due to the fact that the accuracy of the remaster went so far as to include some of the original’s more frustrating aspects. I could, for example, have done without the faithful reproduction of the units’ tendency to take an obscure route to their intended destination and wind up getting stuck along the way. There are just a lot of features – such as the game’s limited structures and a complete lack of micro-management mechanics – that now feel underdeveloped and as a result, really do impact the overall experience.
Bittersweet
Nostalgia can be tough. For those gamers who played Age of Empires (and, indeed, the excellent Age of Empires II) at launch, this Definitive Edition is likely to stir up mixed emotions. For what it’s worth, this is a really strong remaster that brings together the best the original has to offer, with a robust visual and audio overhaul.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.