Age of Empires II: HD Edition

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 688 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 495 out of 688
  2. Mixed: 120 out of 688
  3. Negative: 73 out of 688

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Pringled
    Apr 9, 2013
    10
    To start of this review, the score I would like to give is a 9. I give a 10 to compensate for people who judge before a game is even out. For the HD part: they managed to up the resolution to max and also retexture a 14 year old engine, which is pretty impressive in my opinion. Regarding the framedrops: when we got the privilege to play the game before it is officially out doesn't meanTo start of this review, the score I would like to give is a 9. I give a 10 to compensate for people who judge before a game is even out. For the HD part: they managed to up the resolution to max and also retexture a 14 year old engine, which is pretty impressive in my opinion. Regarding the framedrops: when we got the privilege to play the game before it is officially out doesn't mean they will have every bug fixed, otherwise they could just release it for everyone at that time. As soon as they heard about this problem the devs posted on multiple multimedia sites and their own site that they are working on the problem right now. The game has been out for a few minutes now while people know that the devs are doing their best to work on the issues, so please show some patience. The real addition of this however is the online. The servers for the original AOE II were pulled long ago, and now we have new servers to play this still awesome game online with friends. Oh, and did I mention steam workshop? This means that we will see a lot more mods to keep te game alive even longer. All in all, a great idea worked out great, with some bugs at the start. It's also a nice way to show that for some games it doesn't matter how old they are, it's all about the gameplay, just like how you don't care about graphics when playing a cardgame.… Expand
  2. ql1m4x
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    Age of Empires II HD is a fantastic game. The best RTS ever created. I give 10 for graphics 10 for gameplay 10 for fun. I love this game ...............................................................................................................................................................................................
  3. GutiOut
    Nov 2, 2016
    8
    Aoe2 was my favourite game for many years, the hd edition is a poor work and the on-line SUCKS. However is a great game to play in single player or multiplayer without using steam.
  4. SL539
    Dec 26, 2015
    8
    A very good RTS/City Building/Human Management game. You have wide selection of start-up nations/groups to pick from and are not restricted doing anything you can have a huge population, city, etc. If it goes on sale again for a few dollars it's worth it. Also it has a lot of mod support which is a huge plus.
  5. ChrisRockwell
    Jul 1, 2014
    10
    Nice HD version of one of the best games ever. Still enjoyable today. Multiplayer games are laggy sometimes, if one of the clients has a bad Internet connection.
  6. Distrex
    Oct 6, 2014
    10
    Great game, Age of Empires ll HD repack is one of the most memorable and best strategy games available, this repack allows for HD resoloutons such as 1920x1080 for users in which were unable to obtain it in the first version of the game, hence the name "HD Edition" This game also has an exception ally fun multiplayer whether playing with friends or on Game ranger it always producesGreat game, Age of Empires ll HD repack is one of the most memorable and best strategy games available, this repack allows for HD resoloutons such as 1920x1080 for users in which were unable to obtain it in the first version of the game, hence the name "HD Edition" This game also has an exception ally fun multiplayer whether playing with friends or on Game ranger it always produces exhilarating action and fast paced action, definitely recommend to the lovers of the strategy category. Well done Ensemble Studios and Microsoft Games for a great series!… Expand
  7. laingjscott
    Jul 2, 2015
    10
    I'm not one who writes tons of reviews but after seeing some of the negative reviews here I had to give my two cents. Age of Empires II is my absolute favorite game to play. I started playing the original Age of Empires and Age of Empires II soon after they first came out and have loved them ever since. It has been sold in Walmart stores until recently and there is a good reason. It''s aI'm not one who writes tons of reviews but after seeing some of the negative reviews here I had to give my two cents. Age of Empires II is my absolute favorite game to play. I started playing the original Age of Empires and Age of Empires II soon after they first came out and have loved them ever since. It has been sold in Walmart stores until recently and there is a good reason. It''s a classic! Anyone who likes strategy and matching their wits against a computer or multiple computer players should give this game a shot. The updated HD version is just that... High Definition. It is nothing less than what it claims to be. So for those who have given poor reviews to the game, I would look at the original intent that was behind releasing Age of Empires ii HD. I personally was delighted to see that there was a new version that was more compatible with current operating systems and was capable of running at a much higher resolution than the original. As a Huge added bonus Steam servers allow online game play for your multi-player games which is nice since the original games no longer had online servers for multiplayer games.
    Despite what some may say about no updates to the game besides better graphics, I would say look again. While staying true to the original game play for the most part, the creators of this HD version have made a few great enhancements to the game such as being able to put farms in queue so you don't have to keep replanting your farms every five minutes. There are other slight modifications similar to that. For those who wanted to revisit a classic game this is for you. For those who want more updates I think you're really wanting a completely different game and you should probably look elsewhere. Just another example of how awesome this game is... My wife and my sister who are not into video games at all were finally persuaded to give this game a try and after playing a couple of times they have both fallen in love with it and I have even come home from work or school to find out that my wife was playing it while the kids napped. This game has the power to convert people to it. Give it a shot!    … Expand
  8. smilfit
    Jul 27, 2015
    10
    It's exactly as one would expect - AoE II gameplay with updates, and a user-friendly multiplayer lobby. Hotkeys are improved, and all bugs have been fixed. This is a game that doesn't get old.
  9. druout1944
    Feb 12, 2016
    9
    Still holds up well and a blast to play, even 16 years later. Factions are varied and the diversity in playstyles is great. Still looks decent graphically. My favorite of the series.
  10. TheMetalfreak
    Oct 28, 2013
    10
    Of course the game is don't have that much new in it, it is called "AOE2HD Edition" because it is just HD of AOE2. But think about what the game have, much better matchmaking, so that people can play online without a worry in the world. And that is something I personally are very glad for, since I don't want to experience something like Crusader Kings 2 matchmaking/creating games onlineOf course the game is don't have that much new in it, it is called "AOE2HD Edition" because it is just HD of AOE2. But think about what the game have, much better matchmaking, so that people can play online without a worry in the world. And that is something I personally are very glad for, since I don't want to experience something like Crusader Kings 2 matchmaking/creating games online again. And we got the workshop, which have made people making mods again for the game, making the game better or just simply more fun with taunt packs. It is very well made, and I am glad that they didn't change much. It was good as it is. And now they are even giving out the "Forgotten Empires" expansion pack. Which is even more great news, since that just shows that they are continuing to improve the game. Just like the patches that we have gotten lately.… Expand
  11. debigman
    May 16, 2014
    10
    An epic collection of epicness. PLAY THIS GAME! It has everything the first one did, along with some glitch fixes and improved AI. Most of the ppl who rate this game poorly did so before the game left Beta.
  12. JonTheMediocre
    Dec 4, 2013
    10
    An excellent game! I can't really add to what some of the other positive reviews are saying: It's classic, endless playability, yet quickly becomes familiar and easy to improve your performance. It's an incredibly satisfying game to play, and the option of allying with other players and combining your empires, armies and tactics is so fun. The random maps are all unique and cool to exploreAn excellent game! I can't really add to what some of the other positive reviews are saying: It's classic, endless playability, yet quickly becomes familiar and easy to improve your performance. It's an incredibly satisfying game to play, and the option of allying with other players and combining your empires, armies and tactics is so fun. The random maps are all unique and cool to explore and use geography to your advantage. The economy military balance is extremely intriguing as well.

    If you've played the original, it is not any different except some of the graphics are smoother, the max pop cap is at 500, and there is support for online multiplayer and a thriving community both in-game and in steam workshop.

