There are still three days of travel to get to the plain where my companions were taken in a sortie. The explorers told me about a hill from which to better observe the situation. Memories that I would have preferred to forget have re-emerged from the slums of my mind, immersed in eternal moments of unease, my nights are teeming with dark silences. To keep me company there is only my trusty terracotta pipe and my horse ... We hope to find traces of that relic, otherwise whoever hears that old monk's bumble ...
Age of Empires II Definitive Edition is a real-time strategy video game developed by Xbox Game Studios and Forgotten Empires, published by Microsoft Corporation on the twentieth anniversary of its creation. Fans now no longer first-hair will remember the very successful Age Of Empires saga which has its roots in the late 90s. Its great popularity convinced the developers to put their hand to the codes to develop a completely remastered version with the addition of the 4K graphics and many new features starting with a completely revamped multiplayer and a, "The Last Khans" DLC, which adds four new civilizations (Bulgarians, Cumans, Lithuanians and Tatars) bringing them to a total of 35, with three new playable campaigns.
For those who had played the old chapters of Age of Empires, everything might seem like a welcome homecoming from the very simple and intuitive initial menu. In case you are young players and you do not know the saga, do not worry because the developers have made available a tutorial completely similar to that of the previous chapters, with the aim of helping you to take the first steps and become familiar with the mechanics of Age of Empires II Definitive Edition.
Fierce bars do not block the idea, eternal free is the man who creates
As usual, Age of Empires II Definitive Edition places the aspect of "creating" at the basis of the progression of one's civilization. It does not matter which civilization you have opted for in the initial phase, if you want to progress for over a thousand years of history you will not be able to do it only and exclusively thanks to the ars war. The advice we give to new players is to get into this mindset immediately, because Age of Empires has never been a saga focused on battles for their own sake; war is absolutely an integral part of the life of any civilization and campaigns will lead you to have to conquer and bring your people to full bloom, however in order to do so you will need pay particular attention to the farming of raw materials, the construction of buildings and carefully choose which structures need to be implemented before others, in order to avoid finding yourself uncovered and unprepared in front of the enemy.
In this regard, one immediately understands the leap in quality made by AI in this new chapter: if in the old episodes of the series there was often a randomness of the artificial intelligence algorithms, which led to the creation of buildings in completely inadequate positions or battalions that moved in an illogical way, at present these elements are found in a very rare percentage. AI builds fortified walls and bastions exactly where they are needed, quickly covering the weak spots created by the conformation of the territory on the map.
Similarly, during a fight, if the algorithm of Age of Empires II Definitive Edition he notices a too marked difference in the forces in the field, he retreats effectively preventing you from carrying out massacres too easily. The aspect that most differentiates the new chapter from the previous ones is given by the fact that, thanks to much greater hardware resources than in the past, the map can literally teem with civilizations, all to the advantage of unpredictability and longevity. Having to deal with a map in which different civilizations face each other, with their typical characteristics and weaknesses, undoubtedly leads the player to have to move in a different way, perhaps entering into alliances with those who are stronger, but also with those who are in a strategic map position.
The selectable modes are different: you can play historical campaigns like that of William Wallace, or decide to start from scratch and build your civilization making it flourish between the various eras. Buildings, military units, structures and technologies evolve in tandem with the transitions between one age and another, the important thing is to understand immediately what are the requirements for the progression of the epoch, in order to always be in step with the civilizations controlled by the computer or by other players. For those who don't like too long games, in Age of Empires II Definitive Edition a "quick-match" mode lasting twenty minutes or a "marathon" mode lasting about two hours have been implemented.
The goal of the developers in fact, was right from the start to listen to the impressions of the historical players of the series, but looking to the future in an attempt to reinterpret a title that made history in a modern key. The impression you get right away is that of a deeply revised game not only in terms of graphics, but also and above all for a more balanced Gameplay tailored to the player's needs.
