Age of Empires 4 | Review in 3 Minutes

Elijah Beahm reviews Age of Empires 4, developed by Relic Entertainment and World's Edge.

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[starcraft]

This review was kinda... weird, felt more like watching a streamer talk off the cuff about the game rather than a properly written review. Not a fan, prefer the usual moderate review style to this edge impression style.

[rubz]

I don't blame them for basing it so strongly on Aoe2. The game basically perfected RTS gameplay 20 years ago.

[thomasrogers]

Age of empires 4 = age of empires 2 reloaded

If it isn't broken don't fix it.

[schibleh]

"you're likely to spend most of your time in skirmish" ow, you mean that thing that 90% of RTS players do? Do people actually think that the RTS crowd is all about hardcore, multiplayer sweating sessions?

[alejandrolievano]

I usually like the 3 minute review, but all the snark and "memery" took away from a format that shines when it's more objective and to the point. It's fine if the writer wants to dunk on the game but I don't think it can do that and a good review of a game in 3 minutes at the same time.

[wilkic]

I didn’t like this review. Highly snarky. I didn’t get a good enough feel of whether the core gameplay was strong. “Just throw more units at the enemy” sounds more like the reviewer is bad at the game rather than a real critique of the game’s mechanics. I’m also not sure what else the reviewer would have expected from an RTS sequel, outside of a better campaign story which is a fair critique.

[perianh]

Yes, it is just reimagined AoE 2. That's why it's good. Better graphics, some tweaks in gameplay and economy. New victory condition. So far this game seems like a worthy successor to AoE 2 and even Starcraft 2. And I'm especially glad to see this in a dying genre of RTS.

[Theehtlam]

I see so many reviews of this game that can basically be summarized as "it’s just an age of empires game, and who would want to play those!?".


If you didn’t like aoe before, you are not gonna like it now, but if you did, you might really enjoy this one. It is just new enough to feel distinct (at least to veteran players), but similar enough that it will scratch that exact same itch that hasn’t been scratched by any game in the last decade.

[justifiedFaith]

This sounds like a non-RTSer doing an amateur review of a genre they don't really like. Lol.

[LWT]

I agree with the overall takeaway that they're playing it too safe, but there's so many flawed "arguments" in this review it's astounding.

[BrokenNoseBoxing]

I'm loving it so far, still learning how to play as each faction

[UyeGaming]

This review felt more phoned in then AoE4.

[loutreverte]

Failing to mention that it's mainly a revamp to offer some quality of life ameliorations for the people still playing AoE2 competitively. Definitely not something that I would buy but I feel that the review go for the cheap shot while ignoring the public it is intended for.

[ares]

They make Dawn of War3
- Why are you innovating so much?
They make AoE4
- Why are you not innovating enough?


PS: I guess one could argue DoW3 was innovation in the wrong direction.

[spacecow]

If you think the factions could have been AOE2 dlc's you don't really know what you are talking about

[Eunostos]

Most of these 3 minute reviews feel like more effort was put into them. Pity.
Edit: Beahm comes across as disliking or lacking knowledge of the entire genre by dismissively glossing over and belittling entire pillars of the genre like micro or counters instead of saying how they do or don't work in terms of RTS, where this segment usually sets a high standard of relevant assessment :(

[JA-lrix]

He’s got a point. Age 4 does play it way too safe in some aspects. Its tightly designed, but it took a lot of the good from Age 3 and just went with a vert simplistic revival of Age 2, which Age 2 DE already provides

[zordo]

Yikes… bad review. Why was this one so different than other 3 minute reviews? Guess it has to do with the reviewer. Probably shouldn’t give him Rts in the future lol.

[krftt]

Enlight me Elijah, what other RTS game just blowed out of the water with innovations so mind breaking that the genre was brought back to it's former glory? Because that is what you are asking for... Feels like you didn't like the game when you first saw it and didn't want to put the effort to at least try to like it... You guys made me buy allot of games that I didn't even bother, like dodgeball academia, because of straight and fair reviews... this feels... odd... like forced... snarky and s*... i'm actually disappointed... not that it matters right? i'm just a random in the middle of the crowd

[tubularmonkeymaniac]

Man I am not digging this new edgy tone of review. Come here for the no nonsense reviews, not prepubescent sarcasm.