Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition

To be more specific, I wouldn't recommend the game to other people LIKE ME. The game does not want me to play it, it's 100% meant for real time competitive game play and it refuses to let casual players like me enjoy it like I did earlier versions by simply slowing it down. I don't get it. I am sure even more skilled players would enjoy/benefit from a slower playthrough while working out new strategies or learning a new civilization and it would take absolutely no effort to include it. Coupled with what appears like a hostile opinion of modders this game is deliberately narrow game that is more about muscle memory of what hot keys to press than enjoying the strategy.

AOE4, a game where you spend 30 minutes building an empire... and lose it in 30 seconds.

i really like this game!game play is fun,graphics look great and each civ feels different.its easy to get into but still has a lot of depth.definitely one of my fav startegy game. 100% recommend.

I can not Recommend this game, You save a game and the game updates the next day, It invalidates ALL your saved game's. For simple, I had good game saved and it says can't load due to Update. So when the game updates, it Invalidates your saved games, This is unacceptable.

I've been playing the AoE series since elementary school. Ensemble created an awesome series, and Relic continues to iterate upon it. Because Relic is different, they try new things, making each Civilization feel unique with different strategies. In previous games, the opening moves were almost the same. In AoE IV, you could do that as well, but you'll be at a disadvantage not playing to your Civ's strengths. Likewise, the community (Reddit/Discord) is very supportive and helpful. I have no significant complains. Campaigns are shorter than in previous games. The muitiplayer community could be toxic. The AI needs some TLC on 1v1 maps. If you love the Age series, I cannot recommend this enough.

Having played every AOE for over 20 years, IMO, this is the best AOE yet. Reminisces most to AOE2. Not tried the multiplayer yet so I can't opine on that, but the AI is competitive, the mods are good, and you can configure the starting resources in many ways and the AI production adapts to the starting environment. The save game seems to hang on rare occasions though. Also, careful about using mods to increase the pop levels to crazy levels. At around 4000 total some units seem confused and wander.

I liked the old Age of empires games, but I find this one to be dull. The AI difficulty is too easy one the first setting and then becomes impossibly hard quite quickly. Not playable in my opinion as a long-time RTS and AoE fan.

Age of Empires IV is a return to a more classic AoE formula from AoE 3, a game that took the series in a different direction to somewhat polarizing results (at least, that's what I remember at the time, I could just be misremembering). In theory, that could be a good thing- I think Age of Empires 2 is the most "classic" Age of Empires experience, and I have fond memories growing up of playing all kinds of community maps and running through the campaigns of Age of Empires 2. What Age of Empires IV, in theory, aims to achieve is a grand return to form, and I think to some extent it does... but in other ways it doesn't. The graphical updates are actually very strong, and while it's not a graphical powerhouse it has an aesthetic and direction that is both inoffensive to people who enjoy the franchise and newcomers alike, while being generally appealing. The gameplay loop returns to a more classic formula, with a few innovations that make sense and work well. The community features are now much more readily integrated into the game through an in game community mod and map browser. However, these feel somewhat mediocre in light of how the game has aged, or failed to do so. What do I mean by that? Well, if you look at my playtime, I obviously have some very strong opinions for someone who has played relatively little on Steam, and that's because I played AoE4 at launch on GamePass. I enjoyed it, but found the amount of content somewhat lacking and at the time I felt there was a need for polish. And while some of the roughest edges did get addressed, AoE IV still has the problem of being the weakest entry in the series in terms of width. With only ten civilizations in the Anniversary Edition (eight at launch) and the removal of team synergies (something that added depth to team compositions in AoE 2 and was part of the deck building in AoE 3) there just isn't a lot of content compared to previous entries, and while the civilizations are well done and somewhat more diverse than in AoE 2 what it does feel like is that some of the more interesting factions are locked behind DLC. Which is ultimately one of the reasons why this is a not recommended. In a trend that's increasingly common in modern games, it does feel like a good portion of the game's content, including some pretty basic map types, civilizations (though some of these are just variants, so not even entirely new civilizations), and campaigns (which at least make sense) are locked behind DLC in a way that feels like the game was designed to be trickled. While I'm not necessarily defending the other games in the franchise (AoE 3 also launched with eight civilizations, for example, though the DLC added some really transformative and unique civilizations instead of just variants) it's just hard to recommend Age of Empires IV on Steam in the context of that detail. For $40 on Steam, vs. AoE 3 DE that has more content for $20, AoE 2 DE has much more content for $35, and while they both have issues with DLC of varying value I don't think AoE 4 AE brings competitive value. Part of the problem is that AoE 4 AE just has some issues that don't land. For all the attention to detail and coolness of the updates, villagers will clip through your town center- for a game designed to sell the immersion of your development through things like adding environmental feelies as you add more houses in an area, not setting a bounding box a little further out is an oversight. The rock-paper-scissors gameplay is still here, but after the various mercenaries and map villages you can enlist in AoE3 the roster feels small for some civilizations. It feels like a game that has been intentionally narrowed in scope, and that's not an entirely bad thing, but it does mean that the gameplay loop is not as wide or meaningful. I don't think AoE 4 is a bad game, but rather I just don't think it's worth the price tag in 2025- for what is essentially $70 to get the "full" game, which unfortunately is not an unusual price tag in 2025, you could pick up multiple other games including other AoE games that have stood the test of time better (if you don't care about graphics). I wasn't impressed with how the game evolved over time, and while the Definitive Editions of the other AoE games have their own problems with DLC I think it's fair to say that if you're here for nostalgia, it would be better to go to those instead. That said, the RTS genre is so dead as of late that if you are just looking for an RTS game you could do worse than AoE 4, just know that it will be holding out a hand for more money if you don't buy all the DLC as you scratch your head about why a slightly different variant of a map is locked behind a paywall.

