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. Cmd_Shepard
    Aug 1, 2013
    7
    Age of Empires II: HD Edition is an upright and outstanding example of what strategy games used to be, and what they should be now. The original Age of Empires II had countless bugs, of which most are severe and do things like crash the game. The new HD Edition has barely any bugs and of which said bugs do nothing more than stop the game for a few seconds.

    The old multi-player for Age    Age of Empires II: HD Edition is an upright and outstanding example of what strategy games used to be, and what they should be now. The original Age of Empires II had countless bugs, of which most are severe and do things like crash the game. The new HD Edition has barely any bugs and of which said bugs do nothing more than stop the game for a few seconds.

    The old multi-player for Age of Empires II meant you had to have the IP address of participants to actually play a game, which means you could only get a game in with people once every few weeks (or for more if you're a budding AoE2 enthusiast); the new multi-player is brilliant; a list of lobbies to join, far more customisable features for the host to attract players and filters so the player find the game they want to play. What bugs me about this is that LAN has been completely stripped. Age of Empires II was probably one of the best games you could own for LAN parties. Although, no point beating the game up over LAN as you can simply just host a private game.

    Steam Workshop is an amazing way to get modifications and good maps as well as custom campaigns around. There's been many amazing maps and essential mods that have come out in less than a month from release; Steam Workshop has evidently been implemented perfectly.

    Although HD is good, there's more that could've made it better. The option to revert back to the original graphic quality at any time would've been great for when you want to mark a Battle of Nostalgia.

    Overall, abundant quality of the new features outweigh the lack of new features.    … Expand
  2. pinoybboy2004
    Oct 25, 2013
    4
    As much as I would love to give a positive rating I can't! I grew up playing this game and have logged several thousand hours over the years. When I saw that it was remade for steam as an HD game I figured that they would have made some other important changes and added more to it. It's simply a repackaged game with the SAME coding as the original. The only positives are that the onlineAs much as I would love to give a positive rating I can't! I grew up playing this game and have logged several thousand hours over the years. When I saw that it was remade for steam as an HD game I figured that they would have made some other important changes and added more to it. It's simply a repackaged game with the SAME coding as the original. The only positives are that the online matchmaking is simplified and that I can tab alt or play in windowed mode. Other than that this game is a slap in the face to anyone expecting changes. The multi-player engine still lags with that 1999 style (even with cable modem and quad core) and the game still freezes at wait screen before and during game. It also still goes out of sync...If you're a first time player I'd save your money for something else instead of paying for a repackaged game from 1999.… Expand
  3. proteuss2585
    Jan 6, 2014
    0
    Its exactly the same old Age of Empires, NOTHING new besides the horrible multiplayer with tons of bugs, lag (sometimes about 2 seconds of delay) and connection problems. A lot of people cant play because 10 seconds after the game starts, every player get disconnected because someone is "out of sinc".

    Dont buy it, just play the old Age of Empires with hamachi, there are not dedicated    Its exactly the same old Age of Empires, NOTHING new besides the horrible multiplayer with tons of bugs, lag (sometimes about 2 seconds of delay) and connection problems. A lot of people cant play because 10 seconds after the game starts, every player get disconnected because someone is "out of sinc".

    Dont buy it, just play the old Age of Empires with hamachi, there are not dedicated servers, so its really the same.    … Expand
  4. fzzzt
    Apr 24, 2013
    0
    The game doesn't work. Multi-player starts, then gets out of sync instantly. To me, this means it's defective. (Yes I have forwarded the ports.) Lame.
  5. MaxTolenaar
    Oct 10, 2013
    2
    Uh, I know... there will soon be Donkey Kong HD and Super Mario HD. Should those microsoft guys think about Age of Empires 4 instead of raising the dead?
  6. Cioby
    Dec 24, 2015
    0
    Overrated game, I barely liked it in the past, why would I like it now. They added HD to the name, which means they added slightly higher resolution textures which still look like **** Besides the fact that you can make unique units for every faction, I don't see anything good about this game. You want an actual strategy game where units aren't completely retarded, play Stronghold CrusaderOverrated game, I barely liked it in the past, why would I like it now. They added HD to the name, which means they added slightly higher resolution textures which still look like **** Besides the fact that you can make unique units for every faction, I don't see anything good about this game. You want an actual strategy game where units aren't completely retarded, play Stronghold Crusader for RTS and TotalWar series for RTS/actual empire/cities management.

