Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Age of Empires: Gold Edition delivers a timeless real-time strategy experience by combining the original Age of Empires with its official expansion, The Rise of Rome. From the moment you begin gathering wood, food, stone, and gold, you’ll appreciate the intuitive yet deep resource management system that forms the backbone of the gameplay. Every decision, from which villagers to assign to which resource to the timing of technological upgrades, feels meaningful and impactful on your empire’s growth.

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The base game’s campaigns take you through pivotal moments in ancient history—Egyptian dynasties, Greek city-states, Babylonian conquests—each presenting unique objectives and challenges. The Rise of Rome expansion adds a new layer of strategic variety by introducing the Romans and Carthaginians alongside vassal tribes. Their special units, such as Roman legionaries and Carthaginian cavalry, refresh the familiar gameplay loop and keep long-time fans engaged.

Multiplayer remains a highlight, even decades after release. Local area network (LAN) play and online matchmaking allow you to pit your strategies against human opponents, challenging you to adapt on the fly to unpredictable tactics. The skirmish mode also provides endless replayability, as you face off against AI opponents with adjustable difficulty levels and map sizes.

Graphics

While Age of Empires: Gold Edition is a product of the late 1990s, its isometric visuals retain a certain charm and clarity. Detailed unit sprites, distinct building designs, and lush map environments make it easy to distinguish between different civilizations and terrain types. The color palette is vibrant, ensuring that forests, rivers, and mountains each feel unique and help with strategic planning.

The Rise of Rome expansion maintains the same graphics engine but introduces new building textures and unit animations that subtly enhance the visual variety. Roman structures—such as the Triumphal Arch and Colosseum—stand out with their distinctive architecture, giving the expansion’s maps a fresh aesthetic twist. The addition of new wonder designs also bolsters the visual appeal of endgame achievements.

Performance-wise, Age of Empires: Gold Edition runs smoothly on modern systems through backward compatibility and community patches. There’s minimal input lag, and the game’s simple 2D graphics mean you won’t need a high-end rig. For retro-strategy enthusiasts, the game’s visuals strike a perfect balance between nostalgia and functionality.

Story

The narrative structure in Age of Empires: Gold Edition is mission-driven rather than plot-focused, immersing you in key historical events across several civilizations. Each campaign offers a concise introduction to the era, highlighting major figures and milestones. Although there’s no cinematic storytelling in the modern sense, the mission briefings and in-game events effectively convey the weight of your conquests and defenses.

The Rise of Rome expansion zeroes in on the ascendancy of Rome, guiding you through legendary tales like the founding of the city, the Punic Wars against Carthage, and the reforms of Marius. These scenarios feel more focused, weaving a cohesive thread through the expansion’s six new missions. The historical context adds an educational layer that many players find rewarding, making each victory feel like a small lesson in antiquity.

Dialogues are concise and functional, serving primarily to set objectives rather than deliver lengthy exposition. This design choice keeps the pacing brisk and ensures you’re never stuck watching dialogue when you’d rather be building armies or exploring new territories. For those seeking deep character development, the story may feel light; for strategy fans, it hits all the right notes.

Overall Experience

Age of Empires: Gold Edition remains a benchmark in the real-time strategy genre. The blend of the original game’s broad empire-building scope with The Rise of Rome’s focused expansion ensures both newcomers and veterans find something to love. The learning curve is gentle, thanks to well-designed tutorials, but mastering advanced tactics—like choke-point defenses and hit-and-run cavalry raids—provides satisfying long-term depth.

The community around Age of Empires has endured for decades, offering fan-made patches, mods, and multiplayer ladders that keep the game feeling alive. Quality-of-life improvements such as HD resolution support, modern key rebindings, and chat integrations make it easier than ever to dive into classic maps or modded scenarios that stretch the game’s lifespan.

Ultimately, Age of Empires: Gold Edition is more than a nostalgic trip; it’s a robust strategy package that balances historical learning with competitive gameplay. Whether you’re looking to conquer friends in online skirmishes, tackle challenging AI opponents, or simply savor the satisfaction of building a sprawling empire from scratch, this edition stands as a worthy investment for any RTS enthusiast.

Retro Replay Score

7.3/10