Age of Empires 4 in the test: good real-time strategy, which is too much on number

When Microsoft in 2009, the Ensemble Studios has made tight, many fans mourned not only the end of a renowned studios, but also the probable end of the popular real-time strategy series Age of Empires. Microsoft, meanwhile, had taken hold in the console market and celebrated with the Xbox 360 a great success. As has long been no place for their veteran PC brands. That changed again fortunately in recent years. Microsoft remembers back to its roots, which is also a new start for some of their PC series means.

Thus we have seen since 2018, the release of elaborate remastered versions of the three previous parts of Age of Empires. Now the time has come at last, have been waiting for the fans for over 15 years. (Buy now € 59.99) with Age of Empires 4 appears for the first time since 2005, a completely new part of the series. The game was developed by Relic Entertainment, which by Homeworld, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War feature and Company of Heroes over twenty years experience in the field of real-time strategy. Whether that is sufficient to a time-honored brand began to restore former glory, now has to turn out.

Table of contents

1. Page 1age of Empires 4 in the test - campaigns, learning, people, gameplay
2. 1.1Kampagnen with learning effect
3. 1.2Differenzierte peoples
4. 1.3Gewohntes gameplay
5. Page 2Age of Empires 4 in the test - Military, game modes, graphics, opinion, vote
6. 2.1Stein-paper-scissors

2. 2.2Optisch charmless 3. 2.3Bereit for action 4. 2.4Zukunft with mods 3. Page 3Bildergalerie to Age of Empires 4 in the test: Successful real-time strategy

campaigns with a learning effect

If Age of Empires was developed four more regularly as planned under the leadership of Ensemble Studios, we would probably deals with the battles of the 19th and 20th centuries. Originally, the creators of the series had actually plan to complete the journey through the history of mankind with the fourth part. The developers at Relic, however, did not follow these plans with their new Age of Empires. 4 Instead, they have chosen the era of the Middle Ages, which was already in the second part at the center, pay a return visit.

For this, however, this period should be as shown only at all possible history also as authentic. In each fiber can feel the game how the developers have worked here with experts in order to convey a realistic picture of the Middle Ages. The game is packed with a mixture of real images and animations of the historical context of the campaigns is mediated. Source: PC Games with small videos and animation that illustrate pictorially the workings of military equipment and the lifestyle of people in that time. It seems to have been the goal of the developers, the Age of Empires 4 well suited not only as a video game, but also as a teaching material.

This also applies to the four large campaigns. These consist of eight to ten missions and each tell the true story of major conflicts of the Middle Ages. The struggle for the English crown by William the Conqueror and his successors over the Hundred Years War between England and France and the conquests of the Golden Horde of the Mongols, to the rise of the village of Moscow for political power center of all Rus peoples. tell between the individual missions small movies with a mix of real locations, animations and trailing by showmen scenes the historical background for the upcoming battle. This makes it possible to embed the game very well otherwise only loosely interconnected missions in a historical context. So a coherent campaign structure and the player creates learns something there.

No favors developers have, however, done so to locate the Englishmen and Frenchmen campaign after the other. This is due to the fact that in both campaigns, especially in the closing stages of many missions from the siege of a fortress or are besieged in a fortress made. Secondly, British and French still play very similar. So distinguished himself for us during the first two campaigns first a fairly boring image. That changed, however, with the other two campaigns again because the game clearly brings here at once its diversity much to express. The Mongols can pack all the buildings and relocate to other places. Source: PC Games

Differentiated peoples

Luckily, the exception to the fact that Englishmen and French play. Overall, there are eight different peoples in Age of Empires 4. Although these are a whole series less than the starting area of ​​13 fractions in the original Age2, the civilizations differ much considerably from each other than it was the case. There are still a central technology building, in which basic elements are the same for all peoples. On the other hand, some technologies are only particular fractions accessible, sometimes in other ages. For example, only the Delhi-Sultanate can send war defendants to the battle. Reached archers are rather unknown in the Europeans.

The Rus are a people of the hunters who get bonuses, the more wild they hunt. Source: PC Games In addition to these differences in the technology tree and the respective specialty units of the peoples, the developers for most of the eight factions have come up with very special game mechanics. For example, the Mongols build their warehouse only from yurts, which they can pack together at any time and can spend another place. The tab of Central Asia is thus not only with its powerful rider hordes very mobile, but also with its economic infrastructure. If an area is plundered or too dangerous, the base is easy to embarrass without expensive to rebuild everything. These high mobility pay the Mongols for a lack of security. You can not build palisades or even walls. So no people for players who like to agree.

