How does Age of Empires Work?
Age of Empires is a historical RTS series of video games that were originally developed by Ensemble Studios and was published by Xbox Game Studios. The first series was released in 1997 after which seven more titles along with three spin-offs have so far been released. The game features events that span from the Stone Age, the Iron Age and the age of colonialism in South and North America. The concept of the game is to erect buildings, find and manage resources, come up with military units, and expand your jurisdiction by waging war against your opponents and conquering them. The game involves a combination of economic and military strategy which requires in-depth logical thinking to succeed. The smarter you become, the more the enemies you conquer and the bigger the threat you are to your foes. This is why it is referred to as a strategy game. While this is one of the best strategy games in the world of gaming, if you are an ardent fan you are bound to play through the entire series eventually. This creates a high demand for similar games. While the games we discuss below are not necessarily similar especially in the way they look, they provide the same level of RTS experience along with the feel of excellence AoE offers.
Top 9 Strategy Games Like Age of Empires
1. Age of Mythology
This is not necessarily an AoE alternative, but rather its spinoff. However, the game is different from AoE as it takes place in an undetermined age where mortals, gods, and mythical beasts work together to wage war and achieve heroic feats. Players can choose from four races which include the Atlanteans, Norse, Greeks, and Egyptians. You can select major and minor gods including Odin, Ra, Thor, Oranos, and Zeus among others. Players can cash-in favors and call upon beasts such as sphinxes, frost giants, and demigods which include pharaohs and Heracles. Each race has completely different buildings, units, as well as the playing strategy. Therefore, the gods you worship as well as the race you choose to determine your play style. The recently launched extended edition includes three titles which include Age of Mythology, an expansion of The Titans, and a downloadable campaign of The Golden Gift.
2. Rise of Nations
The renowned game designer, Brian Reynolds who had successfully developed Alpha Centauri and Civilization II, oversaw the development of Rise of Nations. The game which was released in 2003 was published by Microsoft Game Studios. It combines Age of Empires’ gameplay with some concepts from Civilization. Just like AoE, Rise of Nations features different civilizations each with four to five units and unique bonuses. However, unlike other RTS games, the game has novel concepts including city assimilation, national borders, and so on. When it comes to the gameplay, Rise of Nations has cities as the focal parts of the gaming strategy. Each city has a radius which is your national border. You can only construct a predetermined number of buildings within the borders. To conquer other cities, you will be required to recruit armies from different nations and across 18 different eras.
3. Warcraft III
The game which was developed by Blizzard Entertainment is considered one of the most popular RTS games across the globe. The game’s map features a beautiful landscape full of mountains, cliffs, seas, and rivers and it adopts a hero-based strategy. This means that as the hero, you will be the main character while everything else will revolve around you. You have to establish settlements and collect sufficient resources that help you create and train an army through which you defeat all your opponents. You collect resources such as gold, food, and wood by constructing buildings as well as combat units. When playing, you are taken through a fantasy journey where you command other beings apart from humans. These creatures include Undead, Night Elves, and Orcs. While this is an old game, it was recently updated making it compatible with modern gaming equipment. Its graphics have also been improved significantly.
4. Anno Online
This is a browser-based RTS game which was created by Ubisoft. The free RTS game does not require you to download it, rather, you can easily play it on your browser. Like similar games, Anno Online enables you to erect structures and build medieval cities. The concept of the game is that you have to control your main island. Once you fulfill the needs of your existing population, you unlock new territories and challenges. As you move on, you discover additional islands which you can claim and connect them to your main island through a ship trading route. You have the option of playing alone or along with your friends.
5. Starcraft II
This is the second series in the space-based RTS Starcraft series with the first series having been released almost the same time as AoE. While there are no restrictions when it comes to multiplayer, you will have to pay if you want to immerse yourself in Starcraft II’s single-player campaigns. The game is set in the 26th-century fiction universe. It focuses on the galactic struggle between three distinct species for total domination of the universe. The three races; Protoss, Zerg, and Terran have distinctive gameplay, military units, and how they combat their enemies. The game is split into three parts which tell the complete story. While playing, you will have to assume complete control of your units as well as come with the best survival tactics for the intergalactic battle. Starcraft II provides you with a futuristic out of space experience which you can barely find in other RTS games.
6. Cossacks 3
The game which was developed by GSC Game World is set in the 17th Century. While playing, you can choose from 12 nations including Turkey, England, Spain, France, Austria, Venice, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Algeria, Prussia, and Sweden. You can also choose from 70 different units, each with distinct abilities and weaknesses. Combat takes place both on land and water and can reach a scale of up to 10,000 soldiers fighting at the same time. Apart from waging war against foes, you also have to gather resources and construct buildings. The game’s multiplayer mode allows up to 8 players to compete against each other.
7. Civilization 6
The Civilization series developed by 2K Games and Firaxis Games have proved to be some of the most challenging RTS games in the market today. In the beginning, you will be a part of a nomadic tribe. As you gather resources and build structures, you evolve into a dominating superpower. While this might sound simple, you will be awed by the way the game develops, successfully immersing the gamer into a world of magical experience. While it might be a little challenging if you are a beginner, you will find it extremely enjoyable once you learn the ropes.
8. The Settlers
The Settlers was first released in 1993, although it was subsequently remastered in 2010 and features many of the same features that you expect from Age Of Empires. With the number of instalments in the franchise, you’ll have an Age of Empires alternative to keep you busy.
9. Homeworld
While Homeworld is somewhat more futuristic than Age of Empires, it offers many of the same features that you’d expect from a strategy game, including building your own ships and much more. If you’re looking for a game like Age of Empires with a futuristic twist, then this is perfect.
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These are only some of the best strategy games in the gaming industry. While they are more or less similar to Age of Empires, each has unique gameplay elements along with a different setting. This makes them stand out in their own right.