    Cons: There is an annoying unit selection limit, (like 30 units?) and the continuity when playing multiplayer online is dependent on everyone having a fast connection. If even one player has a slow connection or slow computer, the game will lag very badly, especially when many units are on the map. Even with adequate connection speeds, I wouldn't recommend setting the pop cap much over 300 in a 6 to 8 player game.

    Redeeming fact: They are working on patches and continuing support for the game. Playability and technical issues have been improved and will hopefully continue to improve.    … Expand
  13. IcedCoffee
    Mar 11, 2014
    8
    An underwhelming re-release of a fantastic game. Whilst there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the game, it's the 'HD Edition' tacked on at the end of the title which serves as misleading. It appears to be nothing more than the same game released back in '99 with two different display settings and a fancy new title. However, despite this it is still an incredibly fun and satisfyingAn underwhelming re-release of a fantastic game. Whilst there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the game, it's the 'HD Edition' tacked on at the end of the title which serves as misleading. It appears to be nothing more than the same game released back in '99 with two different display settings and a fancy new title. However, despite this it is still an incredibly fun and satisfying RTS, that holds up nicely in 2014.… Expand
  14. DrToenail
    Mar 13, 2014
    10
    I don't know what people were expecting. It's an HD port of the greatest game of all time. They didn't add anything new (initially) because there was nothing that had to be added. With the Forgotten, easier matchmaking, and wider screen sizes: the game has surpassed its original. Now that we're a year past the release, they've fixed virtually every crippling bug and even released anI don't know what people were expecting. It's an HD port of the greatest game of all time. They didn't add anything new (initially) because there was nothing that had to be added. With the Forgotten, easier matchmaking, and wider screen sizes: the game has surpassed its original. Now that we're a year past the release, they've fixed virtually every crippling bug and even released an exclusive scenario.

    I can understand the metacritic rating at the terrible half-assed release, but the team has fixed all those errors at this point. AoE2 has truly aged like fine wine. And with beautiful 2D graphics, a top tier soundtrack, a wonderful comfy feel, and infinite replayability: Even the HD version can't ruin the king's spot at the top of all games.    … Expand
  15. HewFoE
    May 31, 2014
    10
    It is AoE2.. so it gets a 10. The price tag is not crazy... you are basically paying for ease of service for Multiplayer. Those complaining about no LAN can just purchase a cheap copy of the original game to use. People pay a monthly service fee for this kind of service for other platforms/games.

    AoE2 is what RTS should be and is. New RTS games are so simplistic with no real micro/macro    It is AoE2.. so it gets a 10. The price tag is not crazy... you are basically paying for ease of service for Multiplayer. Those complaining about no LAN can just purchase a cheap copy of the original game to use. People pay a monthly service fee for this kind of service for other platforms/games.

    AoE2 is what RTS should be and is. New RTS games are so simplistic with no real micro/macro skills required. I am ecstatic that they put this on steam to allow easy multiplayer games a reality once again.

    The expansion that came from a modding community is nothing new. I am not sure why people are shocked/upset.    … Expand
  16. and0r
    Aug 2, 2014
    10
    What they did with the HD edition is great. It's a simple refresh to a timeless classic. There is not much room for improvement on such a well crafted masterpiece, the higher resolution support is really all this game needed, and I look at the rest of the improvements as added bonuses. These negative reviewers are insane! Game is worth every penny.
  17. Detraxxx
    Mar 23, 2016
    8
    HD remake of the best strategic game ever. There are not many major changes, just addition of HD resolution and few civilisations. There are some bugs and framedrops. Finally there is a large online community and you can easily find players online. In overall I am satisfied with this game.
  18. Mandula
    Jun 9, 2013
    10
    Nostalgia I always loved AoE II back in time. I think this AoE II HD Edition is a great rework of that great game. Why did you (people) judged the game before it was out? I had no problems with it, I loved it. Steam Workshop, better Multiplayer (The ranking system could be better, they are working on it!), remastered textures, more beautiful water (I liked that, my favourite improvementNostalgia I always loved AoE II back in time. I think this AoE II HD Edition is a great rework of that great game. Why did you (people) judged the game before it was out? I had no problems with it, I loved it. Steam Workshop, better Multiplayer (The ranking system could be better, they are working on it!), remastered textures, more beautiful water (I liked that, my favourite improvement :D), resolution support to very high (I've seen someone who played it on 5 monitors), Steam Achievements. Others said it's full of bugs. But it isn't!!! I bought the game yesterday, no bugs or any problems at all so far (I played Singleplayer and Multiplayer, not for a single time). I think the 68 Metascore is too severe. It's much better than that. And the most important thing: THEY ARE WORKING ON IT! It's version 2.3, 2.4 is on the way, it will come out in 2-3 days. I recommend this game to anyone who played AoE 10-15 years ago!… Expand
  19. AshleyAllWays
    Apr 9, 2013
    9
    The Little Mod That Could.
    A Franchise Refurbished, Yet a Missed Opportunity.
    The age of empires series is one of fame. After 13 years it can still be purchased (along with its expansion, The Conquerors) at Wal-Mart and Office Depot. This "new" title is an attempt at sprucing up one of the most beloved games of the franchise. It is amazingly rare to see an old property being brought    The Little Mod That Could.
    A Franchise Refurbished, Yet a Missed Opportunity.

    The age of empires series is one of fame. After 13 years it can still be purchased (along with its expansion, The Conquerors) at Wal-Mart and Office Depot. This "new" title is an attempt at sprucing up one of the most beloved games of the franchise. It is amazingly rare to see an old property being brought back to life and updated, especially by a parent company that is only looking forward to the next big buck, and are willing to drop any title not making 500% profit (AOE Online was scrapped after a year in the wild, and much needed updates to many games still hang in limbo at EA). Only the bigwigs know what made them bring this one back, but we are glad to see some dust wiped off of our past every once in a while. Developer "Hidden Path" was contracted to shine up the series fav and bring it into the new age of gaming, they fixed important things and they didn't fiddle around where it wasn't needed, but they missed a couple of points that would have made it into a new age RTS diamond.

    First of all, I must thank hidden path for finally raising the unit cap, but why only 500? While it is a good 2.5x higher than before, our machines are 250x more powerful than the Pentium II 200mhz it was originally designed for. I can only guess that much of the core engine remains as it was, and 500 was the highest they could go without breaking it. Even though the cap has been raised, you can still only select 20 units at a time. Was it something that was overlooked? not likely. Here is another notch in the theory of a stretched engine. They just couldn't do more without overhauling the back end.

    While we are on the graphics, The reason it has HD in the title is the ability to hit 1920x1080, (and beyond for multi monitor rigs) whereas the original topped out at 1024x768. I agree with the general consensus in that the overhauled building and unit models are amazing, but once again the elderly engine comes through showing us no shadows, no zoom, and no visual effect updates. These are an almost standard feature of today's even bargain bin games that they missed completely. Does it detract from gameplay? Not really. Could they have spent a little more time bringing the graphics engine into this decade without effecting gameplay? yes.

    The multiplayer. What can I say here? Game Zone worked (kinda) back in the day, but thankfully we have learned from those early days and have integrated the game wholly into Steam's online network with only a few launch bugs and some early lag issues (to be continued). What this means is a front row ticket to a beautifully seamless multiplayer before-game matching experience, but completely removes the LAN option that, like me, so many young geeks had permanently set up in their basements just for this. Inclusion with the Workshop will make mod and map finding a breeze, and I believe the good outweighs the bad here, but somehow there is still a bad taste somewhere in my mind from losing our offline multiplayer. (single play is still allowed offline).