The RUS, on the other hand, are a people of hunters. Instead of the usual mill, they build a hunting lodge. Around these can be done exactly as with the other peoples fields, but the RUS would collect advantages through the hunting of animals. Each of the wild animal took place is a value that unlocks in three stages bonuses for the work speed of workers and a passive gold retailer, which is generated in the hunting huts. The RUS bloom accordingly well when surrounded by a lot of forest. This is also reflected in your architecture. Until the third age is built exclusively of wood. Stone walls turn off the RUS as late as no other people.

The Chinese with their dynasties and tax recorders, the Delhi-Sultanate with his scholar culture and free research as well as the Abbasids with their house of wisdom have exciting unique mechanics to offer. As a result, the focus is on many of the eight factions elsewhere, which ensures variety in the gameplay. In this regard, the concept of peoples was developed very meaningfully towards Age of Empires 2. Since it can also be forged the smaller number, as they want to be well balanced against each other. As far as we could overlook that, developers have succeeded very well. Collecting resources and base construction are very important to the model of Age of Empires 2. Source: PC Games

Custom Gameplay

So praiseworthy the differences in the peoples are also necessary, so bitterly they are in the overall concept of the game. With the remaining gameplay, one oriates are strikingly strong on the template of Age of Empires 2 and goes to number as much as possible. Veterans should recognize the gameplay from the first second and feel comfortable. Yes do not change too much, so that no one comes to the idea not to recognize the game more than Age of Empires. For unknown and possibly experimental aspects there is no place.

The economy consists as usual from the four raw materials wood, food, gold and stone, which will be degraded as usual of villagers. In doing so, we build close to the occurrence of lumberjacks, quarries and mills to shorten the workers the ways. In addition, we still build in our settlement Army buildings such as barracks, shooting facilities and stables, where we highlight our troops. Through residential buildings, we increase our population boundary and special buildings such as forge and university we explore particularly strong technologies for our army and buildings. So far known.

For further development in the next age, one of two landmarks each is to be built. Source: PC Games A little dared, the developers then have after promotion to the next age. This is no longer easy through research in the village center. In order to rise to the next stage, we must set up one of two different so-called landmarks. These differ depending on the age and people. For example, we build the Kremlin with the RUS, which serves us as a fortress. Often, the landmarks are stronger versions of other buildings such as forging, mountain peace or monastery.

Light differences are also available at the walls that can now be manned by soldiers. They also represent a much more massive obstacle because the stone bulwarks can only be brought by siege machines. In the walls can also be taken in towers, which, however, can not be manned for uniform reasons with remote fighters. What is supposed to serve as a powerful defense, somehow looks like the weakest link in the fortress.

In general, these small deviations can not distract how much Age of Empires 4 plays in the end like Age of Empires 2. While this may sound in view of the greatness of Age 2 after a good starting position, but AGE 4 can not really keep up with the gameplay of the model. That was aware of us in many small details. For example, it did not even make some of the comfort functions in the game established with the definitive edition. We searched a global production display or a button to automatically send our scout to exploration.

There are even functions that were already present in the original. In the village center there is no more central button to trigger alarm and thus instruct all workers to seek protection in buildings. Although there is a corresponding key in the menu of the villagers themselves, but this is more likely to be awkward, as not always all workers are within reach. Dying village hospitals were therefore on the agenda. Also no longer available is the entire diplomacy area. Although we can still pay tribute in the form of raw materials, but a change in diplomatic status (enemy, neutral, allied) is no longer possible. The teams remain determined as they were set at the beginning of the game.

Table of contents

1. Page 1age of Empires 4 in Test - Campaigns, Learning, Peoples, Gameplay
2. 1.11 campaigns with learning effect
3. 1.2Differentiated peoples
4. 1.3Customed gameplay
5. Page 2age of Empires 4 in the test - military, game modes, graphic, opinion, rating
6. 2.1stone scissors paper

1. 2.2Optically unchordly
2. 2.3 ready to battle
3. 2.4Communication with mods 3rd page 3 picture gallery for Age of Empires 4 in Test: Successful real-time strategy

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Age of Empires 4 in the test. [Source: PCGH]

From Matthias Dammes editor 26.10.2021 at 19:14

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