Age of Empires 4 is the new installment of the cult saga. He wants to modernize a formula more than twenty years old and bring the mythical RTS up to date. Release date, platforms, gameplay, we tell you everything we know about the game.
The Age of Empires license is back in force! After the remastering of the first three episodes, Microsoft will bring it back fully to the front of the stage with a highly anticipated fourth installment. In this file, we have compiled everything there is to know about the highly anticipated Age of Empires 4.
When is Age of Empires 4 release date?
Age of Empire 4 is available since October 28, 2021.
What platforms will Age of Empires 4 be released on?
Age of Empires has always been a saga very linked to the PC platform and that will not change with this new episode. Indeed, AoE 4 will be available on computer, and more specifically Windows 10. As we say just above, it will be possible to buy it on Steam, as is already the case for Sea of Thieves, one of Microsoft’s other big hits.
The title is also available on Xbox Series X and S. Finally, the entire license landed on GeForce Now in June 2023, which allows you to discover it in cloud gaming.
What will be the historical context?
Each Age of Empires features a historical period. The first game, released in 1997, took place during Antiquity, while the second (1999) honored the Middle Ages. The third episode took place during the colonization of America. When the game was announced in 2017, Microsoft released a video in which we could admire different concept arts. You could see, among other things, Greek hoplites, a Roman emperor, a medieval siege, a conquistador, 18th century sailors… This foreshadowed a game that would span all eras.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYwZ6GZXWhA
Nevertheless, the first gameplay video released in 2019 has a clear focus on medieval times showing a fortified English town being attacked by a Mongol army. The game will thus focus on the classical and late Middle Ages, exactly like the second episode.
What will the gameplay look like?
First certainty regarding the gameplay of Age of Empires 4: it will be an RTS, like its predecessors. You will have to build your base, manage your units and form an army to defeat the enemy. Regarding the game itself, we will be able to lead eight civilizations: the Sultanate of Delhi, the English, the Chinese, the Mongols, the Abbasid Dynasty, the Holy Roman Empire, the Rus’ and the French. As with the old games, each faction has its own peculiarities. The Sultanate of Delhi, for example, benefits from the power of its War Elephants, while the Mongols can move their camp at will to base themselves closer to the coveted resources. Each faction will also have its own solo scenario.
The city builder aspect is also more advanced with huge cities to manage and defend (or take). The inhabitants each have a role: harvesting resources, managing livestock, scouting for enemy camps… Of course, the game also features large-scale battles, without reaching the gigantism of the Total War saga ( which displays thousands of soldiers on the screen). Again, each unit has a specific role. Groups on the ground clash in the heat of combat, while archers support them from a distance.
The beta has been available to a lucky few since August 5 and one of them has shared a long gameplay footage. We can thus see him playing with China for a whole game of more than 90 minutes. Enough to realize the UI, but also the evolution of strategies through the different ages of the game.
For its part, Microsoft has indicated that the naval battles would be present, which promises an even more advanced strategic aspect.
Who is developing Age of Empires 4?
Age of Empires 4 is developed by Relic Entertainment. This is a studio you can trust, as they are an RTS veteran. His works include Homeworld, Company of Heroes or the Warhammer Dawn of War series. Dawn of War 2 is also considered one of the best RTS in the history of the genre. Age of Empires 4 is therefore in good hands.
How can we play the previous installments?
If you have never played an Age of Empires, there is a very simple way to make the first parts. These are old games (the first was released in 1997 and the last in 2005) but they have been remastered to workr on recent machines without stinging the eyes, with even 4K compatibility.
Age of Empires 1, 2 and 3 Definitive Edition are playable on PC via the Xbox application. They’re included in Game Pass, meaning you can try all three for $10 a month, with the first month $1 if you’ve never subscribed before.
The three sections are independent of each other, so you can do them in any order you want. According to the consensus, the best episode of the saga is Age of Empires 2 (the one set in medieval times). It has also just welcomed a new DLC adding two civilizations and three campaigns.