    The music score has been redone, but I can still pound the number keys for WOLOLOOO and "I Need Wood". No complaints there.

    All-in-all it was well worth the $12 preorder, and it is the authentic Age Of Kings/Conquerors experience, but the lack of improvements to the gameplay, and the surface improvement to the graphics makes this game feel more like a decent mod than a blockbuster.

    (For further fiddling- the mod "Forgotten Empires" does everything this HD remake does, plus adds hours of single player campaigns, and a good dozen fixes)    … Expand
  20. Themfgamer
    Aug 1, 2014
    10
    I remember the old day's of age of empire's 2 but i couldn't find the disk. Then this amazing game came out remastered on steam and oh my god this was one of the best game's i have every played. I have spent 30 hour's on it so far there would be much more if i could play it on the holiday's but i can't. I love this game, the ai are amazing, the amount of buildings and units make this gameI remember the old day's of age of empire's 2 but i couldn't find the disk. Then this amazing game came out remastered on steam and oh my god this was one of the best game's i have every played. I have spent 30 hour's on it so far there would be much more if i could play it on the holiday's but i can't. I love this game, the ai are amazing, the amount of buildings and units make this game much more funner than age of empires 1 and 3. The game also give's you a scenario creator which is so amazing to create your own war's and siege's 10/10 love this game, must buy.… Expand
  21. MaxAug
    Sep 7, 2015
    10
    To me, this is the best RTS game ever. It has multiple possible strategies, is very diverse and almost any pc can run it. Some people dont like having to micromanage an army of like 80, but if you practice youll see this game rocks.
  22. BrewskiBruce
    Apr 9, 2013
    8
    AoE2 HD is AoE2 with a few updates. It's AoE2. Shall I repeat that? When I first played the original, which is essentially the same, I rated the game a 10/10. With the new updates, the "HD", and the few bugs it has at intial launch, I would rate it about a 8/10. Why?

    Like some have already stated there could have been a lot more done to the game to enhance it visually. Also there is/was    AoE2 HD is AoE2 with a few updates. It's AoE2. Shall I repeat that? When I first played the original, which is essentially the same, I rated the game a 10/10. With the new updates, the "HD", and the few bugs it has at intial launch, I would rate it about a 8/10. Why?

    Like some have already stated there could have been a lot more done to the game to enhance it visually. Also there is/was a bug at intial release that gave XP users problems with playing at all. Lastly, in multiplayer there seems to be a bit of a lag issue, almost seems like video lag, but it doesn't make the game unplayable. Seeing how it's only been released a few days now (if you pre-ordered), I would assume a patch is coming. So I wouldn't take anyone seriously yet about the bugs in the game. Most every game these days has bugs at release, and for every game there's users on Metcritic that will just give a game a 0 because they are whining about bugs.

    If your new to AoE2, and into the RTS genre i'd check it out. Maybe find a friend that has it, and see if you can't play a bit. It has always been an awesome RTS. Don't expect new cutting edge graphics. This is an older game. Then again if graphics are what you base your gaming experience on... well..    … Expand
  23. SalaciousCrumb
    Aug 23, 2013
    10
    Now most of the bugs have been fixed, this is a very good game, definitely worth the money. Compared to the original, it has some nicer textures (e.g. fog of war, water), Steam leaderboards, achievement, and a good multiplayer community. Patches are still being released, so I recommend it;.
  24. Pessimissed
    Apr 9, 2013
    9
    This was amazing at the time the original released. The thing is, that hasn't changed. The game-play is that of a classic, simple RTS. Yes there are bugs, but the game isn't out yet, and they are being fixed.

    The title is a bit misleading however. I would recommend it be changed to AoE Steam Edition, because the steam functionality is much sweeter than the improved graphics, but    This was amazing at the time the original released. The thing is, that hasn't changed. The game-play is that of a classic, simple RTS. Yes there are bugs, but the game isn't out yet, and they are being fixed.

    The title is a bit misleading however. I would recommend it be changed to AoE Steam Edition, because the steam functionality is much sweeter than the improved graphics, but that's just my opinion.

    If you are just looking for a fun game to play with friends, or a competitive RTS that isn't a Starcraft title, I would recommend this.    … Expand
  25. Mittsies
    Apr 24, 2013
    10
    Age of Empires II was and still is easily one of the best RTS titles of its time, rivaled only by Starcraft. Even after 14 long years, AoE II is still very playable. HD Edition offers nothing more than a way for Windows 7 users to play the game in full 1080p+ without visual glitches and uses steam integration to make connecting to other players easier. I enjoy the fact the title wasAge of Empires II was and still is easily one of the best RTS titles of its time, rivaled only by Starcraft. Even after 14 long years, AoE II is still very playable. HD Edition offers nothing more than a way for Windows 7 users to play the game in full 1080p+ without visual glitches and uses steam integration to make connecting to other players easier. I enjoy the fact the title was untouched gameplay-wise, because I felt the original game was already very complete and well-rounded.

    There was definitely some missed potential here... but that's not what I expected anyways. I just wanted a 1080p version of my favorite RTS game. Worth every penny.    … Expand
  26. Parab0la
    Apr 15, 2013
    10
    Age of Empires 2 was my favorite game growing up as a kid. I was so excited when I heard that it was coming to Steam with modern resolution support, matchmaking multiplayer, and steam achievements. $20 may seem like a lot because the game came out a long time ago, but it was updated and had a lot of work done to work on modern computers. $20 is nothing and seems like a fair price. I loveAge of Empires 2 was my favorite game growing up as a kid. I was so excited when I heard that it was coming to Steam with modern resolution support, matchmaking multiplayer, and steam achievements. $20 may seem like a lot because the game came out a long time ago, but it was updated and had a lot of work done to work on modern computers. $20 is nothing and seems like a fair price. I love this game, already dumped 50+ hours into it in the last 2-3 weeks.… Expand
  27. IAmTudor
    Dec 12, 2013
    10
    Even after a decade this game is a master piece.I recommend it to anyone who loves RTS games.As for the hd version,it's not much of a difference except the fact that structures has been redesigned to look better.Anyway if you ask me the game is worth it and I think you should buy it.
  28. leaf68
    Dec 6, 2013
    10
    Hidden Path has done an excellent job bringing an approx. 15 year old game engine up to date. The game is very stable and is being updated regularly. Excellent choice, especially considering the price.
  29. TheSwagMaster
    Apr 9, 2014
    10
    Despite how bad of a Metascore this got, great game. Great game indeed. The new textures are nice, and its so much easier to play with your friends now, with the old website being down and all. I absolutely LOVED the original, and I think this is a very good 'remake', if that's what I should call it. Good job, developers; go get yourselves a cold beer and pat yourselves on the back. YouDespite how bad of a Metascore this got, great game. Great game indeed. The new textures are nice, and its so much easier to play with your friends now, with the old website being down and all. I absolutely LOVED the original, and I think this is a very good 'remake', if that's what I should call it. Good job, developers; go get yourselves a cold beer and pat yourselves on the back. You deserve it.… Expand
  30. Kislen
    Aug 12, 2015
    8
    My memories of the game might be influencing my revitalized love for it, but even after all this years, the gameplay is still as enjoyable as I remember, and now in a resolution above 1280x1024!
  31. CA1994
    Apr 20, 2014
    9
    Here is an honest review of Age of Empires 2 HD. The game did not have a good launch. This game however was what we expected. Age of Empire 2 that works on Windows 7. The great thing about steam and the remake is the steam workshop. There are pages and pages of mods. I got realistic farms and the original flames. The AI is smarter and presents a challenge on the higher difficulties. AlsoHere is an honest review of Age of Empires 2 HD. The game did not have a good launch. This game however was what we expected. Age of Empire 2 that works on Windows 7. The great thing about steam and the remake is the steam workshop. There are pages and pages of mods. I got realistic farms and the original flames. The AI is smarter and presents a challenge on the higher difficulties. Also being able to invite and play with friends on steam is awesome. Most of the negative reviews are about launch and the fact they were expecting a whole new game. They even added the Forgotten Empires DLC which adds a lot to the game. Even for a guy like me who has played since 2003. I quite enjoy those new civilizations. I would buy this game again. I bought a four pack and give 3 to my friends. I am sure it will go on sale this summer. I would definitely consider getting this.… Expand
  32. topguy
    Jan 24, 2015
    9
    People don't seem to understand what HD means. I mean, maybe you enjoy playing the original at 1280 x 1024? I don't know why...? That would look horrible. Basically the HD remake allows for MUCH higher resolutions for bigger screens. Because 1280 x 1024 looks horrible on 1920 x 1080. Trust me. It'll be a weird box shape.