    I really tried to like this game, but I couldn't. Seeing units run after enemy cavalry like idiots, just makes you wanna burn your PC or switch to consoles, to play idiotic games, on an idiotic platform.    … Expand
  7. bigman
    Jun 12, 2014
    0
    Just overrated game, there is nothing HD in this game, its purely hoax and a big lie. it only zooms out that you cant even see any units and call it HD
  8. cajun67
    Jan 2, 2015
    7
    There is nothing "HD" about this game. As far as I can tell, the only change that was made from the original was to make it widescreen, but the game still uses the same graphics it had in 1999. The game title is dishonest.

    That said, if you enjoy classic RTS gaming from the 90's (games like the originals of Starcraft, Warcraft, and Command & Conquer), then you will appreciate this game.    There is nothing "HD" about this game. As far as I can tell, the only change that was made from the original was to make it widescreen, but the game still uses the same graphics it had in 1999. The game title is dishonest.

    That said, if you enjoy classic RTS gaming from the 90's (games like the originals of Starcraft, Warcraft, and Command & Conquer), then you will appreciate this game. There is a lot of depth to this game, and most importantly, it uses most of the same hotkeys that have become standard in RTS gaming.

    I cannot recommend this game at full price, however. $20 for a 15 year old game, plus another $10 for the expansion? No, **** that. Wait for a Steam sale where you can pick them up as a bundle for $7.50.    … Expand
  9. ChoicestGames
    Sep 20, 2014
    7
    So is Age of Empires II HD worth getting? If you're a newcomer to RTSs and want to experience a classic or you're a returning fan that enjoys the single player aspect of the game but want a copy that works on modern operating systems, then yes I would recommend giving Age of Empires II HD a try. For those wanting to play the game mainly for multiplayer, mileage may vary since from mySo is Age of Empires II HD worth getting? If you're a newcomer to RTSs and want to experience a classic or you're a returning fan that enjoys the single player aspect of the game but want a copy that works on modern operating systems, then yes I would recommend giving Age of Empires II HD a try. For those wanting to play the game mainly for multiplayer, mileage may vary since from my experience, games can become pretty laggy - almost to the point of being unplayable.… Expand
  10. 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).
  11. 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
  12. kykinson
    Dec 6, 2013
    6
    AOE2 HD is one great game and gives back the old school feelings. In april they gived us the same version of the game we had in 1999 but now buggy. In the last year they fixed almost all the bugs and glitches. This game is good but not the best.
  13. ArtanisDude
    May 31, 2013
    7
    Now not many games are rated 100/100. But I do enjoy me my RTS games. This is a fun game, just better graphics. Like I said, it's not perfect, but, if you like RTSs, this is a great game.
  14. Representer
    Dec 4, 2013
    5
    I'd like to give this game a 10, for nostalgic reasons. Back then this was a great game and probably the best RTS out there. Today it is lacking a lot. I am not talking about graphics, allthough for a Full HD Version which costs 20 bucks I expect more. It is the gameplay which, in comparision to Starcraft 2, feels boring and slow. It is also the story and presentation which in no way canI'd like to give this game a 10, for nostalgic reasons. Back then this was a great game and probably the best RTS out there. Today it is lacking a lot. I am not talking about graphics, allthough for a Full HD Version which costs 20 bucks I expect more. It is the gameplay which, in comparision to Starcraft 2, feels boring and slow. It is also the story and presentation which in no way can compete with todays standards.
    So for me AoE II: HD is a classic, but not one that works well compared to todays standards.    … Expand
  15. sirPetanek
    May 23, 2015
    6
    CZ:
    HD re-edice jedné z nejznámějších strategií všech dob nepřinesla prakticky žádné změny, kromě podpory platformy Steam a HD rozlišení. Ve výsledku je tak velmi těžké hru hodnotit, neboť hra jako taková přežila několik let a stále patří mezi špičky v rámci RTS žánru, na druhou stranu bych od vývojářů očekával trochu více snahy.
  16. 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
  17. InfoGuy
    Jun 16, 2015
    7
    Just as I had guessed, there was very little change in the gameplay or visual appearance of the game, other than what would've been expected: higher definition display and support for 60 fps. I've always enjoyed the fair and balanced challenge that this game provided to players, whether new or old, and I was glad to see that the same gameplay still existed more than a decade later. ThereJust as I had guessed, there was very little change in the gameplay or visual appearance of the game, other than what would've been expected: higher definition display and support for 60 fps. I've always enjoyed the fair and balanced challenge that this game provided to players, whether new or old, and I was glad to see that the same gameplay still existed more than a decade later. There were, however, problems with this edition.

