Age of Empires Mobile preview – “RTS past into future”

Age of Empires Mobile preview - "RTS past into future"

  • A big and full mobile entry in the Age of Empires series
  • Mixing its classic RTS style with modern-day casual management
  • There’s a lot to take in and a notable online focus

As a lifelong fan of real-time strategy games, I’ve seen my fair share of civilizations rise and fall, but none have left quite the lasting impression as Age of Empires. So when I heard they were bringing this legendary series to mobile devices, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and skepticism.


Regardless of whether you have an interest in history or gaming, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered Age of Empires at some point in your life. This isn’t unexpected as it’s part of one of the longest-running real-time strategy game series that is still active today. It offers a unique blend of two captivating elements: Sharp strategic planning and engaging historical narratives.

In the world of Age of Empires Mobile, Ensemble Studios has veered towards the imaginative aspects, which is an astute move for a video game. It’s a 3D real-time strategy game blended with management and city-building, and it even incorporates some gacha elements. So, let’s explore how Age of Empires intends to conquer the contemporary era of mobile and tablet gaming.

What is Age of Empires Mobile?

Age of Empires Mobile preview - "RTS past into future"

In its storytelling, Age of Empires has consistently combined and altered lore as needed for fresh narratives or historical reenactments. However, with Age of Empires Mobile, it seems a new narrative path is being taken. The game focuses on the journey of Josephine, known as the Steel Rose, as she strives to regain her throne following the exile of her people from their kingdom.

Everything begins with Josephine rallying, commanding, and battling together with the nation’s populace against the Ottoman Empire as it expands across the territory. She becomes a powerful beacon of hope after retrieving the Sacred Sword and using it to bring unity among the people. From that moment, she needs to establish her fortress and camp to gather enough power to reclaim what was once lost.

The State of Age of Empires Mobile

Age of Empires Mobile preview - "RTS past into future"

When developing a mobile version of a game series, numerous factors must be carefully evaluated, primarily deciding what elements to preserve and what to omit. In the case of Age of Empires Mobile, it appears the creators have made a concerted effort to retain everything that embodies the series’ excellence.

Regardless of whom you admire, there remains a profound feeling of ambition that drives you forward, as you’re constantly striving for something greater. This could be restoring your former kingdom, exploring uncharted lands, or ensuring the prosperity of your community – you always have the next significant achievement within reach. The various aspects overlap, but it’s up to you to determine where to direct your efforts.

And your focus can go a lot of places. You’ll start in the Early Middle Ages and want to move on up in history. You don’t wanna be looking at flimsy wooden boxes you’re whole reign, you want a castle atop a mountain if you’re into the whole isolated-villain style.
When it comes to battle, the tap and drag controls work just fine. Each hero has room for a certain number of soldiers and is treated as one unit for convenience. This makes it easier to use around combat being simplified to which weapons are more effective against others. The island battles are even more streamlined since it uses a contained grid battle system and you just need to worry about the positioning of your units at the start. There’s still strategy involved but you don’t have to constantly worry about moving entire armies whenever someone steps out of line.
It’s true that Age of Empires has always had an online element, but this may end up being the most online entry in the series. This isn’t a bad thing, but when most of the features are online, that leaves you less when you just wanna jump in and play.

There are things to accomplish and jobs to do, but if you encounter obstacles that necessitate repetitive actions or waiting for resources to accumulate naturally, then you might need to seek help online for better results. If it turns out to be effective, it could significantly enhance the overall gaming experience. However, if it doesn’t work well, you might end up with a game that could potentially freeze or crash due to an overload of features.

The New Age of Empires Mobile

Age of Empires Mobile preview - "RTS past into future"

Age of Empires Mobile represents a new, mobile-focused installation within the Age of Empires franchise. Retaining the familiar aesthetic and gameplay mechanics from previous titles, it also introduces fresh features that enhance its appeal to casual gamers.

While it might seem like we’re overloading the pot at the outset, given the apparent heavy dependence on internet connectivity, it’s still early days. Just as all empires have their time in the spotlight and then fade away, this age is unique because we can construct our empires right in our pockets. This could accelerate their rise and delay their fall, hopefully for the better.

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2024-10-01 14:18