    It also upgrades some of the art of the game. Which I did like the    People don't seem to understand what HD means. I mean, maybe you enjoy playing the original at 1280 x 1024? I don't know why...? That would look horrible. Basically the HD remake allows for MUCH higher resolutions for bigger screens. Because 1280 x 1024 looks horrible on 1920 x 1080. Trust me. It'll be a weird box shape.

    It also upgrades some of the art of the game. Which I did like the originals art better... But it's not that noticeable of a change.

    It also comes with online support. Which is great. So if you liked the original, I would definitely get this game.    … Expand
  33. TIE_Breaker
    Feb 10, 2014
    8
    Honestly, I don't know what you all were expecting. It's exactly the same game we were playing back on the Windows XP, except I don't know if you actually tried to play it recently. On anything higher than Windows Vista, it's loaded with compatibility errors. It's really just unplayable. On the other hand, you can buy this new version of the game priced starting at $20 ($15 if youHonestly, I don't know what you all were expecting. It's exactly the same game we were playing back on the Windows XP, except I don't know if you actually tried to play it recently. On anything higher than Windows Vista, it's loaded with compatibility errors. It's really just unplayable. On the other hand, you can buy this new version of the game priced starting at $20 ($15 if you preordered) and it has some new details and effects, smoothed out graphics, and more. Along with this, it has steam community support, which means easy game setup. It even comes complete with workshop so that rather than screwing up the textures, they just let the users easily download content for the game, such as texture packs. I mean, look at the changes they DID make... those cliff textures were the first to go.

    However, I did notice that sadly, there were some changes that never happened. I think it would have been nice of them to change the models into actual 3D figures, rather than more detailed pixel-art. You can't rotate the camera or anything. You can't even zoom in at all.

    All in all, I think it was worth it. It isn't the main exhibit of my steam library, but I'm still pretty glad I picked it up while it was on sale. To sum it all up, it isn't exactly Red Alert HD, where it has a different style of play from any other game that can compete with Company of Heroes, but rather a Halo 1 Anniversary. If you expect to see an amazing remake of the game that hit stores full force, you'll be mildly disappointed. If it hadn't been in legal limbo around 2008, maybe it would be something special. However, this is really just the compatibility update for a classic RTS, that you might enjoy from GOG in maybe 6 years or so.    … Expand
  34. Davoud84
    Feb 18, 2014
    10
    Awesome game, being away from it for sometime one forget how great it is. I will continue playing this for years once again. There is only one real competitor for this game and thats Starcraft. Both are great but in different ways.
  35. KGB_Crazy
    Mar 10, 2014
    10
    Age of Empires is the best game i have played so far. Why ? The replay value is almost unlimited. I've been playing on and off since 1999 and i still learn new tricks after all those years. In random map match there are many ways to play, every game feels diferent, specially in team games (team games demand so much strategy), if you like single player, the campaigns are great. I understandAge of Empires is the best game i have played so far. Why ? The replay value is almost unlimited. I've been playing on and off since 1999 and i still learn new tricks after all those years. In random map match there are many ways to play, every game feels diferent, specially in team games (team games demand so much strategy), if you like single player, the campaigns are great. I understand some players don't like AOE. It's easy to learn and very hard to master. Some people think its slow because they don't know how to take advantage of each second of the game (exploring, scouting, balancing economy, planning strategys, placing buildings in the best way possible, micromanagementing economy and army). StarCraft is more like Checkers, Age of Empires is more like Chess. AOE focus a lot more on strategy. I like the first AOE a lot. AOE 2 (AOC) fixed lot of bugs and added cool recorded game option. in 2008 AoE 2 lost official multiplayer support, AoE 2 HD is the chance to revival this great game with a new multiplayer support and some new fixes. If you are a RTS fan you can't miss this game.… Expand
  36. mrlordloganman
    Jun 16, 2014
    10
    I got a giant flash of nostalgia of me and my family playing this when I was little it is an amazing game and capture many of the core elements that make this franchise great
  37. TheMasiMan1
    Nov 20, 2015
    8
    Age of Empires 2: HD Edition is exacly what you would exept it to be, its a remake of the original Age of Empires 2. AoE 2 HD adds support for mods and a new multiplayer, witch is a great thing since the original games'es multiplayer servers have been closed down. AoE 2 HD can also be put fullscreen 16:9 and also features two kinds of choises for the AI: Original AI and just AI, witch is aAge of Empires 2: HD Edition is exacly what you would exept it to be, its a remake of the original Age of Empires 2. AoE 2 HD adds support for mods and a new multiplayer, witch is a great thing since the original games'es multiplayer servers have been closed down. AoE 2 HD can also be put fullscreen 16:9 and also features two kinds of choises for the AI: Original AI and just AI, witch is a great thing since the original AI is over 10 years old and need updating. Is it worth buying? Well, the graphics arent that good, but its a big improvement over the original, if you would compare them right now, witch would be unfair since the original came out over 10 years ago. Buy it.… Expand
  38. mr_freeze360
    Apr 30, 2015
    10
    Excelente games, many bugs at the release time but now it is pretty stable.

    I love the "new hd" graphics, of corse there is not any redesig, only best resolution textures and stuff
  39. tyklie01
    Aug 9, 2014
    8
    This game takes after the original with few improvements. The game is essentially the same with more civilizations and maps added after initial launch with the new expansion. However the game does include the ability for online play and mod's which can be shared through the steam workshop.

    The only aspect of this game that could use some serious improvement would be the play-ability.    This game takes after the original with few improvements. The game is essentially the same with more civilizations and maps added after initial launch with the new expansion. However the game does include the ability for online play and mod's which can be shared through the steam workshop.

    The only aspect of this game that could use some serious improvement would be the play-ability. Often times the game will have bugs including latency issues and what seems to be video lag even on systems that could easily support it.

    This game needs work but overall with the new maps, civilizations, and increased resolution I would say its a definite buy for AOE fans...    … Expand
  40. dorcopio
    Aug 18, 2014
    9
    Yes, this game started badly: not polished at all, it was not much more than the old 2001 game slapped on Steam.
    For this and for the bad working multiplayer aspect of the game ratings were quite poor, with a 68 on metacritic.
    But now things are a lot different: the game is really mature, they are at patch 3.7 and works have not stopped! New champaigns, AI and everything are well    Yes, this game started badly: not polished at all, it was not much more than the old 2001 game slapped on Steam.
    For this and for the bad working multiplayer aspect of the game ratings were quite poor, with a 68 on metacritic.
    But now things are a lot different: the game is really mature, they are at patch 3.7 and works have not stopped! New champaigns, AI and everything are well polished and tuned.