    I've had issues with frame rates dropping especially when starting up saved games with many units, which is rather disappointing, since my PC never had issues running more demanding games. At times, the frame rate never gets back up, rendering some maps virtually unplayable. Pathfinding wasn't great either, with units often times getting trapped and unable to find their way around lakes and rivers. For something that only offered a "revamped" version of graphics, it was surprisingly buggy, and I hope they plan to address these issues as soon as possible.    … Expand
  18. 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
  19. 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.
  20. Migasuke
    Mar 6, 2017
    0
    Age of Empires 2: HD edition is very similar to previous AoE2, with several bonus features. Obviously one of the features is to play in HD, but only the pixels are managed, the graphics remains basically same like in the previous old AoE2.
  21. 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.
  22. 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
  23. tikend
    Oct 29, 2020
    7
    Made the game better compatible with current systems but still buggy and not much added value.
  24. 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.
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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.
  28. 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.
  29. 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
  30. Gracz-org
    Aug 8, 2017
    7
    Age of Empires II: HD Edition jest świetną okazją, żeby pokazać komuś, kto nigdy nie miał styczności z tą serią jak wyglądały kiedyś gry. Bowiem mimo możliwości ustawienia wysokich rozdzielczości gra wygląda dalej prawie tak jak w 1999 roku - co dla jednych może być zdecydowanym plusem, a dla innych z kolei dyskwalifikować nowego-starego AoE na całej linii. Osobiście grałem bardziej dlaAge of Empires II: HD Edition jest świetną okazją, żeby pokazać komuś, kto nigdy nie miał styczności z tą serią jak wyglądały kiedyś gry. Bowiem mimo możliwości ustawienia wysokich rozdzielczości gra wygląda dalej prawie tak jak w 1999 roku - co dla jednych może być zdecydowanym plusem, a dla innych z kolei dyskwalifikować nowego-starego AoE na całej linii. Osobiście grałem bardziej dla przypomnienia sobie „starych” czasów i muszę się przyznać, że pewne wspomnienia wróciły… w końcu gry z czasów dzieciństwa pamięta się przecież najlepiej. Trzeba jednak zdać sobie sprawę, że te czasy już nigdy nie wrócą, a próby „wskrzeszenia” tytułów z tamtego okresu nie zawsze muszą się dobrze skończyć. Czy zatem Age of Empires II: HD Edition warte jest uwagi? Ciężko mi jednoznacznie odpowiedzieć na to pytanie, ponieważ darzę serię wielką sympatią. Potraktował bym jednak grę bardziej w charakterze ciekawostki, która niekoniecznie musi kogoś zainteresować. W końcu nie wszyscy przepadają przecież za serią, a bardziej oddani fani sprawdzili już grę na wszystkie możliwe sposoby… Decyzję pozostawiam więc każdemu z osobna.

    Pełna recenzja dostępna jest na blogu Gracz.org    … Expand
  31. 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
  32. 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.
  33. XxAlbertoBuzzxX
    Jun 3, 2020
    8
    Age of Empires II: HD Edition
    .......................................................
  34. 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
  35. 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.
  36. 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
  37. 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
  38. 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.
  39. 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
  40. 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.
  41. barefixxe
    Aug 2, 2019
    10
    Bir şey söylemeye gerek yok. metacritic 75 karakterden az olmasın diye lafı uzatmamı istiyor. Ama uzatmaya gerek yok amk.
  42. 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.
  43. 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.
  44. KonstantinPayne
    Aug 29, 2020
    8
    Общепризнанная классика РТС. В игре прекрасно выточен (почти) каждый стратегический и тактический моменты.
  45. 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!
  46. 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...
  47. 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
  48. 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
  49. 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.
  50. eraybeycik
    Dec 24, 2020
    7
    Jesus christ wtf is relic ? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR HAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
  51. 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.
  52. 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.
  53. 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.
  54. 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".
  55. 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
  56. DanielGG91
    Nov 14, 2022
    8
    Es el juego por excelencia de este estilo que más he jugado y disfrutado en partidas con colegas.
  57. Harthik69
    Jul 9, 2023
    9
    Nice Game. Would love to play again in future. Good Graphics and mechanics!!!
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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.
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