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The Age of Empires series stands as the perfect example of how to make learning fun. These unique RTS titles combine actual history; with stuff kids loved (murdering things). Each campaign in the series follows a great historical figure and their story about how they changed history forever.
It’s a great series, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who was overjoyed when I heard that an HD remake was going to be released on Steam. The only concern I have is whether this HD remake is worth the $20 price tag, or if simply dusting off an old copy is a better option.
THE AGE OF KINGS
HD Makes Everything Prettier - If anyone has tried to place Age of Empires 2 at a LAN party recently, they might notice some pretty interesting texture issues. This is caused by a bit of a compatibility problem, and from what I’ve heard, fixing it is a massive pain in the neck. This new HD remake fixes all those issues and makes everything run smoother as a whole. The units and buildings appear to be more detailed, and everything seems better as a whole.
New Goodies - I’m probably not the only one who believes that an HD remake does not justify buying a new game. Hidden Path entertainment seems to agree with this sentiment and has worked out some of the issues that Age of Empires 2 had from way back in the day. The Multiplayer for instance is now done entirely through Steam and is now easier to access and work with. This rework on the multiplayer should help Age of Empires 2 stay relevant during LAN parties and multiplayer mayhem amongst friends who are states apart without having to use something like Hamachi.
WE'BE BEEN CONQUERED
Could Have Used a Bit More - It’s pretty hard for me to come up with an excuse as to why I shouldn’t buy Age of Empires 2. It was a pretty solid game when it came out, and the nostalgia alone compels me to throw money at Hidden path for remaking it. However, they could have done a little bit more than they did. Once you get past the nostalgia value, you realize that this HD remake is literally just that. Aside from the graphics update, and the patched multiplayer, they’ve left the game entirely as it was. Now, for those of you who just wanted a compatibility patch for Age of Empires 2, then this is the perfect game for you. However, I’m a bit of a progressive person and would have liked to see just a little bit more work.
An example of something they could have easily fixed is the controls. Yes, they were great controls back in 2000 when the Conquerors got released, but some small tweaks on the hotkeys could have made the game a bit more adaptable to someone like me who plays StarCraft 2 religiously. The pathing system could have also seen a small improvement as the units tend to still walk as ridiculously now as they did 13 years ago. However, this was an HD remake, and they didn’t say they were going to add anything else to it, so I can’t exactly fault them for not adding things they never said they were going to work on.
Age of Empires 2 HD Edition is exactly what it sounds like. It is an HD release of a 13 year old title that has seen some graphical, compatibility, and multiplayer tweaks. It has been left mostly untouched from your childhood and is a literal re-release made for modern gamers.
Do I wish it had a little bit more work put into it? Yes. However, it is exactly what a lot of fans wanted, and that alone should be enough to make fans rabidly throw money at Steam. If you enjoyed this game 13 years ago, or you’re just curious about that game your older brother never shuts up about, you should probably buy it. If you never really cared for it, don’t buy it. It’s that simple.
*This review was based on the PS Vita version of the game with a review code provided by the publisher.*
What's your most anticipated game for March?
