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Age of Empires

Ensemble Studios

Age of Empires

Age of Empires (AoE) is a history-based real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft. The game uses the Genie, a 2D sprite-based game engine. The game allows the user to act as the leader of an ancient civilization by advancing it through four ages (the Stone, Tool, Bronze, and Iron Ages), gaining access to new and improved units with each advance.

Released
15 October 1997
Developer
Ensemble Studios
Publisher
Microsoft
Engine
Genie Engine
Perspective
Bird view / Isometric
Age rating
PEGI 12 · ESRB T
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows) · Mac
Genres
Strategy
Also known as
Age of Empires 1 · AoE · AoE1 · Dawn of Man · Diguo Shidai · Tribe
83
Player rating
680
Ratings counted

Age of Empires

The story

Age of Empires requires the player to develop a civilization from a handful of hunter-gatherers to an expansive Iron Age empire. To ensure victory, the player must gather resources in order to pay for new units, buildings and more advanced technologies. Resources must also be preserved, as no new resources become available as the game progresses, meaning if you cut a tree down, the tree will not grow back. Twelve civilizations are available, each with individual sets of attributes, including a varying number of available technologies and units. Each civilization has technologies unique to them, so that no civilization possesses all the technologies possible within the game. A major component of the game is the advancement through four ages. These are the Stone Age (Mesolithic/Paleolithic), Tool Age (Neolithic/Chalcolithic), Bronze Age and Iron Age. Advancement between ages is researched at the Town Center and each advancement brings the player new technologies, weapons, and units.

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Key facts

Platforms

Game modes

Themes

Age of Empires

Trailer

Age of Empires

Screenshots

Age of Empires

Platform releases

PC (Microsoft Windows)
15 October 1997
Mac
1 July 1999

Age of Empires

Editions, DLC and remakes

Age of Empires

Official pages

Age of Empires

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