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

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  1. Harthik69
    Jul 9, 2023
    9
    Nice Game. Would love to play again in future. Good Graphics and mechanics!!!
  2. DanielGG91
    Nov 14, 2022
    8
    Es el juego por excelencia de este estilo que más he jugado y disfrutado en partidas con colegas.
  3. 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
  4. 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".
  5. 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!
  6. 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.
  7. Misterdiony
    May 17, 2021
    7
    The HD Edition adds a great graphic update, but is overall not changing much. Back in 2013 it surely was a great graphic enhancement, but it lacks tuning old issues and gameplay parts.
  8. killerman64
    Jan 1, 2021
    0
    This game is the best RTS game for Nostalgia. You can enjoy 8 player civilization matches from the middle ages in various range.
  9. Ultrasonic90
    Dec 30, 2020
    7
    One of the best hd edition version of a nostalgia game. Visits important events in history. Unfortunately gameplay is a bit shallow such as troops' movements and attack. Overall it is a nice game but still need some improvements.
  10. eraybeycik
    Dec 24, 2020
    7
    Jesus christ wtf is relic ? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR HAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
  11. tikend
    Oct 29, 2020
    7
    Made the game better compatible with current systems but still buggy and not much added value.
  12. Valgeth
    Oct 3, 2020
    0
    By far the most shameless re-release I've ever seen, there's nothing of value they changed, absolutely nothing.
  13. 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
  14. kajt
    Sep 4, 2020
    7
    Well, DLS are quite expensive for so old game, but i play it almost every day.. i guess it means something. Most important, multiplayer lobby work nicely on steam.
  15. KonstantinPayne
    Aug 29, 2020
    8
    Общепризнанная классика РТС. В игре прекрасно выточен (почти) каждый стратегический и тактический моменты.
  16. XxAlbertoBuzzxX
    Jun 3, 2020
    8
    Age of Empires II: HD Edition
    .......................................................
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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...
  20. 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.
  21. 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
  22. Vectis99
    Sep 5, 2019
    0
    More than anything else, Age of Empires II HD (or "2013" these days) caters to nostalgia. The games core design principles come straight out of the era the original was released in, with all of the oddities and quality of life shortcomings foreign to more modern real time strategies. That being said, thanks to modern internet speeds and development practice, the game has been heavilyMore than anything else, Age of Empires II HD (or "2013" these days) caters to nostalgia. The games core design principles come straight out of the era the original was released in, with all of the oddities and quality of life shortcomings foreign to more modern real time strategies. That being said, thanks to modern internet speeds and development practice, the game has been heavily patched to have even finer-tuned balance and smoother multiplayer than ever before (without heavy use of 3rd party tools). It is even compatible with some of the DLC releases.
    For those coming to Age of Empires II from outside the series, there are definitely quite a few low quality-of-life design elements which introduce a steep learning curve and tedious micromanagement tasks. But if you can look past it, the game's thriving community, extremely refined balance, and comprehensive mechanical unity make it a solid title.

    I can't fathom why this is marketed so heavily on the graphical overhauls, but I suppose that is a personal thing. I would definitely not consider the graphics of this game much revolutionized compared to the original. I much prefer the very archaic graphic style myself, so this doesn't bug me too much. If you are *really* looking for an aesthetic overhaul, the upcoming "definitive edition" of the game promises that.

    At the time of writing, it is hard to predict what the impact of AoE II: Definitive Edition will have on the playerbase, but it is booming and not troublesome to me at all. No matter the speedbumps, this game is showing no signs of fading away.    … Expand
  23. barefixxe
    Aug 2, 2019
    10
    Bir şey söylemeye gerek yok. metacritic 75 karakterden az olmasın diye lafı uzatmamı istiyor. Ama uzatmaya gerek yok amk.
  24. 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
  25. 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.
  26. GameJoin
    Mar 18, 2019
    5
    Although being great in 1999 (I grew up with AoE series), this game hasn't aged well. Tons of quality-of-life features are missing compared to newer RTS games, and the balancing is terrible. However, the theme is nice and you get a lovely nostalgic trip. But for new players that haven't grew up with the AoE series, I honestly wouldn't recommend this.
  27. 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.
  28. 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.
  29. 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
  30. 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
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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.
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