Despite going so many years without a new mainline game, the Age of Empires series of real-time strategy games has nevertheless remained popular. While players have kept returning to Age of Empires 2 and 3 over the years, the next game in the series is finally due to release at the end of October.
Reviews for Age of Empires 4 have started to drop ahead of its scheduled release for the PC on October 28. Overall, the long-awaited sequel has been positively received, with critics saying the new game is a welcome update for a series whose last mainline game was released in 2005, even if it doesn’t innovate too much about the traditional RTS formula.
We’ve included a sampling of other reviews below. For an even broader view of the critical reception, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic, where the game currently has an aggregated score of 83.
- Game: Age of Empires 4
- Platforms: PC
- Developer: Relic Entertainment, World’s Edge
- Release Date: October 28
- Price: $60
IGN — 8/10
“Age of Empires 4 plays it safe a bit too often, but really excels when it wanders outside of its very traditional comfort zone. The expansive campaigns and offbeat factions like the Mongols and the Rus are major highlights, even when it loses some of its sharpness to a small unit cap, frustrating pathfinding, and relatively unimpressive graphics for a 2021 game.” — Leana Hafer [Full review]
Windows Central — 5/5
“Age of Empires 4 hasn’t reinvented the RTS genre, but it has perfected many aspects. The campaign is absorbing, the multiplayer is competitive, and the visuals and audio are a near-perfect fit. If you’re a fan of the Age of Empires series, this is an easy recommendation.” — Cale Hunt [Full review]
PC Games N — 8/10
“The enduring popularity of the Age of Empires series proves there’s a ready audience for Age of Empires IV, and this new entry doesn’t add anything disruptive to the mix. That means it also does little to smooth over the manic economic play that’s gone somewhat out of vogue in the past 20 years.” — Ian Boudreau [Full review]
Polygon — No Score
“If it’s possible to play it safe with a real-time strategy game in 2021, thenAge of Empires 4 is playing it safe. The new game from Relic Studios, taking over from previous franchise developer Ensemble, is more like a modernized remake of Age of Empires 2 than a sequel to the series’ third game. But it turns out that updating a 20-year old classic is actually a pretty great idea.” — Austen Goslin [Full review]
PC Gamer — 77/100
“Age of Empires 4 has strong foundations to really grow into something, but it comes at a time when Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is adding long-desired co-op campaigns and an ever-expanding library of historical battles.” — Robert Zak [Full review]
VG247 — 4/5
“Age of Empires 4 is as multifaceted as the events it depicts. It’s more ambitious than other AoE games in handling its content and inspirations, but also far more reserved in changing the fundamentals. There’s no need to change what works already, though a few additional gameplay flourishes could have helped AoE 4 feel more fresh and exciting. The campaigns are robust, but the missing content stands out in its absence.” — Josh Broadwell [Full review]
GamesRadar — 5/5
“Age of Empires 4 is as multifaceted as the events it depicts. It’s more ambitious than other AoE games in handling its content and inspirations, but also far more reserved in changing the fundamentals. There’s no need to change what works already, though a few additional gameplay flourishes could have helped AoE 4 feel more fresh and exciting. The campaigns are robust, but the missing content stands out in its absence.” — Rachel Weber [Full review]
Source: Gamespot