    The game is finally a nice improvement over the original, I find no reason to prefer the old version to the new one.

    If you can afford AoE II HD for 15$ or less buy it: it worth that much!    … Expand
  41. JuanPaWarthon
    Dec 8, 2014
    9
    Age of Empires II HD proves that the AoE2 never gets old, the game is wonderful and now it adds new graphics and a greater resolution, the The Forgotten Expansion (very forgotten by troll reviewers) adds 5 new civilizations: Incas, Indians, Italians, Magyars and Slavs and many new technologies and units, new maps, new AIs and new campaigns, the game continues updating and adding new units,Age of Empires II HD proves that the AoE2 never gets old, the game is wonderful and now it adds new graphics and a greater resolution, the The Forgotten Expansion (very forgotten by troll reviewers) adds 5 new civilizations: Incas, Indians, Italians, Magyars and Slavs and many new technologies and units, new maps, new AIs and new campaigns, the game continues updating and adding new units, icons, graphics and campaigns.

    The only thing I'd consider a drawback is that it adds another campaign focused on Spanish, when they already had a campaign back in Conquerors, I think El Dorado could've been a campaign focused on Incas instead, as they're one of the new civilizations in this expansion. Also, the Alaric campaign is a bit boring and all campaigns still don't have an intro movie-like story and narration. There could be more units (that I expect to see in their later updates). Other than that, it is all good.    … Expand
  42. Ripnal
    Jun 29, 2015
    10
    My favorite RTS game of all time along with Warcraft 3. Also the online play is also making a comeback and is pretty stable. Everyone should play once and not be able to criticize until they can beat a hard computer.
  43. flamesfanadam
    Oct 1, 2015
    9
    My favorite RTS from when I was younger re-released with all expansions plus a new one and higher resolutions. Very easy to learn very hard to master. Only thing it is missing is LAN play which is too bad because the original had it.
  44. Mejara17
    Nov 12, 2015
    9
    El mejor juego de estrategia hasta el momento para mi,muchas civilizaciones,cada una con sus edificios,campañas excelentes,lo único que le falto fue la variedad de unidades,aun así sigue siendo uno de mis juegos favoritos.
    Posdata:Se merecia 90 :"c
  45. BarbaMan
    Oct 12, 2015
    10
    This is simply the best real-time strategy game of all time. If you don't like it, well, what can I say... The problem is you, not the game.

    It had been years that original fans were asking for a remasterized version of AoE2, since all the other versions of the franchise didn't arrive at his feet. I must say THANK YOU for giving this wonderful game a new lease of life, THANK YOU!    This is simply the best real-time strategy game of all time. If you don't like it, well, what can I say... The problem is you, not the game.

    It had been years that original fans were asking for a remasterized version of AoE2, since all the other versions of the franchise didn't arrive at his feet.

    I must say THANK YOU for giving this wonderful game a new lease of life, THANK YOU!

    And... TAKE MY MONEY!!! I'm buying it right now!!!    … Expand
  46. Sakaniator
    Nov 6, 2015
    9
    This is the best RTS ever, simple as that. There are so many possible strategies and possibilities for epic comebacks that you never get enough of it. Im not giving a 10 because i still think it needs some proper balance between civilizations and it doesnt make too much sense having japanese swordmen looking like a bunch of french folk. But still, this game is the best since 1997.
  47. Russwlms
    Nov 12, 2015
    10
    Great game,
    Age of Empires ll HD repack is one of the most memorable and best strategy games available, this repack allows for HD resoloutons such as 1920x1080 for users in which were unable to obtain it in the first version of the game, hence the name "HD Edition" This game also has an exception ally fun multiplayer whether playing with friends or on Game ranger it always produces    Great game,
    Age of Empires ll HD repack is one of the most memorable and best strategy games available, this repack allows for HD resoloutons such as 1920x1080 for users in which were unable to obtain it in the first version of the game, hence the name "HD Edition" This game also has an exception ally fun multiplayer whether playing with friends or on Game ranger it always produces exhilarating action and fast paced action, definitely recommend to the lovers of the strategy category. Well done Ensemble Studios and Microsoft Games for a great series!    … Expand
  48. EdgarAllanOoo
    Oct 11, 2016
    10
    Most of the user reviews that are negative are ranting about not seeing any major improvements or changes from the original game. That is not why I bought this game. I bought this game because it had updated graphics and smoother gameplay with the same great campaigns and online play that I enjoyed so much back in the day. IF you like the Age of Empires franchise then this game isMost of the user reviews that are negative are ranting about not seeing any major improvements or changes from the original game. That is not why I bought this game. I bought this game because it had updated graphics and smoother gameplay with the same great campaigns and online play that I enjoyed so much back in the day. IF you like the Age of Empires franchise then this game is definitely for you! Great to buy it on sale on Steam for… Expand
  49. Detinator73
    Apr 10, 2013
    10
    Well This game deserves to be a 9/10. Why? Lets go over with the basics: Age of Empires II was at a score of 92% while the Conquerors expansion is about 88% in total reviews. This game includes the actual Ages of Kings as well as the Conquerors. The gameplay in fact is the same as having those two games (nothing new except for the 500 population cap, widescreen support, Steam Workshop,Well This game deserves to be a 9/10. Why? Lets go over with the basics: Age of Empires II was at a score of 92% while the Conquerors expansion is about 88% in total reviews. This game includes the actual Ages of Kings as well as the Conquerors. The gameplay in fact is the same as having those two games (nothing new except for the 500 population cap, widescreen support, Steam Workshop, Steam servers and leaderboard). The water, fire, cliffs, trees and effects have changed in order to make the game more HD. Single player is still the same but for the multiplayer, it was fixed before (last time, the players were out of sync). Well, this game deserves a gold.… Expand
  50. dustyogd
    Apr 30, 2013
    10
    This is a great Strategy game just for $20 dollar's and if you are a long time fan of the game then i recommend because the game is really fun and feels just like AoE2 just like back then. And with gamesworkshop you can even get new maps new game modes and texture packs.
  51. mAs7eRa
    May 10, 2013
    10
    This is a great game! My favorite strategy of all time! I can't understand how many people speak against it... Some saying it's the same game, well what did you expect? It's written in a ancient program language, it was so hard for the developers to even do what they did and make it compatible with all the windows versions. Second of all, if it was changed, the same people would have beenThis is a great game! My favorite strategy of all time! I can't understand how many people speak against it... Some saying it's the same game, well what did you expect? It's written in a ancient program language, it was so hard for the developers to even do what they did and make it compatible with all the windows versions. Second of all, if it was changed, the same people would have been saying "ah it's not the same, they ruined it"... just the common trolls in the internet.. I am really happy that they did not change this classic in the strategy genre. For me the expansion The conquerors changed the original age of empires game too much and I was not happy with this, but I accepted it, and I'm really happy they did not do this again. For everyone who loves age of empires, and want to play it with players, I recommend buying it. It has 4-5k players in steam all the time, and it's great! it has a workshop, where you can change some of the skins like farms, mines, terrain, etc. Thank you for bringing my favorite strategy back to life!!!! Full respect!!!… Expand
  52. Metalsand
    Sep 25, 2013
    9
    I am unsure why so many people are so negative about this game. It had more than a few updates, albeit calling it HD was a bit uncalled for.

    For starters, I don't know how many of you tried to use your old AOE II disks recently but...unless you find a user-made patch on the internet, they don't WORK on modern machines. They also increased the resolution the game can run at, and    I am unsure why so many people are so negative about this game. It had more than a few updates, albeit calling it HD was a bit uncalled for.

