Games — Consumed

1999 · Ensemble Studios

Age of Empires II represents the pinnacle of accessible yet deep RTS design. The game's core loop—gathering four resources, advancing through ages, and building military units—creates a framework that supports wildly different strategies across its civilizations. Each civilization's unique unit and technology tree fundamentally alters optimal play patterns, whether it's the Mongol's mobile cavalry or the British longbowmen.

The genius lies in its build order discipline and decision trees. Early game choices cascade through the match: going feudal at 21 or 22 population changes everything. The game rewards both mechanical execution and strategic reading of opponents. Scouting becomes a mini-game of information gathering that directly translates to counter-unit production and map control.

What keeps the game compelling decades later is the skill ceiling. Professional matches reveal layers of micro-management, resource optimization, and psychological warfare that casual play only hints at. The Definitive Edition's continued support and thriving competitive scene prove the core design's timelessness. It's a game about economic efficiency as much as military tactics, where winning often happens before armies even clash.