Age of Empires: Definitive Edition Reviews
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a functional and faithful nostalgia trip for fans of the original release, and manages to earn the title "definitive." However, newcomers to the genre will be disappointed by the shallow civilisation diversity, and be annoyed by the dated design and mechanics. As of right now, this is a title that can only be recommended for fans of the original game, as Age of Empires II is a more complex, deep, and a better release in every way.
A well-crafted remaster but this ancient real-time strategy has little to offer modern gamers, especially when the sequel is already readily available.
_______________________ “The heart and soul of the game is there, even in the tutorial, but it's simply too old.
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a very faithful remake that captures every single quality of the original title. That means you're getting a wonderful new presentation alongside all of the blemishes of the past.
I'll be honest; Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a bit of a hard sell at this stage. At this point in time, it's just Age of Empires: Gold Edition with fresh makeup; it's almost exactly as you'd remember it though, warts and all. Yet there's always that potential for it to get plenty of all-new expansion content. So while it doesn't really deserve the “definitive” moniker now, it will in time.
While it is certainly one of the most accessible RTS games I've ever played, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition does feel too outdated for newcomers. Unintelligent AI, monotony, and unbalanced gameplay hold it back from competing with modern strategy games out right now. That isn't to say there isn't fun to be had for fans, as the extensive map editors and online multiplayer are its saving graces.
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition introduces gameplay tweaks and 4K visuals to a 20-year old classic, but not everything holds up to modern standards.
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a solid remake of a game that's past its time.
Age of Empires Definitive Edition is stuck between past and present. On the one hand this is a beautiful remake with nostalgic gameplay, but the problems of the past still plague the game, making the Definitive Edition a shell of its former self.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a game stuck midway between the past and the present. The remastering process took a lot of work and turned out pretty good but I can’t understand why the gameplay was left intact without any modern polish. At first, the nostalgia was strong but fighting with the archaic solutions over and over again for a few hours was too much for me and I got bored.
Review in Polish | Read full review
However, it's also likely to leave those older players thinking some things are better left alone as happy memories. It's the same reason that new players are unlikely to be enamoured. It's difficult to play a game like this in isolation. Sooner or later, the mind wanders back to the present – the truth is, the genre has come on in leaps and bounds since Age of Empires came on the scene all those years ago and this is one remaster that feels like it doesn't really belong.
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition has certainly got the nostalgia factor going for it. Despite its age, and the numerous problems that come from it, Age of Empires is still a good strategy game. The major issue is that everything about the game has been refined and done better, even by its own successors. As a way to promote Age of Empires IV, it's a sensible move. As a way to revive the series using older titles, that was already done best with Age of Empires II HD.
Developers' precision in remastering has made Age of Empires: Definitive Edition gorgeous in terms of graphics but the AI bugs and issues are a pain the neck which will probably solved in the remasters of second and third installments of the series.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Whether you really wanted it this way or not, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is about as pure of a remaster as you're ever going to find. The visuals and sound are all upgraded for a modern era without changing the heart of the game. However, with the vastly superior Age of Empires II HD already in existence with five years of community built up around it, there is little reason to recommend this game unless you're just dying to play extremely early era civilizations.
After hours spent in the world of Age of Empires - Definitive Edition, we still don't have the answer to the real question: why should we play this remake? Gameplay-wise, the genre has seen a lot of improvements over the years, and the developers weren't bold enough to give a fresh start to the original title. At the end of the day, this seems more and more like a wasted opportunity.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It's a very solid remaster of a classic game, and those looking for a nostalgia trip to 20 years ago should look no further. Some of the quirks are still present, even the original cheats, ultimately making this the true Definitive Edition.
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a great remaster that has improved the visual and sound design of original game perfectly. But gameplay wise, the game feels so sold and may only satisfy those who loved the original game.
Review in Persian | Read full review
It's not Age of Empires II, but Age of Empires: Definitive Edition has a lot to offer for newcomers and veterans alike, provided you can put up with some dated design.
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is the return of the iconic brand, but the times change and the RTS went ahead.
Review in Italian | Read full review