    For starters, I don't know how many of you tried to use your old AOE II disks recently but...unless you find a user-made patch on the internet, they don't WORK on modern machines. They also increased the resolution the game can run at, and reenabled internet play on AOE II, since GameSpy or whoever else originally hosted multiplayer connections does not do so, and has not for years.

    Finally, they added steam support to the game, so that using "Join Game" from the friends menu would pop right into the game, which was a nice feature, and added Steam Workshop integration, which is AMAZING in comparison to the old style of manually installing files, finding them on different sites, etc.

    Now that it is out of the way, let me move on to the actual review...

    The game is exactly how it was, but with fixes to work on modern PC's which is what I wanted...but just not fro $20. It seems like a massive rip-off that they are selling a game that has a few tweaks and modernizations for the same price. $10 would have been a much more reasonable price, and I bet less people would be pissed off if it were re-sold for that price with the fixes included.

    Overall, I liked AOE II when I was younger, and while due to their fixes I can play it on modern PC's...the price is very exorbitant, and it feels like they are just trying to use my nostalgia to make a quick buck. The game itself is perfectly fine however.    … Expand
  53. nikashengelia
    Dec 30, 2013
    10
    I played Age of Empires II last time, few years ago. What changed in HD Edition? Almost, nothing! Graphics, is not main thing in strategy games, but now, it became better. Only 4 resource icons became little bit unusual. I loved this game when played it first time, and now I feel the same, playing Age of Empires II: HD Edition! In map editor, nothing changed, still good for creating maps.I played Age of Empires II last time, few years ago. What changed in HD Edition? Almost, nothing! Graphics, is not main thing in strategy games, but now, it became better. Only 4 resource icons became little bit unusual. I loved this game when played it first time, and now I feel the same, playing Age of Empires II: HD Edition! In map editor, nothing changed, still good for creating maps. Online gameplay still not good, always playing with: rushers, destroyers and as always, people with high ping... Main thing that I love in this game is: Nothing changed, only textures, added good soundtrack. Everyone wants same game with better textures: here it is! I love this game, playing for days!… Expand
  54. Darkrider
    Jul 14, 2013
    10
    Age of Empires HD is great because it is now on steam which makes it easyier to play multi-player and still experience the classic original components of the game which make it so worth while. BTW do any of you have a monk.. need a monk, rogan. LOL it still cracks me up yer way you should see the other guy".
  55. endriofelipe
    Apr 9, 2013
    10
    Great game since 1999. ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
  56. bobapplepie
    Apr 29, 2013
    9
    Lots of people are giving this game negative reviews because they are saying that this is exactly the same as the original. However, I am going to judge this as a separate game. The gameplay itself is extremely good, and the graphics are fine. The steam workshop support is nice. There are a few bugs, but I imagine that they will be fixed.
  57. Claytality
    Jan 23, 2014
    10
    Still one of the best PC games in the world. Might be the best RTS of all time. People are crying about the HD upgrade because they don't understand that its simply a small graphical update so it can play on today's larger computer monitors. The game will NOT look better than it did 10 years ago, but games like this stand the test of time regardless of graphics.

    Sooo much better than    Still one of the best PC games in the world. Might be the best RTS of all time. People are crying about the HD upgrade because they don't understand that its simply a small graphical update so it can play on today's larger computer monitors. The game will NOT look better than it did 10 years ago, but games like this stand the test of time regardless of graphics.

    Sooo much better than Starcraft. This game requires strategy, while Starcraft is just a real time mass (whatever unit).    … Expand
  58. HouseClarkzonia
    Jan 15, 2014
    10
    Age of Empires II: HD brings back a heap of Nostalgia to me, playing this game reminds me of the days when graphics wasn't an issue, i like how they have kept the sprite style, some people are against that I know, some think it's for the better that they left it, others despise it probably just to try and get a tear-jerk'er, who knows, I don't care the game in my book is still 100% amazing.
  59. hawk98
    Dec 4, 2013
    8
    Great game if you have played the original before and the forgotten expansion is great. However if you just buy the HD version without the expansion for the full $20 I would not recommend it as much. Otherwise a solid 9/10 with the expansion, but only a 7/10 for the base game. (Split the difference for my score)
  60. MusashiKono
    Jan 6, 2014
    10
    This game is a must-have for RTS players. It is a very well made strategy game which is pretty much the same as the older version.
    I don't understand the ratings saying that nothing was changed, when if there were changes there would be hate on that. The reason why this game came out with a HD version was because a lot of people loved the game. Not for there to be changes.
    10/10
  61. AloneBit
    Apr 10, 2013
    8
    Run on Windows 8
    + Full HD

    Good old game.
  62. jesus_vw
    Jul 27, 2013
    10
    excellent game, i appreciate that it was relaunched in hd so i can revive the moments playing on line. the only thing i dont like too much is that the LAN was eliminated and you need to purchase a game for any of your LAN friends, but that is normal this days...
  63. Wilbur
    Oct 19, 2016
    10
    The best RTS ever made. I don't even play that much multiplayer games in general but AoE2HD has won me over. The learning curve in multiplayer is quite steep since there are a lot of really good player but it's definitely worth it. If multiplayer is not your thing the single player campaigns are solid too and offer a reasonable challenge (you can also pick a difficulty level).
  64. Ramp
    Dec 24, 2013
    9
    Yes, when the game was first released, I'd say the $20 price point was absolutely not worth it. Now, the game has been updated a bit, and there are several reasons to buy the game when it comes on sale at the very least. One being the multiplayer support. Playing multiplayer matches where you can gain skill points or lose skill points based on wins/losses provides a much needed elementYes, when the game was first released, I'd say the $20 price point was absolutely not worth it. Now, the game has been updated a bit, and there are several reasons to buy the game when it comes on sale at the very least. One being the multiplayer support. Playing multiplayer matches where you can gain skill points or lose skill points based on wins/losses provides a much needed element to the game. Another reason to grab this game is the steam workshop support. There are many fantastic graphics mods that can be choosen, installed, and working flawlessly on any game mode, online or off. I bought the game on sale (its on sale all the time) for 4.99, and have already put 100 hours of gameplay into it. Online play is great fun.… Expand
  65. smilzoboboz
    Mar 11, 2015
    9
    AoE II is a 1999 2D isometric RTS game that marked an era on the RTS genre and this new version, luckily, just revamps it with widescreen/HD patches, a few bugfixes, reworked water/effects and steam workshop integration.

    While widescreen/HD graphic support was a must have and there was no actual need for water or effects reworks, steam workshop integration is what makes this new version    AoE II is a 1999 2D isometric RTS game that marked an era on the RTS genre and this new version, luckily, just revamps it with widescreen/HD patches, a few bugfixes, reworked water/effects and steam workshop integration.

    While widescreen/HD graphic support was a must have and there was no actual need for water or effects reworks, steam workshop integration is what makes this new version worth buying.
    On the workshop you're able to mod almost every part of the game, this increases even further the decennial longevity of this game. A few examples of currently available steam workshop items are: complete texture packs, water/coast mods, entire campaigns, extremely well made maps, ...

    So, game system is exactly how AoE II was, one of the best ones ever among RTS games, extremely balanced and quite various, with slight but substantial differences between civilizations.

    Graphic is good, not what you would expect from a 2013 game but strictly speaking about the HD port quality I couldn't think of any way it could have been done better.

    Music got some nice remixes, most of them made it sound more "medieval", which as far as I'm concerned it really nice.

