A whole generation of gamers had their start in one of the most endearing real-time strategy titles, Age of Empires II. When it first came out in 1999, everyone fell in love with the game. After just three months of being released, it was able to sell two million copies. It was able to win multiple awards such as PC Gamer’s Editor’s Editor’s Choice award.
But in 2017, why is Age of Empires II still going strong? What makes this game timeless? Here are a few reasons you should consider when playing Age of Empires II on the best gaming laptops from Sager Notebook:
Continued Development
Since it was released in 1999, Microsoft Games has since moved on to other projects like the other critically acclaimed games like Empire Earth, Age of Mythology, and Age of Empires III.
While some players already have moved on from these titles, a few of us still longed for added content.
At first it, was the other fans of the game that came up with something new — The Forgotten in 2013. This sequel brought the light back to AoE II. This expansion introduced new civilizations: Slavs, Magyars, Italians, Indians, and the Incas. New maps, game modes, units, and campaigns were also introduced.
The African Kingdoms was subsequently released in 2015 and introduced another four new civilizations: Malians, Portuguese, Berbers, and Ethiopians. This expansion again added new fully voiced campaigns, improved balancing, and units.
The latest release was from 2016, Rise of the Rajas. This released more civilizations that are Asian themed: Khmer, Vietnamese, Burmese, and Malays. Just like the previous sequels, it added more features.
Nostalgia
If the sudden resurgence of AoE II on Steam multiplayer is any indication, the new features awakened nostalgia among gamers. Nothing will ever replace this in our hearts. The game with all its new expansions has just built on what was already a great game.
The HD edition is out on Steam along with all the expansions, and it’s there for the taking. And because it’s on Steam, you can bet that there are mods and fan-made maps to explore! Go ahead! Let’s play a round of AoE II for old time’s sake!