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Summary: In a word ... FANTASTIC
Review: I have always been intrigued by war strategy games but never really enjoyed the ridiculous amount of micro managing involved. I also used to think that the games were too long and that after pouring 30 hours of your life into building a civilization you can get wiped out kinda sucked(OK, nothing compared to 1000s of years but...). This game is nothing like the ones I don't like. AOE2 is FANTASTIC. Games are generally no more than 3 hours, there is a little micromanagement but it's worth it. The graphics are wonderful and the sound and animation are amazing. If you are a die hard strategy fan, this may not do it for you, but as a person with a life, I love this game!
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Summary: I don't see the big deal
Review: This game has to be one of the most overrated ones in recent history. The graphics are simple, 2D, and not very detailed. The least Ensemble could have done is add visual effects, such as weather, to make the game realistic. The civilazations give you close to no variety except for one unique unit which doesn't make a big difference and some special abilities that don't make a difference either. There is also too much micromanaging that you must do to suceed which gets boring after about ten minutes. I played this game for about three days and stopped because it just got frustrating. With four different resoures the game can get very time-consuming and complicated. Add that to wimpy weapons and a lack of strategic elements and you have one pointless game that takes up a ton of unesscesary time. Go buy Tiberian Sun instead.
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Summary: Age of Kings: The King of Strategy
Review: This game is probably the best strategy game in the market because it combines the elements of many good strategy games. It has the city building and management features as well as the army bulding and combat features that are a must for a good strategy game. It allows you to play historically accurate war campaigns as well as random maps between you and the AI. The online feature also allows you to fight people via Microsoft's Gaming Zone. Finally, you can also build your own maps with the scenario editor, and even create your own campaigns with the campaign editor. The gameplay is also easy and allows you to take your own route to victory-using the special troops that each civilization specializes in. The game is great because it allows you to play as any civilization you like, each with special strengths and weaknesses. The troops have formations, and upgrades galore. Thus, this game gets five stars from me, its a must buy for a fan of strategy games. I guarantee youll be playing for at least six months!
Rating: 
Summary: A dull imitation
Review: I bought Age of Empires II because of the glowing reviews in PC Games magazine, and right here on Amazon. I was tremendously excited; I loved the Warcraft series, and so this seemed like a perfect game for me. Sadly, I was wrong.The game so closely resembles Warcraft, it ought to pay licensing fees to it. This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially since the graphics are markedly better. They are breathtaking, in fact; I spent the first few minutes of game playing just marveling at them. I also was impressed with the tutorial mission, which teaches you the basics of game play. It did an excellent job of showing the ropes to impatient people like me who hate to read manuals (although I did, later, and was impressed by its comprehensiveness). Then the problems began. I played the first real campaign, Joan of Arc, and was hopelessly board. The first two missions in the campaign were mind-numbingly dull: I was supposed to "escort" the French Tart all over creation. Get her from one place to another without getting her killed and you win. Fail and you lose. There appeared to be only one usable path, so strategy didn't enter into it. The only way to win was to play each scenario once, die, and learn where the ambushes are placed (they were always in the same locations). I gave up when the third mission appeared to be more of the same. I couldn't understand why the tutorial had gone through all that time and effort to teach you skills like building and foraging only to give a campaign that required none of those skills. Despairing of the campaign, I attempted a "random map" scenario, in which the computer generates a map and turns you lose on some computer opponents. That is when the huge problems in the game play became evident. In warcraft, your peasants (or peons, if you were an Orc) could do three things: build, cut trees, or mine gold. In Age of Empires, your peasants can do the following: build, cut trees, mine gold, hunt animals, herd and slaughter sheep, hew stone, build walls, farm crops. Sound fun? Not when you have to micromanage the entire affair. In Wafcraft, you could usually set your peons to work and forget about them. In Age of Empires, you are constantly running out of sheep, and having farms go fallow. I was so busy trying to occupy myself with peasant affairs that I didn't have time to muster and march m army. "But it's more realistic," you may say. I disagree; you're a TYRANT, for crying out loud! You don't tell peasants where to farm; you demand your tribute and leave them alone! I also started getting lost in the building options; there were simply too many buildings. The first few times I played, I kept getting overrun by the computer's armies. I simply didn't prepare properly because I was too busy building mines and monasteries. The third time, I managed to get my army gathered, and marched them into enemy territory, prepared for glory. I was thrilled with the anticipation of a bloody victory. I was happy with the formation options, that let you choose your marching formation. I chose the square, which put my weaker units in the middle, for protection. Too bad it didn't work. Enemy soldiers would simply charge through my front lines, directly to the weaker units, and slaughter them before my army had a chance to respond. Are you really going to tell me that an army regiment has such slow reaction time that they can't close ranks when an enemy soldier charges in? It was another frustrating element to the game, and made me ultimate shut off my computer in annoyance. There are some wonderful reviews of this game. Maybe I am missing something. I must be missing an awful lot, though, because the primary emotions I felt with this game were boredom and annoyance. Get Warcraft II instead. Or do your laundry. Either way, I think you'd have more fun than playing Age of Empires II.
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Summary: It seemed impossible, but StarCraft has been topped
Review: StarCraft was a game of fast-paced, exciting strategy that came closer to perfect than any other game had approached before. Age II is better, far better, because of its easier pace, better combat, more units and technologies, and the fact that it is impossible to beat a half decent player by building a mass of one unit. The unit balance is nothing short of perfect, and the civilizations are different and many (13). It is well worth the [price].
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Summary: Age of empires
Review: Age of Empires is one of the best games off all time. You can be one of 13 civilizations all with diffrent advanges and disadvanges. There are many diffrent units and with diffrent civs you can get diffrent units. The game has many advantages over age of empires one the biggest being that your population limit is now 200. As an added bounus the playing online is great. This game in increadable and a must have
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Summary: the game of the truth
Review: this game is great you can do anything it is exactly the middle ages I loved this game if i had one word to discribe it. it would be "AWSOME! "
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Summary: Why is Age Of Empires II such a popular game
Review: Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings or AOE2 for short is the sequel to the award-winning Age of Empires - you have 1000 years to lead your people through the Middle Ages to greatness. You must control one of the most powerful civilizations of the time. Decide whether to conquer the world through military might, rule through commerce and diplomacy, or seize power by means of intrigue and regicide. There are many paths to power, but only one civilization will reign supreme. One of 13 civilizations to choose from. Who will fight for victory under your flag? With historically-based campaigns it could be Joan of Arc, Willian Wallace, Genghis Khan, Saladin, or Barbarossa. Will it be an economic path created out of craftsmanship, trade, and technology? Or a military route of siege and naval warfare?
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Summary: Good Enough
Review: Rarely does a game comes along and becomes as addictive as AOE 2... the last time I lost sleep from playing like this was Sid Meir's Civilization II. Although there was a signifcant improvement in the games interface, AI, and graphics compared to AOE I; it still lacks the necessary 'intangibles' from making it a 'must-have' classic (Civ II, with its simplicaity and breadth of game play, is the standard for all strategy games are to be measured)... still, I would still recommend game enthusiast from trying out AOE II.
Rating:
Summary: Near perfection
Review: I cannot praise this game enough. The game hides a large degree of its inner complexity with an easy to use interface, a well written manual/on-line technology tree and finally a incredibly addictive styles of game play that make you begin to hate your clock when it eventually tells you that it's time to go to bed. :)
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