Age of Empires II: HD Edition

About Age of Empires II: HD Edition

Age of Empires II: HD Edition is a real-time strategy game remastered for PC in 2013. Originally crafted by Ensemble Studios and refined by Hidden Path Entertainment, it pits players against history’s civilizations in conquest. You manage villagers to gather resources, build cities, and advance through four ages, Dark, Feudal, Castle, and Imperial, each unlocking new units and tech. The game offers 18 civilizations, each with unique strengths, plus campaigns based on real-world conflicts. Multiplayer and co-op modes let you clash or collaborate with others online. A polished update to a 1999 classic, it’s a deep, demanding strategy title that rewards careful planning.

Gameplay

You start with a handful of villagers, felling trees and hunting deer to fund your base. Micromanagement is key: assign workers to mines, build barracks, and train archers while defending against raids. As you progress, you unlock units like the English Longbowman or Teutonic Knight. Each civilization has a unique unit, like the Japanese Shinobi, which changes tactics. Battles play out in real time, requiring quick resource shifts and strategic positioning. A typical session might last 30, 60 minutes, balancing economy, military, and defense. Controls are mouse-driven but clunky, especially for new players. Campaigns force you to adapt to historical scenarios, while multiplayer matches demand adaptability against human opponents.

What Players Think

The PlayPile community rates it 67.3/100 (IGDB). Average playtime is 23.5 hours, with 44% completing the core campaigns. Moods are split: 33% enthusiastic, 22% nostalgic, and 18% analytical. One user wrote, “Timeless but the UI feels ancient,” while another praised, “Still the best RTS for competitive play.” The 45 achievements take 73% of players to complete, averaging 18 hours to unlock 30. Critics note the learning curve as a barrier, but fans highlight its strategic depth. Multiplayer remains active, with 15% of players logging over 50 hours. Some lament outdated tutorial pacing, but others call it a “masterclass in resource management.”

PlayPile's Take

Age of Empires II: HD Edition is a must-play for strategy enthusiasts who don’t mind a steep learning curve. Its blend of macro and micro management offers satisfying long-term goals, though the UI and lack of modern polish may deter newcomers. The $20 price (if applicable) is fair for the content, but don’t expect hand-holding. If you enjoy planning economies and outmaneuvering opponents, this is your game. Skip it if you prefer streamlined experiences or struggle with simultaneous tasks. It’s not perfect, but for its genre, it’s a benchmark.

Storyline

The player has control over a society and guides them through four different time periods or "ages". The game begins in the Dark Age, where very few buildings and units are available. After a short time when requirements are met, the user gains the ability to advance their civilization beginning with the Feudal Age, where more upgrades, buildings, and units become available. The next age is the Castle Age, in which the powerful Castle may be built, and used to produce powerful units including the unique unit of each civilization. Finally, the user can reach the Imperial Age, which is reminiscent of the early years of the Renaissance. Once the user has reached the Imperial Age, they gain access to all the upgrades, units, and buildings that may be built and researched for their specific civilization. The player directly controls Villagers, which are the most important economic unit in the game. The player has the power to order them to move or attack (all units except for Trade Carts, Transport Ships and Trade Cogs), construct new buildings, gather necessary resources (Villager units), and perform a range of other tasks, such as repair damaged buildings or garrison inside Castle or Town Center for safety.