Age of Empires never fails me. I have been playing this series for years and it just keeps getting better each time. I really enjoy the features in this addition that add in some history lessons and make it not only educational but a game in where you can relive history at your pace :) Make sure you have the specifications or you may experience some issues with this game.

2 and 3 make this game look like a joke. man the solo campaign was really really bad. just so basic it feels like they shouldnt have even included it.

the mongols destoyed my wall of China. power hungry fucks! please add the option to reconnect to a match ffs. its 2025 but your game doesnt have a reconnect option. like how dude.

Amazing(dead) game with an even more amazing(horrible) matchmaking.

as a long time AOE fan, this game is very disappointing.... the mechanics feel clunky and slow, the building seems slower and the AI even on intermediate is ridiculous! get it on sale if you are a fan of the franchise... not worth the full price.

An All Time Classic. The more you learn, the more you appreciate the simplicity brought to a complex RTS system. A must play for sure.

They changed the AI to just be impossibly difficult. The game lacks AI that plays like an actual player instead of just a buffed enemy. And then when you put AI on your team, they get steam rolled.

Campaign is as fun as it is informative. Solid gameplay and graphics.

Honestly this is a pale and disappointing imitation of a better game. Graphically this will age like milk, lacking the ascetic and charm of the original AOE2. The factions feel bland and the campaigns are lacklustre, lacking the immersion of the original. I am talking really simple things like the lack of voiced lines in game, its all a single narrator, no french priest reminiscing over Attila brutal war through Europe or a captured crusader coming to terms with his captors treating him with respect and dignity. A lot of content is also paired off as DLC there is very few factions in the base game and only four campaigns to play through, nothing in Asia, India, south america or central Africa. Just buy AOE2

Good strategy game. Good historical info. However, version 3 had more various treasures, not sure why version 4 doesn't.

That nostalgia hit you hard when you play AOE. Its been over a decade this game brought up only emotions and never disappoints.

its a very cool game if you like things like this(battles, logical thinking, strategy,) and have a bit of time

Ending the match with an incoming massive Mongol horde to make you feel hopeless for a split second before declaring victory, is the sort of in-game moment, gaming needs more of, 10/10.

Very fun combat and base building. Really fun to play with friends!

This is the only rts I enjoy playing I've tried star craft, command and conquer and likewise and nothing really stuck to me until I stumbled upon this amazing franchise truly one of my favourite games now

Good old AOE, very balanced I think, nice campaign mode and online is killer!

Never played an RTS before, but Age of Empires IV hooked me. It's surprisingly easy to learn and super engaging. Totally worth it!

Repeated and continual crashes. Shouldn't be the systems as I can run CP2077 at max settings and this isn't that. Seen a few things about overlays and such, but the only one I could find would be the steam overlay, and that's disabled. Dunno. Glad I got it on sale, but having a 3+ year old game be this janky is just sad.

great game. DLC thats added should just be included in the game for what the game costs

It's good, you should buy it. Especially if you're tired of toxic teammates in online multiplayers.

