Finally a Microsoft game with dignity

Genre: Real Time Strategy
Developed by: Ensemble Studios/ Microsoft
Published by: Microsoft

Oh boy! Another Microsoft game! This is going to be great! I really can’t wait to review this little piece of heaven! Gimme gimme! Come to papa!

I admit: This is lowest I can fall. But, some of it may be true: Age of Empires (AoE) is good attempt of Microsoft (Ensemble Studios) to capture a place in the o-so overcrowded RTS genre.

In AoE you have to lead your small tribe from the Stone Age through the ages to the Iron Age. Build, conquer and prosper to reign over an epic empire! You can choose from various peoples: From Greek and Babylonians to the Yamato and Egyptians. Each civilization has its own downpart and its advantages. You will have to research many technologies to create new units and to improve them. Yawn, yawn. It’s just something old with a historical facelift.

But damn, this game plays like a dream! It’s really a pleasure to lead your people to prosperity and dominance. I really was suprised of the user-friendly interface. It’s like the makers have taken the best from Settlers and Red Alert to blend a very spicy cocktail. This game really feels great and plays excellent too. To achieve a rich civilization and huge army, you have to gather wood, food, gold and stone. It’s especially gold that gives you cool units, like priests, and technologies. But it’s also the most scarce resource. You can however trade with foreign docks through merchant or trade ships, even with hostile docks! Food is also essential because you need that to produce units. Wood is necessary for buildings and structures and you need stone to construct towers and walls. Villagers gather these resources. In other words: The resource management system of AoE is very good.

Battle units are plentiful: Swordsmen, Archers, Hoplites, War Elephants, Stone Throwers, etc. War Galleys, triremes, and Juggernaughts scour the seas. There are also priests who can cure units and convert hostiles. These preachers are, although unarmed, perhaps one of the most dangerous units upon the battlefield.

There are a lot more special features in AoE, like Wonders, Ruins and Artifacts, but reviewing them all would be virtually impossible. These are all for you to discover.

Graphically everything is fine. The units are very detailed as well as the terrain. Unfortunately, the terrain isn’t very varied.

Sound & Music: Fine. Good sound effects and dito music.

And before I forget: There are many game modes: Random Map, where you can battle on a randomly created map, Campaign or Scenario. These are all very varied and interesting.

EP sez:

You hear it: Age of Empires didn’t turn out to be that Microsoft junk I thought it would be (with all due respect for Microsoft, but that’s the truth!). A classic RTS game with a touch of historical magic. Finally a Microsoft game with dignity.

(c) 1998 Erwin's Pages
Erwin "Reaper" Husin

Score

Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 8
Sound & Music: 8
Addictiviness: 9

Overall: 87%

Links

> Microsoft's AOE Site
> Ensemble Studios