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An excellent choice

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 26, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Age of Empires II has been always my best game ever. I bought the collector's edition about 5 or 6 years ago and played it almost every week. Last year, I found out that someone had stolen the Age of Empires II CD and I had to stop playing as the game needs the CD in order to run. I decided to buy it from Amazon and I got more than I have bargained for; I was expecting only one single CD of Age of Empires II but I got the whole collection (Age of Empires I, II, Conquerors). I am really happy with the product.

Overrated RTS

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: October 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I bought this about a year after it came out, mainy through the glowing praise it seeemd to get from games magazines.( PC Gamer even went as far as naming it the 4th greatest game of all time in 2000) And I have to admit at first, it's easy to like. Interface is easy and clear, gameplay is fairly easy to learn, and graphically it's quite engaging in it's "little computer people on model railway scenery" style.

After a few weeks play though it's shortcomings as a "strategy" game became clear. The way to victory is all too similar to other uninspired RTS games- build up a larger army than your opponents as quickly as possible, upgrade them as much as you can, and when you're army is large enough and strong enough just unleash them towards the opponent of your choice. It's all pretty formulaic.

One major thing I don't like about this game is that the landscape has too little effect on tactics. Woods and rivers are generally impassible, but it's all pretty simplistic stuff. Build your village among the trees, and wall off the gaps. Doesn't take a genius to figure that out. I would have liked to have seen movement bonuses for road movement, benefits and penalties for differing terrain heights, defensive bonuses for "entrenching" in woods, or rocky terrain etc.

But the main thing that made me stop playing AOE2 is simply that games essentially become a race to see who can get to the Imperial Age first. I went so far as to buy a strategy guide by the games creators,and they were saying things "try to reach Cadtle Age within 20 minutes" I'm not interested in that kind of thing. I want to be able to outwit my opponents through sound strategy and tactics, not simply beat him because I managed to click my mouse more efficiently and gathered resources faster

Awesome.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is one awesome addictive game. I love it. Girl or Boy. 10 or 35. Its a great game period. The storyline kepts you playing forever and you cant stop. The graphics are fine...they dont bother me...I like them better than the 3rd one...I just like them overall.

This is an awesome game. Get it.

One of the greatest games out there!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: July 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is, quite simply, an addictive game. It's not one of those games where you stick your head around the corner and BAM you're dead because the enemy blasted your head off with an AK-47. It's one of those games where you start out about as weak as you can be without actually being dead and you have to build up to the point where the enemy cant get three steps into your city because they were hit by a cannonball from your strategically placed bombard tower.

You start out with three villagers, who do all the work, one guy on a horse who explores the map, and resources minimal to the point where you can create almost nothing with what you have to start with. You have to gather enough resources to get to the next age. Every age grants new buildings, units, and technologies to aid your civilization on its way to greatness. When you get to the castle age, you can build castles, which fire arrows at enemies near them and allow you to create unique units such Persian War Elephants, which have incredible HP and attack but move slower than your average dial-up connection, or my favorites, Gothic Huskarls, which are the bane of any archer that doesn't have a horse on which to run away. And then there is the Infantry-Cavalry-Archer triangle, in which archers are effective against infantry which are too slow to get to them without sustaining lots of damage, infantry are effective against cavalry, and cavalry are good at charging down archers without taking much damage due to high speed.

A lot of people complain that the game gets monotonous after a long time, but that's why Microsoft gives you thirteen civs to play as (eighteen with the expansion), each very different from the rest. For example, the Teutons get the best of everything defensively, from fortified walls to bombard towers, but their unique unit, the teutonic knight, is a lot like the elephants. The Goths have the worst defense in the game, but pack an incredible offense due to huskarls and a great economy lets them advance to the next age faster than the rest, meaning that they can strike before stricken.

One thing I like about unique units is that they really distinguish one civilization from another. In AOE, one civilization might get faster chariots but no centurions while another gets no legions but extra armor for the elite infantry, but it's still hard to prefer one civ over the rest due to lack of differences.

Multiplayer is LOADS better than single player, because you can formulate strategies with your teammate to use against the computer (I'll blow open the left wall with petards, then you flood the gate right there (insert notification signal) with your champions to get their army to that side, then I'll send in the trebuchets through the gap in the wall to destroy the wonder). You can also tell your allies when you are under great distress (I could use some help over here!!!) or if you need resources (I need 200 more stone for murder holes, can you send me some?).

There are also historically accurate campaigns, like Joan of Arc and Frederick Barbarrosa, along with single scenarios in the expansion such as The Battle of Hastings. All campaigns and scenarios are historically accurate, meaning that you mom can't yell at you for learning nothing because you're sitting in front of the computer all day. There's also a library with loads of historical stuff about all the civs along with info about the rennaissance, feudalism, the fall of rome, etc.

There is also a scenario builder in which you can create your own campaigns and historical scenarios,or just amuse yourself for hours watching a huge army throw themselves against the walls of a heavily fortified city.

