Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Reviews
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition has the content to keep you entertained for a time. Unfortunately, the visuals and core mechanics are woefully behind 20 years after its initial release. It's a nostalgia trip for fans given the low price, but it's lacking in this new age of strategy games.
This was a bold attempt by Microsoft. I applaud them trying to adapt the most mouse-friendly game in existence to a console, with a controller. It’s still fun, and it’s certainly very playable, but it’s off-putting. It’s far from being the ideal way to experience this classic, and to be fair, the PC version isn’t even THAT demanding, even on laptops. I really don’t know who this particular port of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is for.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition brings the 1999 classic into 2019 with admirable grace. The developers manage to introduce very positive changes without radically altering that gameplay which has enthralled legions of fans for decades. Despite some issues, this is an exemplary remastering of a past title.
As its name says, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition it's a true definitive edition.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A polished, wide-ranging update that brings the classic RTS into the modern age.
Age of Empires 2: The Definitive Edition has made the transition to console surprisingly well, giving a new range of people a chance to play one of RTS’s most beloved classics in a new way.
Age of Empires 2: The Definitive Edition is an excellent version of a game that refined a genre two decades ago, but it doesn't offer much to entice new players from their modern conveniences.
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is a small piece of nostalgia with some modern improvements to get you ready for the upcoming title from Relic Games. The developer's main focus has been visuals and it's definitely succeeded, though some issues still remain from the original core of the game.
Age of Empires II Definitive Edition is a truly meticulous remaster, one of the best of its kind. Fans of classic RTS that are not afraid of the archaic, core gameplay solutions should be thrilled to try out this gem.
Review in Polish | Read full review
After a dozen or so hours in Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, I can safely say that it's the real McCoy. This is not a watered-down port to give Microsoft an easy first-party Xbox Game Pass release. It's the real deal and as feature complete as the PC edition, which is quite an accomplishment. A myriad of quality-of-life improvements makes the original game, while still a classic, very much redundant. The only reason to keep hold of the original is to preserve those big beautiful boxes PC games used to ship in. We're in a new age now, and Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is the perfect example of taking an ancient game and giving it just enough love to make it feel almost new, something that many other remasters and re-releases so often miss the mark on.
With new official DLC, a glorious audiovisual overhaul and a touch of modern quality-of-life polish, this is now the best way to play Age 2 - though it'll take a while to match the HD edition's user content.Sam White
A great classic returns to PC and it's still a great RTS experience. The Definitive Edition enrich the formula with a few quality of life improvements while maintaining its core gameplay overall intact, but at the same time there are some flaws, especially on the technical side. Still, the nostalgia operation works and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is the best way to enjoy the classic Microsoft RTS today.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It is the best version of an epic game that has made the history of RTS and the worthy celebration of its twentieth anniversary.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Xbox version of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition retains all of the game's content while making huge changes to the operating system and user interface. These changes have greatly reduced the startup threshold and improved the game experience. It is not only a very successful version, but also an excellent answer to the "can console play RTS" question.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
One thing should be said right from the start: "Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition" is and remains an excellent strategy game with an incredible number of hours of play for strategy fans. We think it's great that a piece of video game history has made it to consoles, even if you have to make some compromises when it comes to controls. So, unsurprisingly, for hardcore purists, there's no reason to play the game on console instead of PC. But that's not necessary, because it is precisely through the availability in Gamepass that the game reaches a new audience, which now has a chance to experience a classic of video game history at its best.
Review in German | Read full review
If with Age of Empires II HD Edition Forgotten Empires has extended the life of ten years to the popular strategic Microsoft of 1999, this Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is very likely to do the same.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Age of Empires II: DE have done a great job in making an improved version of one of the best strategy games in history.
Review in Persian | Read full review
At the end of the day, I'm not sure what else you could expect from a remaster of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. It was a great game in 1999, and it's aged better than most in its class. If you're looking for some solid RTS gameplay, single-player or multiplayer, look no further than Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
It is pretty obvious that AoE II definitive edition shows more respect to players than the HD edition. Even though new AI still has some logical problem, the new contents and multiplayer lobby are interesting, and the upgraded graphic textures look impressive with 4K resolution. You will find both memories and future here.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is a breath of fresh air to a genre somewhat diminished today of video games but that would certainly seem to have returned to remain the fans of the saga those who enjoyed this second edition the most.
Review in Spanish | Read full review