Age of Empires is a real-time strategy game where you start out with a small population and build up an empire. The main objectives are collecting resources, erecting buildings, investigating technologies and building up an army to fight other civilizations. The progression is divided into four ages: Stone Age, Tool Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. Progressing to a new age unlocks more technologies, structures and stronger military units. Resources are scarce so the players have to plan very well how to distribute their population and economy and when to deploy the troops.
Age of Empires features 12 civilizations categorized into four architectural groups: Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian, and East Asian. Each civilization possesses unique structures, military units, and technologies, resulting in distinct approaches to development and combat.
The Greek campaign consists of eight missions that take players through various stages of ancient Greek history. Missions cover Athens, Troy, Sparta, the conflict with Persia, and finally, the conquests of Alexander the Great. Depending on the mission, players may need to construct defenses, protect territory, defeat rival city-states, or lead troops through enemy-controlled lands.
The Babylonian campaign has eight missions that focus on Babylon's wars in Mesopotamia. Players can help Hammurabi conquer the surrounding lands, defend Babylon from the Hittites, retake lost territories, and fight Elam and Assyria. Towards the end of the campaign, Babylonian forces launch an assault on Nineveh, leading to one of the storyline's major battles.
The Egyptian campaign immerses players in the formation and growth of ancient Egypt. The Egyptian civilization has signature units including Chariots and Priests. The Chariot is highly mobile in combat, and the Priest supports the army with special abilities. This civilization also boasts a faster gold-gathering rate, allowing players to build an economy more quickly to sustain their military forces.
The Asian group has the Choson, Shang and Yamato civilizations, with Yamato having its own campaign that takes players to ancient Japan. The Yamato excel at cavalry and naval warfare, with cheaper cavalry units and more powerful ships. It rewards players for using the mobility of cavalry and naval dominance to put pressure on their opponents.
A key aspect of Age of Empires is balancing economic development with military strength. A strong army needs constant resources, but focusing too much on the economy can leave you vulnerable to enemy attack. Players will have to watch the map, expand their area, defend their buildings and choose the right time to attack. Beyond the real-time battles, the campaign system weaves each mission into an overall story. Age of Empires takes players through various eras of ancient history from Egypt, Babylon and Greece to the Yamato with tactical missions.
