Celebrating the 20th anniversary of this legendary series, Microsoft Studios have announced Age of Empires: Definitive Edition at the PC Gaming Show 2017 in Los Angeles. So what is Age of Empires: Definitive Edition? Well, it’s a remastered version of the first game. The visuals, soundtrack, multiplayer and just about every facet of the game has been updated to make it the definitive version of the game.
The visuals maintain their classic look with a slight twist. Each sprite, every animation and each tile set has been recreated to make it look ‘better’. We understand this is purely subjective and, well, I think the game looked pretty good beforehand. Regardless, the new visuals have been designed with 4K displays in mind, and what better to go with these fancy new graphics other than some new zoom levels. Yes, Microsoft Studios have allowed players to zoom further in and out, allowing you to conquer each part of the map with ease.
In addition to this, the soundtrack to the game has been completely remade, this time using an actual symphony. Now, the developers probably could’ve left it at that having recreated the game with an updated look, but it does not end there. Microsoft Studios have also improved the gameplay, balancing some of the original mechanics that players may have deemed overpowered in the past. There’s also the brand new UI that supposedly includes everything players have come to expect from RTS games these days. That includes multiplayer, lobbies, a friend system, and even a web portal to track your stats.
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition will be launching later this year. In the meantime, you can sign up to the beta at www.AgeOfEmpires.com to get your hands on the game as soon as possible.
