Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition

A little over two weeks ago, I previewed Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition. What I said there all applies here. That means there's going to be a bit of repetition and it also means I can likely trim this review down a bit, or maybe go in a bit of a different direction with what I talk about. Likely the latter.

The things developers of real-time strategy games have learned from Age of Empires 3 has inspired and will inspire every new instalment in the genre. And I’m sure Relic and World’s Edge have been taking a close look at Age of Empires 3 for the development of the fourth game. As we can already see some similarities with the different mechanics per faction and amount of factions.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition still possesses some of the original game’s flaws, but also builds on a lot of its charms in ambitious and satisfying ways.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition completes the classic real-time strategy franchise's set of classy remasters and does just enough to modernize gameplay as well as visuals, creating an enriching experience that appeals to returning fans or first-timers. Age of Empires III was a 2005 historical RTS back when the genre reigned supreme with titles like Warcraft III and Company of Heroes, bringing an exciting mix of action and strategy, endlessly replayable in skirmishes against the AI, LAN parties, or fiercely competitive online. While Warcraft III's recent remaster was a near-complete disa...

Age of Empires III Definitive Edition is a lovingly reworked classic of the RTS genre that modernises in all the right ways. It also serves as the perfect way to prepare for next year's long awaited Age of Empires IV.

Age of Empires became an instant classic upon its initial release in the late 90s, and the franchise has only continued to garner this reputation in the following years. There just doesn’t seem to be anything else quite like it. And while Ensemble Studios is sadly no more, a coalition of developers have taken the series reigns and have seemingly delivered a faithful remastering of a modern classic. Microsoft’s dedication to breathing new life into its somewhat forgotten franchises continu...

Completing the updated trilogy, Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition breathes new life into the franchise with the impending fourth instalment on the horizon. Fans of the original are sure to love the tweaks to the gameplay and graphics as well as the addition of two new civilizations, while new players will be able to dive right in to learn the mechanics of the game as well as jumping into the historic battle story mode. Now, all that’s left is an Age of Mythology revamp.

Microsoft has finally brought Age of Empires 3 out of the dark ages and fans are able to return to the game that they know and love. There’s a lot of quality of life changes to be found within the Definitive Edition, but at the same time there’s essentially the same amount of content to be experienced. Returning players may find that they’re effectively paying for a 15 year old game, but are now able to view it in 4K.

Age of Empires III Definitive Edition is a fantastic trip down memory lane, and the goosebumps I felt hearing that title theme again were very real.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition hits all the remaster notes, and even manages to improve on the original's more historically problematic aspects. But this attention to detail unfortunately doesn't extend to its nature as an RTS built for fans of the genre

It comes down to the fact that Age of Empires III has never been the best at fundamental RTS gameplay. The Definitive Edition has done a great job of bringing the title into the modern age with beautiful visuals and a new UI – but that core gameplay remains, and it falls flat especially compared to the standard set by last year’s Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition‘s intriguing campaigns are worth a look, but if you value adaptive and fluid multiplayer gameplay, stick with Age of Empires II.

Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition is a bold attempt to remaster the most controversial game in a series. The funky experimental RTS at the core of AoE 3 is intact, but it's still just that: Weird. Like a stinky cheese, it just can't appeal to everyone. The new graphics, UI, sound, and content make it much more fun to play and will win converts among those who are trying it for the first time. The rest was harder to update, and though it's better than it was, the single-player scenarios will never be half as fun as multiplayer matches.