Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Empire Earth: Collection delivers a sprawling real-time strategy experience that spans fourteen epochs, from the humble Stone Age all the way to a futuristic Nano Age. The core mechanics revolve around resource gathering, base building, technology research, and commanding diverse armies—elements that veteran RTS players will immediately recognize and appreciate. The pacing strikes a balance between frantic early-game skirmishes and sweeping, large-scale confrontations in later epochs.

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The inclusion of The Art of Conquest expansion deepens the gameplay by introducing new civilizations, heroes, and scenario objectives that push players to adapt their playstyles. Whether you’re leading Greek phalanxes, Mongol horsemen, or mechanized future units, each epoch offers unique units and technologies that reshape long-term strategy. The art of balancing economic growth with military might becomes particularly rewarding as you progress.

Multiplayer support—while reliant on community-hosted lobbies or LAN emulation—still provides engaging competitive and cooperative matches for those willing to explore fan-run services. The AI, though showing its age, can be customized for difficulty and behaves reasonably well across most epochs. Additionally, the integrated scenario editor encourages replayability by allowing you to craft your own campaigns or download fan-made maps and mods.

Graphics

Visually, Empire Earth: Collection remains faithful to its early-2000s roots with an isometric viewpoint and pre-rendered 3D units. Although the sprite-based art style looks dated compared to modern 3D engines, it carries a certain nostalgia and clarity—every building, soldier, and terrain tile is instantly recognizable.

The game’s epochs are distinguished by distinct color palettes and unit designs. From primitive wooden huts and stone tools to towering futuristic factories and hover tanks, the visual progression reinforces your sense of technological advancement. Terrain variation—plains, forests, deserts, and urban zones—adds strategic depth and visual interest to each map.

The Collection update improves compatibility with high-DPI displays and modern Windows versions, ensuring the interface scales correctly without blurry text or icons. While there are no high-resolution texture packs officially included, unofficial community mods can be applied to sharpen unit sprites and enhance detail further.

Story

Empire Earth approaches narrative through episodic campaigns rather than a single overarching storyline. The base game features eight historical campaigns—covering landmark eras such as Ancient Greece, Medieval Europe, and World War II—each with period-appropriate battles and voice-acted briefings. These campaigns blend historical events with cinematic cutscenes to give context to your strategic objectives.

The Art of Conquest expansion adds four additional campaigns that explore both legend and science fiction. You’ll command mythical heroes like Alexander the Great, repel Viking raiders, and even lead a futuristic uprising on Mars. While the writing occasionally leans toward melodrama, it injects fresh themes and varied mission types that break up the historical focus of the base game.

Dialogue and cutscenes are serviceable for their era, with earnest voice performances that convey urgency and stakes. Though modern players might find some scripting clichés charmingly retro, the clear mission briefs and diverse objectives keep you engaged across dozens of hours of solo play.

Overall Experience

As a bundled package, Empire Earth: Collection offers excellent value—uniting the base game and its Art of Conquest addon in one installation with modern compatibility fixes. The sheer breadth of content, ranging from prehistoric skirmishes to futuristic mech battles, ensures there’s always a new strategy to explore or an old favorite to revisit.

Replayability is bolstered by custom scenarios, skirmish modes, and a still-active modding community. The included scenario editor empowers creative players to craft unique challenges, while online fan services enable multiplayer matches despite the original servers being retired.

Though its UI and graphical fidelity feel dated next to contemporary RTS titles, Empire Earth’s depth of epochs, engaging campaigns, and strategic complexity more than compensate. For fans of grand-scale, epoch-spanning strategy games, this Collection remains a compelling purchase that stands the test of time.

Retro Replay Score

7.8/10