A new trailer for the controller-friendly port of Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition has been released, ahead of the iconic real-time strategy classic landing on Xbox and Game Pass consoles later this month.
This incarnation of Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition not only includes all the bells and whistles found in the existing remaster, but also includes a control scheme specially optimized for gamepads. This means that you will soon be able to enjoy Age of Empires 2 on your Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One from the comfort of your living room sofa. The latest iteration is also compatible with the emerging, but nonetheless impressive, browser-based cloud gaming service Games Pass.
Age of Empires 2 is a classic RTS in the truest sense. You take on the role of one of the game’s historical factions and wage war on isometric battlefields in real time. Players construct buildings and defenses, while developing and commanding increasingly vast and complex armies.
If you went back in time to 1999 and told me that one day you could play Age of Empires 2 in a browser, I would have accused you of being the worst kind of liar. Game Pass reminds us once again that we are, in fact, living in the future.
head in the clouds
In addition to controller support, Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition boasts a variety of additional features that are not to be sniffed at. In addition to a fully remastered soundtrack and graphical enhancements (including 4K fidelity), the Definitive Edition includes a full expansion with a range of new factions and campaigns.
The Last Khans expansion gives you access to four new civilizations: the Cumans, the Tatars, the Bulgars, and the Lithuanians. There are also three new campaigns for the Tatars, the Cumans, and the Bulgars, as well as an extensive overhaul of all operations in The Forgotten expansion.
On top of all this, the Game Pass version of Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition also includes all expansions for the game released since the initial release of the Definitive Edition. These include Dawn of the Dukes, Lords of the West, and Dynasties of India. As with The Last Khans, each of these expansions includes new civilizations and single player stories that add up to a whopping eight new factions and nine new campaigns. further to the content found in the Definitive Vanilla Edition.
All in all, it’s an extremely generous package and worth checking out if you’re a real-time strategy game lover looking to get a taste of one of the genre’s titans. Age of Empires 2 was a staple of my childhood and helped me discover a lifelong love of real-time strategy games. Without Age of Empires, I would never have learned to love the hectic multiplayer ladder frenzy of Starcraft 2 or the joyous bombast of Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3.
Age of Empires set the standard for an entire genre, and there’s never been a better time to get acquainted with one of the greatest real-time strategy games ever made. Whether you’re on PC, Xbox Series X, or streaming via the cloud, you’ll soon be able to experience the definitive version of this iconic experience for yourself.