    In the end I'd say that even at full price (which is maybe 30%~35% more than you may expect from an HD port of a 10+ year old game) I'd recommend buying this game, mostly because of steam workshop integration that really made (and still makes) the difference on my gameplay experience.    … Expand
  66. Andrewaps
    Dec 19, 2014
    9
    I have always loved Age of Empires as a series, and own 1, 2, and 3 on disc as well as having AoEII on Steam. And the Steam version only makes a classic masterpiece and improves upon it further! Never has it been easier to play multiplayer than now, and with The Forgotten Empires DLC included (in the bundle), there are new surprises awaiting. Steam Workshop is enabled for it, meaning thereI have always loved Age of Empires as a series, and own 1, 2, and 3 on disc as well as having AoEII on Steam. And the Steam version only makes a classic masterpiece and improves upon it further! Never has it been easier to play multiplayer than now, and with The Forgotten Empires DLC included (in the bundle), there are new surprises awaiting. Steam Workshop is enabled for it, meaning there is all sorts of awesome mods for the game now. If you are a fan of Age of Empires and are just itching to jump back in, or you're a lover of Strategy games, this is definitely for you.

    The 9 scoring is only because it definitely isn't for everyone, and for such an old game it is hard to compete with the newer games out there. But for me, AoE is one of my favorite franchises. Now... to find the best opportunity to get AoEIII!    … Expand
  67. JaapStam
    Dec 26, 2016
    9
    With some mistakes in his departure, undoubtedly one of the immortal games and for me, one of the best role-playing games in history. Reasonably priced on Steam and still with recent content. A game that is worth having.
  68. 1Shorzz
    Jul 12, 2021
    9
    SHORZZ / AoE2(HD): I can say it is the best strategy game you can play. A strategy game that can be played with classic and straight logic. After learning the types, the rest is up to your logic.
  69. Mandala
    Dec 6, 2016
    10
    AoE II HD is a remaster of the original game, which itself is possibly the greatest RTS made, still to this day.

    My initial review of AoE II HD gave the remaster a middling score, and was critical of some horrendous artwork that replaced the better original artwork, but those things have mostly been long-since restored by the 2nd developer to work on AoE II HD, after the original    AoE II HD is a remaster of the original game, which itself is possibly the greatest RTS made, still to this day.

    My initial review of AoE II HD gave the remaster a middling score, and was critical of some horrendous artwork that replaced the better original artwork, but those things have mostly been long-since restored by the 2nd developer to work on AoE II HD, after the original developer moved on to other projects.

    AoE II HD has received dedicated updating since its release, and has come a very long way in improvements to its functionality and presentation. As it currently stands, AoE II HD is a remaster worthy of a king.

    As for the game itself, beyond the remaster's quality, AoE II (AoK) is an expansive game with gorgeous humongous (or tiny, if preferred) environments, sprawling tech trees, long and numerous story-driver single-player campaigns in addition to an excellent random map-generator. There are many civilizations to choose to play as, each with unique traits and special tech or units. There is a significant focus on city-building, and resource gathering.    … Expand
  70. fastbot
    Dec 5, 2018
    10
    Best rts 10/10 Age of Empires II HD is a fantastic game.Nice HD version of one of the best games ever.
  71. iBroTuber
    May 17, 2014
    10
    I loved this game since I started playing it like 11 years ago.
    I used to play it online with friends and we had a lot of fun.
    Now it's easier than ever to play online + Workshop with endless stuff to add + HD Textures + New campaigns
  72. Jelv
    Oct 15, 2018
    10
    I never really played AoE2 much in the '90. After the re-release on Steam I noticed a friend had the game and purchased it to challange him. So did my brothers and other friends. Many LAN party's and online plays later I can say the game is still well balanced and with many new civ's maps and an active modding community. I've got 600+ hours on Steam, but that will climb rapidly in theI never really played AoE2 much in the '90. After the re-release on Steam I noticed a friend had the game and purchased it to challange him. So did my brothers and other friends. Many LAN party's and online plays later I can say the game is still well balanced and with many new civ's maps and an active modding community. I've got 600+ hours on Steam, but that will climb rapidly in the years to come. AoE2HD revived the classic from 16 years ago (1998!) and gives it a home on Steam for decades to come.… Expand
  73. Wolf_hack_kill
    Jan 25, 2017
    8
    One of the best historical real time strategy. Age of Empires II: HD is good old classic game with added new some nations. Unfortunately, in functionality there are no new novation. As result, we have the same old game.
  74. MegaCok1900
    Feb 15, 2017
    10
    Awesome remake, very HD graphics but very similar to original game. But much worth the money + DLC's, Awesome fun with friends yes yes yes yes yes yes yes urgasm.
  75. DoberDude
    Jul 6, 2017
    10
    I grew up playing this game and when they announced that it was being remastered I was filled with joy. This is hands down one of my favorite games and I'm so thankful they stayed true to the original game in almost every aspect of it. This is a nostalgic game for those who loved the Age of Kings/ Conquerors expansion, if you don't or you don't like RTS's in general, don't even bother.I grew up playing this game and when they announced that it was being remastered I was filled with joy. This is hands down one of my favorite games and I'm so thankful they stayed true to the original game in almost every aspect of it. This is a nostalgic game for those who loved the Age of Kings/ Conquerors expansion, if you don't or you don't like RTS's in general, don't even bother. This game along with the 3 expansions are amazing and, to my humble opinion, the best RTS there is.… Expand
  76. UncleEd
    Jul 1, 2019
    9
    Note: This is a review of Age of Empires 2: HD Edition single player campaigns. I am aware that the multiplayer is where Age of Empires is at its strongest and this review does not cover the multiplayer experience.

    Age of Empires II HD: The Age of Kings (Difficulty: Moderate) Age of Empires was released at a time when RTS genre was considered one of the most popular ones. From    Note: This is a review of Age of Empires 2: HD Edition single player campaigns. I am aware that the multiplayer is where Age of Empires is at its strongest and this review does not cover the multiplayer experience.

    Age of Empires II HD: The Age of Kings (Difficulty: Moderate)

    Age of Empires was released at a time when RTS genre was considered one of the most popular ones. From Command and Conquer to Starcraft, from Dune to Warcraft, there was fierce competition. It was not hard for Age of Empires to build a fan base with major selling points such as bringing real history with real heroes into our PCs and a ton of nations to play with.

    The Age of Kings have campaigns that could make someone who has any interest in history salivate: William Wallace, Joan of Arc, Saladin, Ghenghis Khan and Barbarossa. William Wallace serves as a tutorial campaign and each campaign offers a pretty unique experience with a standalone storyline and units particular to that nation. The game requires good micromanagement skills with its more sophisticated economy system, at least compared to other games of that era. In the Age of Kings, you don’t harvest just one resource e.g. spice, tiberium, crystal… You need to make sure to harvest wood, food, stone and gold in a balanced fashion in order to succeed. Food comes from various sources. You can fish from the lakes, you can farm, hunt animals, collect fruits etc. Hunting animals would give you a food boost, but you will soon run out of animals. Farming could give you a steadier income of food, but you will have to spend wood to build farms. Each strategic decision has consequences. This applies to the whole game, whether it is economy, expanding your base, building armies or waging wars. Keeping in mind every nation / faction has their own strengths and weaknesses, on top of the more sophisticated economy and requirement to micromanage, it is safe to say that the Age of Kings is more on the difficult side, especially when compared to other popular real time strategy series of that time. On the other hand, micromanaging in Age of Kings for some reason (whether it is the music or the color palette) is often relaxing rather than stressful.

