Players no longer have to reseed their farms as villagers tend them, and villagers rarely get in each other’s way, often just walking right through one another, which makes them far less of a chore to manage.

Many of the little issues that used to be part of the chaotic city-management of AoE 2 are gone from the newer game. This simplification extends to more than just the combat. While this was an upgrade archers could eventually get in AoE 2, most small skirmishes in the older game involved moving units to dodge arrows, something that AoE 4 totally eliminates. For instance, archers in Age of Empires 4 always hit their targets.

This basic premise is ripped right out of Age of Empires 2 (and real life, technically), but the combat, like most things, is a little simpler in AoE 4. Image: Relic Entertainment/Xbox Game StudiosĮvery civilization has access to basic units that form a nice trinity of counters: Spearmen counter cavalry, cavalry counter archers, and archers counter spearmen. Building up your cities and their technology is important, but the bread and butter of Age of Empires has always been the armies and combat. Players can also advance the technology of their cities and armies by constructing special landmarks that move them into a new historical age, with four total to advance through. To build their cities and armies, players have to gather resources, construct buildings, and create each individual fighting unit, all while trying to counter their enemies’ soldiers. The game’s main attraction is its competitive mode, which includes duels, team games, or free-for-all warfare with other civilizations, all of which can be played offline against AI or online with other players. They all start off with a town center and six villagers (up from the three in Age of Empires 2), with the goal of building a thriving city, complete with its own economy, and of course, its own army.

Each civilization comes with its own special bonuses and a few unique buildings and units for players to construct.

Age of Empires 3 transitioned the series into the Colonial age, but AoE 4 returns to medieval times - just like the second game. In AoE 4, players select a civilization to play from the eight in the game. If you want to see the very best of the best for your platform(s) of choice, check out Polygon Essentials. When we award a game the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the title is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive or fun - and worth fitting into your schedule. Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games.

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