Playing with bots even with ridiculous level difficulty is so fun, then you play multiplayer and get humbled real quick. I haven't won a single match in ranked..... sigh, my finger mashing has taken a toll, i will be happy in my bronze league. This game is really sweaty which demands really tactical and fast thinking... I'm a slow thinker so this game... i'll never pass bronze nor silver at best. If ur a noob or slow thinker, play with bots it's funner

Classic style strategy game. Simple and good-looking artwork. Huge diversity of different civilization bonuses.

loved the game. played for hours. microsoft did some windows updates and it hasn't worked since, no matter what fixes you try. So no point in buying it for a PC.

amazing graphics, game play and really feels and reminds me of AOE2 just with less civ countering each other and more good game play. Only downside imo is the number of civs could be higher without having to buy DLC's everytime.

best strategy game ever made, i hope they will release new games with modern weapons like modern days. Buy it and you will not regret. its hard at the beginnings but once you trained well you will be addicted to it

The game now forces you to go through a tutorial even if you've joined a multiplayer session. That's the dumbest thing imaginable. No WASD camera movement anymore. When in the forced tutorial (during a multiplayer match, btw) you are not allowed to even open the game menu to quit or turn off the forced tutorial. You must force-close the game with Alt+F4. Whoever thought this was a good idea is an idiot.

its very good game , but last dlc fucked game / tempelar and lancaster its very very unfair

awesome game, played all of them growing up! This one has great graphics and a nice feel

Awesome game, really fun once you get the hang of it. I would love to see a viking nation become available in the future in all honesty, i think that would be awesome.

Great Game! Polished and fun, with good AI and lots of variety in the civilizations.

Yeah? :\ Bit on the average side... not really sure what to say about this one. Seems like a flash in the pan. Relic is not the same as they used to be.

Fun game. Never played AOE 2 because of the outdated graphics. This game is that + more!

Age of Empires 4 is a fantastic return to class real-time strategy! The game beautifully blends rich historical campaigns with deep, strategic gameplay. The graphics are stunning, the units and civilizations feel unique, and the multiplayer is smooth and competitive. Perfect for both longtime fans and newcomers. Highly recommended!

The game is a buggy mess, constant de-sync errors, crashes, and total waste of time. I've barely been able to finish an online match. Every time I foolishly come back to this game thinking after months of waiting, hoping it might possibly have a patch that fixes the issues. There is a pile of steamy crap being shoved in my face. DO NOT BUY, there is no hope, save yourself the time and money.

I just wish that the Devs would either a) work to fix the game crashing due to Mods or b) add all the Game Options that we had in Age II into the Normal Skirmishes.

The game is only good if you have beaten Tamim from Bangladesh. If you find him, please beat him and report to Dr. Yunus. Otherwise, the game is shit and horrible. I couldn't beat him, and I still regret it to this day.

Crap game!!!! The only way the A.I. wins is by just baring you in bodies. The missions where you have no control of buildings are the worse of them all.

Playing with friends but always getting Desync C06T09R09X-01 error in the middle of the game. really frustrated about that

Age of Empires IV brings the classic RTS formula to life with stunning visuals, deep strategy, and engaging historical campaigns. The balance between old-school gameplay and fresh mechanics makes it a fantastic experience for both veterans and newcomers. The civilizations feel distinct, and multiplayer battles are incredibly fun and intense.

This game has the greatest story mode in any Real Time Strategy game that I've ever played, and I have played A LOT. I am a huge history buff and this game is like playing through the battles with a History channel level of retelling. Best in the entire series in my opinion.

Best game ever. Well thought through ui, great engine, awesome characters

Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is the best there is. I'm telling y'all, this is a masterpiece of a RTS, ignore the negative comments, those are for the early versions of this game. I had my doubts too, yet I wasn't disappointed. the animations, graphics, voice lines, etc are great!. this game is quite what we needed of the AOE series. However, I have one thing to add, THIS GAME NEEDS THE SAFAVIDS AS A PLAYABLE FACTION. they could add it on AOE III DE. yet they didn't bother. furthermore, the Safavids of Persia fit the timeline of this game as well! C'mon, add the Arch-rival of the Ottomans. the Delhi Sultanate didn't even possess cannons, there should have been a Safavid faction not the Delhi's. Cheers.