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by Philipp Rüegg
"Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition: Prettier and more accessible than ever
28.11.2019
Translation: machine translated
"Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition" is the most beautiful and packed version of the cult strategy game. It's worth a look even without nostalgia goggles.
"Age of Empires 4" is still a long way off. If you're like me, you can hardly wait for the sequel to Microsoft's historical epic. So it's just right that "Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition" has recently been released. A completely revamped version of the classic medieval strategy game.
Moment, you might be asking yourself, it's been around for a long time. But then you're thinking of "Age of Empires II: HD Edition". It was released in 2013 and primarily ensured that the now 20-year-old original also ran smoothly on new PCs. It also featured HD resolution, ultra widescreen support and the option to game with other players via Steam. Which is still widely used today. The Definitive Edition, on the other hand, consists of far more than just high-resolution textures.
Better, better, bigger
Although these are now even available in UHD, the many graphical improvements are much more important. From the textures to the interface to the animations, the new version looks significantly better than both predecessors. For the full graphic splendour, you will need to install the Enhanced Graphics Pack after the almost 17 GB installation. This adds another 26 GB to the package. You can now make out much more detail in the units, which makes the many classes and armour upgrades even more satisfying. You can now also zoom in closer to the action or further away if you need a better overview.
A lot has also changed in terms of sound. The developers at Forgotten Empires have completely overhauled the soundtrack to make the classic sounds even better. The AI has also become more intelligent. In the original, it famously resorted to cheats in order to keep up with human players. This has already been adapted with a new AI in the HD version. The Definitive Edition gives you the freedom to choose between all three AI versions.
Almost better, however, are the many detailed improvements. Fields can now be updated automatically if desired. That saves a lot of work. You can simply click and drag to select your troops without settlers getting caught up in them. Speaking of troops. They can be produced from a central menu instead of having to click on each individual building. And settlers can even memorise several building orders, imagine that!
In addition to the many new features, there are three new campaigns called "The Last Khans". And with the Tatars, Bulgarians, Cumans and Lithuanians, there are also four fresh cultures with their own special units and bonuses.
As you can see, "Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition" has a lot to offer. Nothing has changed in terms of motivation. The game still takes hours to complete - without you even realising it. So the time until "Age of Empires 4" flies by.
"Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition" is available for PC.
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Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
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