The revival of Age of Empires has not gone unnoticed. After the first announcements of the next part of the series, the enthusiasm of the fans mixed with uncertainty. Some feared that the game would not resemble its predecessors, while others pointed to overly pastel graphics or disturbing changes. However, after long hours of sieges of great fortresses and the construction of prosperous settlements, it can be said that fans of the iconic “two” will feel right at home here.
Age of Empires 4 respects the earlier entries in the series and draws from them what made them great RTS titles.
At the same time, many elements known from the past have been improved. Also, the creators dared to introduce several ingenious novelties into the game, thanks to which we are dealing not only with a remake of Age of Empires 2, but also with a full-fledged sequel.
Festival in honor of history
While Age of Empires owes its longevity most likely to its highly entertaining multiplayer gameplay, single-player campaigns have also been an important part of the series. The same is the case with the “quartet”, which gives us four sets of missions related to the Normans, the Hundred Years War, the development of the Mongol Empire and the rise of Moscow’s power.
An important feature of similar campaigns in previous installments was their commitment to real history (not counting AoE 3, which deviated from this formula). In the Quartet, this aspect was significantly deepened. Until now, we could only count on written (or read by the narrator) introductions that introduce the historical background of the events of this mission. They were of great educational value and were able to stimulate the study of knowledge on the subject under consideration, but it cannot be denied that in this form they seem very archaic today.
The developers of Age of Empires 4 decided to introduce full-fledged short documentaries into their game. Each mission is preceded by a compelling intro, the form of which would confuse many National Geographic productions. In the background, we hear valuable information from the narrator, and impressive performances unfold before our eyes. Especially impressive are the moments when models of marching infantry, attacking knights or arrows flying over armies are superimposed on shots of modern castles and cities.
What does the gameplay of Age of Empires 4 look like after watching such films? In fact, it only gets better. We will not find campaigns in the history of Age of Empires more exciting and exciting than the campaigns featured in The Four. There are practically no standard missions to expand the settlement from scratch and fight the enemy on the other side of the map. Instead, the creators constantly force us to besiege huge castles, wage guerrilla warfare with the enemy, or defend against enemy waves. In addition, they test our skills quite strongly.
In some tasks, it is necessary to correctly manage a limited number of armies, in others, the optimization of the economy of our settlement plays a crucial role. Their pace is also balanced. On the one hand, it is not so sluggish that we get bored, on the other hand, it does not require us to constantly use keyboard shortcuts and plan every move in the blink of an eye.
In the end, the only complaint we could have about the campaign is that there is too little of it (all four story adventures). I would like their number to gradually increase in the future, as was the case with the previous parts of the series. It would also be nice to present more interesting and less well-known historical events in them. The four main sets of missions deal with what is already firmly established in the public consciousness (with the possible exception of the Moscow branch). However, perhaps in the future we will see trips to the regions of South America, Africa or distant Asia, as was the case in Age of Empires 2.
A taste of childhood in the new Age of Empires 4
How is the gameplay itself? Here the developers decided to play it safe. At first glance, their latest creation almost looks like an AoE2 clone. In many ways, the Quartet clearly uses proven mechanics. Again, it is important to properly optimize the economy of our settlement. The key factor is the successful location of individual warehouses and special buildings. Again, we first collect the sheep, then we harvest the fruits, and only at the end we sow the first fields. In each building, we can find improvements that allow our settlers to move wood, stones, gold or food faster.
However, the devil is in the details. While the buildings remain familiar, the bonuses from placing them are new. Some Age of Empires 4 objects have area effects that can affect the functioning of nearby buildings. Others, in turn, have features associated with individual peoples. These seemingly small changes make expanding the city even more challenging and full of possibilities. I’m already sure that over time, complex strategies will be published on the network to optimize the development of settlements so that they become real production monsters.
Fortifications have also undergone significant changes. In previous installments, they were often just a way to buy a few extra seconds before an enemy attack, but now they serve as a powerful shield to protect against enemy attacks. While wooden palisades can be easily set on fire by enemy infantry and cavalry, stone walls cannot be crossed without the proper equipment. So the destruction of fortifications with the help of swords and arrows is out of the question. The ram, trebuchets and mangonels must be in motion.
