A new trailer for the controller-friendly port of Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition has arrived, ahead of the iconic real-time strategy classic coming to Xbox and Game Pass later this month.
This incarnation of Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition not only features all the bells and whistles found in the existing remaster, but also features a control scheme specifically optimized for gamepads. This means that you will soon be able to enjoy Age of Empires 2 on your Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One from the comfort of your living room sofa. The latest iteration is also compatible with Games Pass’s emerging but still impressive cloud gaming service.
Age of Empires 2 is a classic RTS in the truest sense of the word. You take on the role of one of the game’s historical factions and wage war on real-time isometric battlefields. Players build buildings and fortifications while developing and commanding increasingly vast and complex armies.
If you went back in time to 1999 and told me that one day you’d be able to play Age of Empires 2 in your browser, I’d accuse you of being the worst type of liar. Game Pass reminds us once again that we actually live in the future.
Head in the clouds
In addition to controller compatibility, Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition offers a number of extra features that can’t be sniffed at. In addition to a fully remastered soundtrack and graphical improvements (including 4K fidelity), the final edition includes the entire expansion with a number of new factions and campaigns.
The Last Chans expansion gives you access to four new civilizations: Cumans, Tartars, Bulgarians and Lithuanians. There are also three new campaigns for Tatars, Cumans and Bulgarians, as well as an extensive rework of all operations in The Forgotten expansion.
To top it all off, the Game Pass version of Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition also includes all of the game’s expansions released since the first release of the final version. These include Dawn of the Dukes, Lords of the West, and Dynasties of India. As with The Last Khans, each of these expansions features new civilizations and single-player stories, a total of eight new factions and nine new campaigns in addition to the content included in the final version of Vanilla.
All in all, this is an incredibly generous package and worth checking out if you’re an RTS buff looking to try one of the titans of the genre. Age of Empires 2 was a staple of my childhood and helped me discover a lifelong love of RTS games. Without Age of Empires, I would never have loved the murderous madness of Starcraft 2’s multiplayer ladder or the exhilarating bombasticism of Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3.
Age of Empires set the bar for the entire genre, and there’s never been a better time to tackle one of the best RTS games ever made. Whether you’re on PC, Xbox Series X, or streaming over the cloud, you’ll soon be able to experience the ultimate version of this iconic experience for yourself.