Age of Empires II: Definitive Version Evaluation

“By no means return”

Above are the phrases which mirror the strongly held beliefs of a sure member of TheXboxHub group. In the case of making video games within the present age, you’ll seldom discover wiser phrases. However generally, simply generally, it’s completely value going again. 

I additionally needed to pinch myself as a result of after discovering that BBC Three was again on the telly similtaneously Age of Empires II: Definitive Version returned to the forefront of gaming, I used to be satisfied I’d mastered the artwork of time journey. 

Within the spirit of full disclosure, I need to say that I’m an enormous fan of the unique sport. It was one of many few that I may play on the household PC as a child, requiring a whopping 8MB of RAM to run correctly. I vividly bear in mind unwrapping it on Christmas morning, and getting misplaced in a world filled with surprise, pleasure and hazard. 

However, can a sport which is effectively over twenty years previous maintain up within the present day? The brief reply is sure, as a result of Age of Empires II is one in all, if not the most effective technique sport of all time. If you’re constructing on foundations similar to these, it’s very exhausting to go fallacious.

For these of you who aren’t accustomed to the unique (though I’m not fairly certain how that’s doable), Age of Empires II is an actual time technique sport which follows a few of historical past’s most influential figures and civilisations. Simply watching the William Wallace intro backed by the narration washed over me with a wave of warming nostalgia.

Sometimes, you begin off at nighttime ages with a small tribe and have to handle your economic system with a view to develop. In fact, you’ll continually come underneath fireplace from enemy forces so constructing and sustaining a military is crucial. There are all types of situations thrown at you, in addition to completely different sport modes you may play similar to Regicide, Marvel Race and so many extra.

The sport has been re-released a number of occasions through the years (even for the PlayStation 2), however in 2019 the definitive version hit the PC to mark the sport’s twentieth anniversary. Nonetheless, this wasn’t merely a remake, however a brand new begin for the sport with recent campaigns and updates repeatedly being applied. 

There’s quite a lot of content material right here too. There are a great deal of missions to get your tooth into (every little thing because the authentic actually) providing a whole lot of hours of gameplay in complete. “The Final Khans” is a brand new enlargement which provides three extra campaigns and 4 by no means earlier than obtainable civilisations to play as. 

Alongside new content material, there are rolling tweaks to the sport’s UI in addition to the situation editor, which lets you create your personal tales when you have the talents and persistence to take action. 

As with all technique sport the actual take a look at when porting it over to a console is getting the controls proper. How on earth do you translate all these menus and clicks over to a controller, with out a mouse and keyboard? Nicely, it’s merely a case of reinventing the wheel.

This was probably the largest problem with bringing Age of Empires II: Definitive Version to the Xbox. Nonetheless, by intelligent use of the D-Pad and several other choice wheels, all of it comes collectively very well. Key inputs, similar to discovering an idle villager, are assigned to the D-Pad. You can even maintain a distinct path down to focus on your entire navy models, for instance. 

You’ll be able to take additional management by splitting your inhabitants into teams, holding LB, after which assigning them to the D-Pad too. This helps you handle a number of occasions at a time, and break up models successfully relying on the enemy you’re dealing with. Or, you may maintain down A to open a variety subject and run it over each unit you need to choose. Nonetheless you play, the setup lets you take good management of your armies.

One suggestion I’d make relating to the default controls is to show the reticule snap command off. This robotically strikes the cursor over the closest unit, however I discovered it to be too inaccurate to be helpful when attempting to select between the group. 

By way of unit instructions and constructing capabilities, merely holding RT down will open up a wheel with your entire obtainable choices. You’ll be able to then choose what you need to do with the thumbstick and press A to execute the motion. The controls are filled with intuitive little prospers similar to the power to string collectively instructions by holding LT. This implies it’s simple to have a scout discover a set path (they will even be set to auto mode), or guarantee your villager builds sufficient homes in your inhabitants with out you having to continually examine in on them. Between the fluid management format and plethora of sport settings, you actually do have quite a lot of energy over the way you play Age of Empires II: Definitive Version. We’ve come a good distance since having to rebuild farms once they expire.

Sometimes one in all my models would get caught in some surroundings, or if the queue at one of many navy buildings grew to become crowded a few of us would change into trapped inside. It was a uncommon prevalence, however proof that the odd glitch stays.

My solely actual main gripe is one which I bear in mind encountering within the authentic sport. In sure conditions, the AI will stumble and your models will do one thing slightly silly. Whether or not that’s merely standing nonetheless and taking some arrows to the top, or grouping collectively as a siege weapon reigns down dying, your technique can collapse in the event you don’t hold your eyes on what’s happening. You’ll be able to change the “stance” or behaviour of your models to a level, however this received’t clear up your entire issues. As an alternative, you’ll usually have to manually intervene and take corrective motion while shouting “What are you doing?!” in sheer panic.

Dodgy AI additionally works in your favour nevertheless. Generally enemies will merely stand idly by as you collect valuable sources, or will run at your partitions regardless of close by towers selecting them off with ease. Every little thing within the sport feels prefer it has leaped ahead significantly, apart from the AI which hasn’t fairly made the identical strides.

I’ve all the time cherished the uniquely stylised civilizations and Age of Empires II: Definitive Version delivers these in eye popping 4k. It seems similar to the unique with a glow up and a few new animations, however this isn’t a foul factor because the design has all the time been good. And there’s something extremely satisfying about watching the crumbling particles of a constructing you’ve simply razed to the bottom. The unique soundtrack has additionally been remastered, containing these basic tunes with some new twists thrown in for good measure.

Regardless of all this, essentially the most thrilling factor about Age of Empires II: Definitive Version is the effort free multiplayer. I bear in mind the times of logging in to MSN Gaming Zone praying that luck was on my aspect and I’d be capable of get into a web based sport. When that was no extra, a good friend of mine managed to discover a workaround so we may play on-line collectively. How far we now have come since then.

Easy matchmaking was first made a actuality a couple of years in the past on the PC, however now it’s lastly obtainable on console. Not solely this, however a brand new co-op mode has lately been added too which lets you sort out sure marketing campaign missions along with your mates. 

Taking part in Age of Empires II: Definitive Version with associates is as simple as some other sport in your Xbox. The choices obtainable to you aren’t watered down both, or you may go for the default settings in the event you simply need to bounce in. There are even actual world maps obtainable to play, or particular areas for a distinct problem.

As you in all probability count on, taking part in with different people is quite a lot of enjoyable. Chatting techniques, revisiting previous chat inputs (11 anybody?) and speeding in to avoid wasting one another is extra exhilarating than ever. My most well-liked tactic, erecting partitions of doom after which sitting deep to tech up, feels much less dangerous if I’ve a couple of villagers camped in my ally’s base as a backup. 

There’s a lot extra I may ramble on about in terms of Age of Empires II: Definitive Version. The basic has had new life breathed into it, and is effectively supported by Xbox Recreation Studios for the console market, having fun with a thriving group as soon as once more. It holds a particular place in my coronary heart and it’s an absolute pleasure to play on Xbox, which is the largest triumph right here. The entire expertise bodes effectively for Age of Empires IV, which can also be because of land this yr on residence consoles.

It’s not essentially what’s been accomplished to the sport which makes it so good, however the way it highlights the genius of the unique. Positive, Age of Empires II: Definitive Version has been effectively polished and given a great deal of new content material, however extra importantly this has helped what made the unique so particular shine even brighter. 

Age of Empires II: Definitive Version brings a real basic again for a brand new era. Whether or not you’re a die exhausting technique fan or first time invader, there isn’t any higher place to start out.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Version is on the Xbox Retailer and Recreation Move