Age of empires iv modern
However, this has allowed Relic Entertainment to focus on the points of difference for each civilisation. Launching with eight civilisations, this might seem a little low to some veterans of the series. The supplementary material to the campaign missions goes above and beyond and is largely why the campaigns are so engaging.Īge of Empires is just as much about the skirmish battles against AI and online opponents as it is about structured historical campaigns, and Age of Empires IV's PvP is also excellent. Whilst optional, these maintain the high quality of the aforementioned vignettes and give you insight into the technology behind crossbows and cannons, the role of a Barber Surgeon within the medieval army and what it was like to be on a campaign for many months on end in one of these armies.
Age of empires iv modern tv#
The partnering up with Lion TV has come off well in the game and adds an extra layer of immersion.Ĭompleting a campaign mission also unlocks a mini-documentary about a particular technology that civilisations had utilised through the period and the science of how it was developed and how it functioned at the time. It seems like they would be more at home on some kind of history channel that shows history documentaries. The way these have been produced and directed is unlike anything else I've experienced in a video game. The French campaign finishes with the development of technology that finally turned the tide towards the French and ended the century-long war giving you missions focusing a bit more on the economic side of things, researching and setting up trade routes before finally erasing the British from France.īetween missions, you are treated to truly excellent history vignettes made to the highest quality using modern real-life settings that do so well to engage you in the period you're experiencing. The campaign goes right through to Jeanne D'arc (Joan of Arc) and the influence she had on the war until her death, giving you missions where you are sweeping through the English forces with her army of Knights, saving villages and taking back cities. An early mission has you choosing a set of knights in a chivalrous tournament-esque battle, having you weigh up the suitable composition to win the fight. One of these is the French 100-year War Campaign, which starts at the very beginning of the century with the French mainly in disarray and lacking the unity to defeat the English. There is a good amount of story-driven content with four different campaigns to choose from, playing as four of the eight civilisations. The mission structure is reasonably engaging and includes a good amount of variation, keeping it fresh throughout, broadly being differentiated as being on either the offence or the defence for that mission. The mission structure of the campaigns does well to sell you whatever situation you find yourself in at that time, whether it is being in an against all odds battle having to win with limited resources or a show of power starting with a huge army and resources engaging in larger pitched battles. They chronicle important epochs of four different medieval civilisations dropping in at specific defining battles to show what it was like for the troops on the day and why it was a defining point for that civilisation.
The standout feature of Age of Empires IV is the campaigns, and they are well worth experiencing.
Age of Empires IV achieves much of what it sets out to do, delivering a worthwhile experience for RTS fans and those curiously interested in building their armies. Age of Empires IV turns back the hands of time in more ways than one, whether it is the several campaigns delivering history lessons on battles and the progress of each civilisation across an era or the modernisation of the game whilst still maintaining the Age of Empires flavour.