Despite the fact that the graphics are outdated and multiplayer saving is a bit shaky, this game is infinitely worth buying.

The Best Strategy Game Of All Time And One Of The Best Games Ever Made

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: July 11, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Age Of Empires 2 is a masterpiece. Regardless of any complaints anyone has made about this game, there is no arguing. This one of the most fun, addictive, and satisfying games ever made.

You can play it for months. I played it for over a year, then came back and played it for another year. It's probably the most addictive game I've ever played. Not Mario, not Zelda, not the great Doom, not Quake or Half-life or Warcraft or even Grand Theft Auto has ever had me as hooked as this game. Microsoft and Ensemble Studios hit the nail on the head with AOE 2.

The sequel to Age Of Empires keeps everything that made the first one great, throws away almost everything that made it bad, and throws an amazing, revamped user interface that gives the player god-like power if used expertly.

The different civilizations are fantastic. The advantages and disadvantages of each one make the game interesting and balanced, although some civilizations are better (overall) than others. I mean, really, who doesn't love (and equally hate) the Longbowmen? The War Elephants? The Woad Raiders? The Throwing Axeman?

The units are the best part of the game. Except for the paladin and scorpion wipeout trick, the unit balance is superb. The naval battles are amazing, with fireships, ballista ships, and even ships that launch cannonballs.

There are more buildings, tons more upgrades, and a brand-new unit I like to call the x-factor: the trebuchet. This is one of the units that makes AOE 2 a true delight. As built up as a city can become, it can be destroyed in minutes with enough trebuchets.

The multiplayer aspect of this game is what solidifies AOE 2's standing as one of the best games ever made. It is surreal. I've had 12-hour multiplayer sessions many times. You just don't want to stop. It's so fun!!! It's madness!

As far as challenge goes, you'll get all you want. Just try beating the entire game on the hardest difficulty and see the headache you get. And if you get through with that, buy the expansion pack and eat your heart out.

Buy this game! Play it until you're sick of it! That probably won't happen, but even if it does, when you come back from your break you'll be twice as hooked.

Ha!!! The memories I have of this game! Man, this is the best!

Sweet

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

hey guys i have been playing this for 7 yrs lots of fun still i first started playing this at my uncles after that i was hooked now i play online very very fun bottom line is if you want a good pc game that you will have fun for years and years buy age of empires 2 and its expansion, i have both, very fun i like the brits or mayans thats cause archers r sweet really you will have years of fun my uncle still plays it with me and he's been playing for 20 some yrs gl all

AWESOMEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: May 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I went to my cousins' house and I got bored so I started to play on the computer. They had Age of Empires II. I played that game for six hours for like three days and still wanted to play more. Here are the features (I played this game a year ago so this might not be that detailed):

Campaigns: A lot better than Age of Empires III campaigns. Those were just... let's use an appropriate word... prejudiced. These were clever and fun and not prejudiced.

Single Player: A lot less tiring than Age of Empires III, for some reason, maybe because of that darn home city in that darn new game. The cheats were also very clever for example:
Robin hood: more gold
Lumberjack: more wood
How do I turn this on: a car that acts like a cannon
Marco polo: The whole map is revealed
The cheats are a lot more fun than the Age of Empires III ones and somehow cheating is just as fun as not cheating here, unlike in Age of Empires III.

Multiplayer: My mom doesn't let me so I don't know how it is.

Graphics: I really don't care about graphics, as long as you can see without being confused about what's what. To me, the graphics were fine.

I will regret forever that I bought Age of Empires III instead of this. NOw my mom won't buy the good one: AGE OF EMPIRES II!!!!!!!!!

I have a little too much fun

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: February 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I enjoy this game a little too much. I enjoy all the options that I have with which cultures I can choose from and if I want a death match or a regicide. Every culture has special units and many different landscapes that you can choose from (islands, archipelegos, etc.). There is a history book on the game if you want to read up on every culture. I can play this game all day, because it makes me think.

Good

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: January 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Similar to the first gam in this series you are here to dominate the territory you are put onto. Whether or not there is 2 through 8 players(computer or otherwise) is up to the player. The Computer graphics on this game is far suprior to the previous installment. Well worth the price just for the graphics. A novel of a game for any age and gamer level.

an amazing game of wits,smarts and strategy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: November 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

this is an awesome game.its really fun to play.you get to choose the civilization you are,build up an empire,and destroy your enemies.it is really fun to let your tiny village grow into a vast empire.each of the 13 civilizations has special units like teutonic knights,war elephants and mangudai.im under 13 and i have no clue why its rated teen.you can use your villagers to make tons of buildings where you can research technologies,and it lets you upgrade and things like,cannon galleons,bombard towers,and champion infantry. this game is also awesome because you can play multiplayer and read about each civilization.THIS GAME IS SO INCREDIBLY AWESOME!!!!!!!!SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!???GO OUT AND GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!

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