However, this does not mean that they make the task much easier. Archers and crossbowmen could be placed on the battlements, and powerful towers equipped with ballistas could be added to the walls. Each civilization can also develop upgrades that will drop boiling oil or cannonballs on the besiegers. Thus, each attack on the fortress is a difficult, but at the same time extremely useful event. It doesn’t matter if we are on the side of the attacker or the defender in Age of Empires 4.
The military leadership also seems very familiar at first glance. The creators have at our disposal classic units that fight each other and allow us to improve over time. Cavalry defeats archers, spear cavalry, foot, pikemen, and foot archers. This simple closing wheel worked many years ago and works just as well today. This system is easy to learn and at the same time it forces you to properly manage your army.
However, the creators have allowed themselves to make subtle changes, thanks to which we can break out of the wheel described above and surprise the opponent. Individual units have received special skills that sometimes accompany them from the very beginning, and sometimes we get access to them only after the development of the appropriate technology. For example, English archers can place wooden poles in their positions very quickly, making them more resistant to cavalry attacks. Priest of Little Russia is essentially a mounted knight that guarantees strong area effects for surrounding armies.
This also means that the differences between the individual countries seem to be slightly larger than in previous entries in the series. Of course, it’s still not a production scale in which each faction plays completely differently, but it’s a nice change from the old parts, where in most cases we could only count on small bonuses and special units. In Age of Empires 4, what stands out from other Mongol empires is that they can carry the buildings they erected, and the Abbasid dynasty, which otherwise comes down to eras. Rus, on the other hand, has reinforced wooden fortifications that are much stronger than their standard versions. In addition, each nation can count on faster access to individual units and buildings with special characteristics.
Big potential for small changes
In addition to the campaign, we also have the opportunity to fight in battles – both in the single and multiplayer modes of Age of Empires 4. They have not undergone any significant changes compared to what we know many years ago. We start playing again with a few settlers, a scout and a sheep. We build the first houses, a sawmill and a mine, and the game seems to be moving in a familiar direction.
However, this does not mean that the creators have not prepared several new products that can largely change the course of the online struggle. First of all, about the conditions of victory. As before, you can win by destroying enemy settlements or building a miracle. However, now the relics perform a different function. They are still present on the map, but have evolved into special objects used mainly for the production of resources in temples. To achieve a “religious” victory, it is necessary to occupy holy places.
These are special locations scattered around the map that can be captured with the help of a monk. After you defeat them all, the countdown will begin. If the Age of Empires 4 player keeps these points for a certain period of time, he wins. Hence, it forces more focus on terrain control. It is no longer enough to send troops to the enemy base and ignore the rest of the map. This variation on a well-known mechanic can force players to engage in major battles more often in strategic locations, and not just in the area close to cities.
The changes have also affected how we enter new eras. Age of Empires 4 has broken with the boring development of technology, the only use of which is to unlock new buildings and upgrades. Instead, to reach the next milestone, it is necessary to build a special facility that will guide our civilization along the path of further development. All nations have different buildings, and in each era they have two different options to choose from. Sometimes these are special variants of forts, sometimes powerful temples, and sometimes even buildings that serve as unique universities.
Each of these buildings has different abilities and bonuses. Sometimes this allows units to be produced extremely quickly, and sometimes it offers the possibility of buying powerful technologies cheaply. With this change, reaching subsequent eras not only affects the ability to develop new improvements, but also allows you to change your strategy during the game. As a result, it is less ossified and provides more flexibility. During the fight, we can react to the actions of opponents and direct our nation in a direction that will allow us to compete more effectively with them.
Output
Age of Empires 4 Pros
- well-designed campaign missions;
- introductory films in the form of short documentaries;
- classic gameplay still works, enriched with interesting news;
- fortifications as a very important element of the game;
- potential to participate in online games;
- new religious skirmish victory – collisions can be much more dynamic;
- it’s just addictive as hell.
Cons
- Age of Empires 4 graphics don’t knock you down;
- AI level sometimes calls the sky for revenge;
- optimization could be better;
- There are still quite a few nations available.