However, the campaign mode remains at the heart of Age of Empires II Definitive Edition: all 24 of the original campaigns are present, with the addition of the three courses from the new DLC, with objectives renewed and indicated on the screen, to always have them under control. There is never the feeling of getting lost inside the things to do, because what is fundamental for the continuation of the adventure is always on display and easily accessible. The internal documentation of the game is very rich: each civilization is perfectly described and it is worth enjoying a few hours of reading both to reinforce their knowledge of history and to appreciate the work done by the software house.
Microsoft has already announced continued support after the title's release, with new game modes, new missions and new scenarios, new tutorials for the more advanced stages and much more that is still boiling in the pot, denoting a newfound enthusiasm for the series and the desire to keep the product constantly updated, key to any type of modern videogame.
Graphics and Audio
When Age of Empires II Definitive Edition it happened in our hands, if on the one hand there was the enthusiasm for a new release inherent in a historical videogame, on the other the concern for how it went with Age of Empires II HD was great. From the first screens you can see how the work done on the graphics is definitely enjoyable, without just rejuvenating, but creating something new. The details of the miniatures of the units on the map are more accurate, the animations are more realistic and elements like explosions and collapses have been completely redesigned. The maps have received a refresh and the zoom mode allows you to finally get closer to the scenery and its elements in a meaningful way, which in the HD edition had generated many problems.
In the operations of zoom in / zoom out the graphic engine sometimes shows some uncertainty, but without compromising the gaming experience. Furthermore, the renewed support for Mods will allow the community to indulge in the creation of further news, but in general the 4K graphics are appreciated even if, of course, we are talking about a game that still allows us to glimpse the weight of the years. The audio sector has been improved with the complete remastering of the voices, sound effects and background music. A mention of merit to the developers should be made from the point of view of multilingual support dedicated to audio, now much more appreciated in languages other than the original one.
Multiplayer
Multi-player mode is now at the heart of every new title, especially real-time strategy games like Age of Empires II Definitive Edition. In this respect, perhaps we are faced with a complete change of mentality on the part of developers, who are determined to redesign this component from scratch to give new light to their creation. The now obsolete "peer-to-peer" system has finally given way to server-based multiplayer, which has also proved to be quite stable following the first tests. The balance of civilizations has been modified to allow for more lively and less obvious online games, with new modes that will lead real empires to clash against each other.
Really appreciable the new "spectator" mode, through which you can observe the games in progress, in order to learn from experienced players and enjoy the evocative spectacle of battles that took place centuries ago. The results are obviously available in the rankings implemented on the server, so that you can always keep track of your progress. The implemented matchmaking mode should also help players find match types suited to their level, a fundamental characteristic for a modality of this type.
… Fortunately, the relic is safe, the enemy must have lost sight of it or they have taken care to neutralize the unit intercepted at the edge of the woods without wondering why it was sent there. Let's hope the old man doesn't make too many fuss now. I'm starting to be too old to sleep out in the open at night, not to mention that I ran out of tobacco on the coolest. It's time to go back, before my departure the mill was about to be finished.
Age of Empires II Definitive Edition is undoubtedly a fun title, created on the wave of an ever-increasing demand from those who have been pushing for a renewed game for years and that does not make you regret the entire series. Although the new AI certainly helps to give new perspectives and approaches to the game (for the irreducible wigs, it is still selectable the old algorithm) and the modality multiplayer completely new clamoring the leap in quality made, the feeling is that a DLC with four new civilizations and three new campaigns is not enough to stop breathing the old air of a museum.
Nostalgia operations are humanly beautiful because they always bring to mind memories and experiences, but it must always be borne in mind that in addition to a heavy work of "make-up and hair", it is difficult to find ingredients to give the soup a different flavor. Mind you, far be it from us to blame the developers who have only fulfilled the wishes of a community, packing a work that certainly deserves to be tried just to see the change compared to the old chapters; however, having reached a certain level, it would perhaps be more appropriate to find the courage to leave glorious titles of the past to the Olympus of the were.
