Rating: 
Summary: It's just OK
Review: I've been playing this game for a while. It's OK, but not the most fun game I've ever played, or even the most fun RTS game I've ever played (that's still Total Annihilation).The graphics are incredibly beautiful, and the sound is nice. The voices of each units aren't as entertaining as, say, Starcraft, but they're well done in several foreign languages. There's a lot of small nice touches which really add to the game. Unfortunately, it suffers in several areas. It requires a little too much micromanagement for my taste. For example, you must actively tell villagers to replant their farms once the field is exhausted. It's quite frustrating to finish directing a major battle, only to return to your village and find that the fields have lain fallow just because the farmers didn't replant. The tactical options were a good idea, but not implemented well. They're nearly useless. Directing your units in battle is far more difficult than it should be. If you want lots of eye candy, this is the game for you. If a focus on tactics or even overall strategy is your thing, then it's not. These failings aren't specific to AOE2, they're endemic to most RTS games. But for such a heralded addition to the genre, it really should stand far above the rest. As it is, it's merely a pretty good game, leaving you with a taste of what could have been.
Rating: 
Summary: Strategy, combat, history -- outstanding game
Review: If you enjoy action and strategy, Age of Empires 2 is a must-have game that makes huge advances on its predecessor. Graphics are a nice improvement, but most important is that everything seems more in scale. The unique units and varied architectures associated with the different civilisations allow you to quickly change the character of the game by selecting different options; likewise, varying the map changes the face of the game. Most welcome are settings allowing you to take maximum advantage of very high performance PCs, while scaling back graphics and number of units controlled to enable the program to run on older Pentium's as well. This is key, and Microsoft does it better than other makers of entertainment software. Gameplay is first rate. You can assign numbers to groups of units and control them quite easily, specifying formation types (close, wide, flank, etc.) A mini-map in the lower right alerts you to units engaged in combat, construction completed and other events that require your attention. In general, success comes down to matching the right units against the appropriate enemy unit types, while constructing fortifications in a way that is defensible. At the same time you must run the economy -- gathering resources in anticipation of need. You will build and deploy units, construct and repair structures and advance technologies. Sound easy? Well... There is a learning campaign, so that you can get up to speed on game controls and shortcuts before taking on the computer or real opponents online. While you can play immediately and have a great time, I agree with several other reviewers that it will take a lot of time to master every aspect of AOE II, but that's part of the fun. Also part of the learning: there are definite advantages to some civilisations, and diplomacy can be extremely important. On the downside: the elaborate screen allows a pretty limited display of the battlefield map, so there can be a LOT happening in the periphery and you must pay attention. This is a small concession to the enhanced graphics of AOE II when compared to the original AOE. Overall, very highly recommended for both strategy and action gamers. The random map generator and variety of civilsations and maps lets AOE II continue to seem new and challenging every time you play.
Rating:
Summary: Age of Fun
Review: All though I have not played the original age of empires many of my friends have it... and this game beats what they tell my by a mile! I WAS a die hard war craft fan, but as soon as i started playing I thought " War Craft? what the heck is that?" A good feature is the many diferent civilizations each with their own unique units. there is one for every personality and playing style. BRITONS/LONG BOW MEN - CHINEESE/CHU-KU-NU - FRANKS/THROWING AXMEN - JAPANESE/SAMURI - MONGOLS/MANGUDI - PERSIONS/WAR ELEPHANT - TUTONS/TUTONIC KNIGHT - VIKINGS/LONG BOATS,BEZERKS And that is just a few! Also the campaigns are asome! You get to "folow the foot steps" of great leaders like Joan d'(of) Arc, Barbarosa, Gangis Kan, and more. Each campaign has a different style. when you think you have "mastered" the game go play on the net and try your luck agenst those so called "Newbies" who kick you'r **beeeeeeeeeeeep**. You never get board of this game either. I was surprised when I first played a campaign I had my speakers cranked up to the max and my computer yelled " watch out! the britions are making a snieek atack!" The game is asome and I have been playing it for the last 6 months almost non-stop and I havent slowed, the only problem is that if you want to spring for the expan. pack you need to buy this one first or barow it from a friend.
Rating: 
Summary: Wowzers
Review: This game is so much better then AoE. First it has super graphics, and great gameplay. It is very replayable, b/c it comes with a random map generator. There are only a couple problems; on my 333mgz, 32ram it gets pretty slow after you get to around 70 units. Also it can get sort of boring if you play it a lot. All in all, this game was worth its money. I suggeset that you buy it.
Rating:
Summary: Great game.
Review: I absolutly love this game. It is incredible. I used too get really pissed off when my mangonels killed my units, but the expansion handles that. Then why did I give it four stars? Because the single player game is tedious. It is much more fun to play people with intelligence over the net. The computer glitch that makes the computer retire can be fixed with a patch. Also, for all you people who say the AI is too hard, I can beat three computer players on hard, and my freind can beat 2 on hardest. I have been playing little over 2 months. You just have to knuckle down, and learn the stratigies. Whenever I am destroyed on an internet game, I try my opponets stratagy on people who play like me. The best way too learn is rookie games on the internet. The best internet geme out there. The best. Hands down. I used to like action games, but now I like RTS (real time stratagy)the best thanks to this game. KoRn_children signing out.
Rating:
Summary: The game
Review: I have had this game since it came out and not got bored of it. I play it every day! IF you want a game that beats all others buy this game. There are so many technologies and different units that this game is different every time u play. Three words. BUY THIS GAME
Rating:
Summary: Build an empire, defend an empire, and have fun.
Review: This is a very very impressive game. It has very detailed graphics and movements, with all of the mountains and forests and rivers for scenery, and people moving about. You build up armies, get gold and food, explore places, ect. You find yourself side, by side with William Wallace and Joan of Arc. You go to far away places from Jerusalem to Scotland to China. There is always excitement and challanges, and you have to either read guidelines or develope your own tactics. At the same time, you learn history, not through school text books, but by fighting for freedom, home, or power. The story campaigns are easy to follow and each game has a goal. This game giveexpresses great dignity and honor to history and historical figures, and I'm not kidding. What more can I say? This great way to develope skill, have fun, and learn patriotism. Enter this game, see cool sights, build armies, and have fun!!!
Rating:
Summary: The greatest game ever
Review: This game is all about strategy. Not like Starcraft where you just blow stuff up to win. Theres several other ways to win then just blowing stuff up. You can get all the relics and win in 300 years (20 minutes) or build a Wonder and win in 300 years. You can get archers and slowly kill the enemy with pain or get elephants and rip the enemy apart. This game I recomend to all gamers
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Attention to detail
Review: I bought this game back almost a year ago and It's still challenging me to learn more about each civilization!! I love how each civilization is historically accurate down to their researchable technologies. How each one has its own set of warriors and buildings and a different set of tech. stuff to try out and use against you opponent.. I played it over the internet witha friend while she was in Germany and it was great being able to talk and play and kill each other all at the same time!! if you're looking for a great Thinking and strategy game this is it!! and the Multiplayer part is great too.
Rating:
Summary: The child of Civilization II and Starcraft...
Review: Microsoft has succeeded in taking many of the best ideas from Civilization 2 and Starcraft, and blending them into what amounts to a very entertaining game. The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay quick and addicting, and even the A.I. puts up a pretty good fight in the series of single player campaigns. What it boils down to however, is that if you have not yet played Civ 2 or Starcraft, I would reccomend either of those games over this one. But if you have indeed tired of the previously mentioned games, and are looking for something new to get addicted to, this game is a solid bet...
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