    The campaigns never get boring and there is even educational value with all the historically accurate information in your missions or cutscenes. My main criticism to the Age of Kings campaigns, however, is being too formulaic. My experience with the majority of the campaigns was the following. I start a campaign. Build my base (unless the hints suggest otherwise), enemy attacks my base, I lose the game. I restart, this time knowing when, from which direction and with which units the enemy will launch their attack and I prepare myself accordingly. More often than not, this involves collecting enough stones and building a castle to the other side of a crossing and walling up the other areas to my base. The sense of playing a linear formulaic experience was much stronger when I played the Age of Kings campaign, in comparison to titles such as C&C or Starcraft.

    That being said, my only major criticism is something that only applies to the single player campaign. Playing against a friend with more or less even skills, is where the Age of Kings shines. As a more complex RTS, Age of Kings in multiplayer would undeniably be one of the best RTS games ever made, assuming you do indeed have a suitable opponent who matches your skills.

    8.5/10

    Age of Empires II HD: The Conquerors (Difficulty: Moderate)

    This expansion is everything the original game wanted to be. As opposed to the formulaic and somewhat tedious campaigns of Age of Kings, each campaign mission is carefully designed in AoE II: The Conquerors. The narrative is better, missions offer enough variety, everything feels more balanced and the difficulty is just right. Age of Kings was a great game for its time. The Conquerors, on the other hand, escalates Age of Empires to a masterpiece level and can easily be considered a timeless classic.

    9.5/10    … Expand
  77. JorgenPallesen
    May 7, 2019
    8
    The pathfinding is FAR worse than in the original AoE2, so it at times impossible to move your big mass of units past chokepoints.
  78. XxAlbertoBuzzxX
    Jun 3, 2020
    8
    Age of Empires II: HD Edition
    .......................................................
  79. Cesar3
    Sep 27, 2020
    9
    La saga de estrategia por excelencia, muy divertido y te engancha, eso si algunas misiones son ultra difíciles, te va a costar lo tuyo, además aprendes historia jugando
  80. Elsinrostro
    Jun 18, 2018
    10
    Very few video games age in such a good way. The original AoE2 marked a clear milestone in its genre.
    Its archetype made it not only into it's successors, it even reached the pop culture in a lot of countries. Being able to play it again in a modern PC is a very pleasant experience.
  81. IceDude01
    Jul 19, 2018
    10
    The best game of its kind remastered in HD. Hours and hours of fun await you with this incredible game
  82. IperLogan
    Nov 22, 2018
    10
    Age of Empires 2 is probably the most famous real-strategy game. It has been remastered and rebalanced during the time, with three new expansions, which add more civilizations and more units to the game.
    It is also a long-lasting game: although it is quite simple, you can play it for years again and again, trying different strategies, without getting bored.
  83. OlexeyHmelove
    Sep 22, 2019
    8
    What do you want from this game?That HD edition and not remaster.That 2 different things.Only problem in this game that FPS low and don't normal stability
  84. barefixxe
    Aug 2, 2019
    10
    Bir şey söylemeye gerek yok. metacritic 75 karakterden az olmasın diye lafı uzatmamı istiyor. Ama uzatmaya gerek yok amk.
  85. Ayiurah
    Oct 3, 2019
    10
    Very very nice game. Play it on Voobly though for a better network experience. The exensions have added a lot of value. Looking forward to AOE2 DE.
  86. KonstantinPayne
    Aug 29, 2020
    8
    Общепризнанная классика РТС. В игре прекрасно выточен (почти) каждый стратегический и тактический моменты.
  87. Corefitz
    Aug 27, 2021
    9
    The original AoE2 should be considered the grandfather of all RTS games.

    This one is no different.
    Grapihcally overhauled, minor bugs were fixed (finally), gotten mod support and Steam intergration, QoL changed made its way into the game and you're looking at a complete AoE2 experience.. BUT BETTER!
  88. fireman142
    Feb 29, 2020
    9
    Awesome game remade with HD components. I didnt have time to play it long time. But when i tried it, i didnt see as many changes as i would expect from the reviews. The old game i loved bit more 10/10. But good job to make it work on new computers and steam...
  89. Maxjey
    Mar 11, 2020
    8
    This classic RTS-game seems to live forever. The HD-version might not be as complex as the DE-version which got better graphics and more civilizations but HD got more charm, it starts faster and the sounds are (for now) better. The downsides are that the lobby is ancient and the matchmaking is aweful. It still is one of the best RTS.games ever made but I would recommend buying theThis classic RTS-game seems to live forever. The HD-version might not be as complex as the DE-version which got better graphics and more civilizations but HD got more charm, it starts faster and the sounds are (for now) better. The downsides are that the lobby is ancient and the matchmaking is aweful. It still is one of the best RTS.games ever made but I would recommend buying the DE-version over this version.… Expand
  90. Baltifru
    Apr 19, 2020
    9
    The reference of RTS, purely and simply. All the mechanics of the game are well thought, every unit and every structure you can build has its role and none is useless. The game is demanding in macro and micro management skills, even when you play against the IA (assuming you're like me, not yet an RTS expert). The balance between different civilisations seems quite good: the choice of theThe reference of RTS, purely and simply. All the mechanics of the game are well thought, every unit and every structure you can build has its role and none is useless. The game is demanding in macro and micro management skills, even when you play against the IA (assuming you're like me, not yet an RTS expert). The balance between different civilisations seems quite good: the choice of the civilisation influences your strategy, but none seems too "powerful". Some like the Mayas seem a bit weak though... But in spite of my game time I have yet to learn many things about this game, so it might be I don't understand how to play the Mayas just yet.

    The solo campaigns are quite nice. On top of teaching some history, the experience they offer is significantly different from the standard game while still relying on the same mechanics: they propose some escort challenges, "hold your ground' style missions, or missions with a different pace that will definitely keep you entertained.

    If you're looking for a competitive RTS, I believe AOE II is a good choice, although much less popular (at the time I am writing these lines) than SC 2, but the community is still quite large.

    Cult game, must have in your Steam library (unless you don't like strategy games).    … Expand
  91. johnny__a
    Nov 22, 2021
    8
    Some of the gameplay mechanics give away the game's age, but when it comes to RTS games, AoE II is still my favourite. I have come to prefer the definitive edition, but I did have a lot of fun with this "HD edition".
  92. heisenberg_88
    Nov 24, 2021
    10
    Good game , i enjoy playing this RTS with friends .
    I'm just playing this for nostalgia !
    btw , each and every moment is enjoyable in this game and i love all AoE2 editions :old, HD , DE . all are amazing
  93. DanielGG91
    Nov 14, 2022
    8
    Es el juego por excelencia de este estilo que más he jugado y disfrutado en partidas con colegas.
  94. Harthik69
    Jul 9, 2023
    9
    Nice Game. Would love to play again in future. Good Graphics and mechanics!!!

Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
25
#25 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 20
  3. Negative: 1 out of 20
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Jun 5, 2013
    65
    Mixed emotions, overall. On the one hand we have the same graphics, not at all improved. On the other, Steam offers functional multiplayer and workshop support, that breathe life into an old game. [May 2013]
  2. CD-Action
    May 13, 2013
    55
    Let me make a list of all the changes introduced in the HD version of Age of Empires II - higher resolution. [CD-Action 06/2013, p.77]
  3. Gamer.nl
    May 5, 2013
    60
    Unfortunately Age of Empires II HD isn't a very impressive update. It disappoints graphically and not much has been done to improve or modernize it. The gameplay is still strong though, and Age of Empires II still shows how balanced and detailed strategy games can be. With the addition of the Steam Workshop there's enough potential here for the game to be given a new look. Too bad this is left up to the players though.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »