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Nobody expects the Spanish cannon galleon fleet!ĪOEII:HD's gameplay is instantly familiar to practically anyone who has ever played a real-time strategy game focused on the big picture. Unfortunately, Hidden Path's HD edition of Ensemble Studios' classic RTS suffers from a variety of bugs and missed opportunities. A prettier version of AOEII with easier multiplayer matchmaking and mod support (via Steam's servers and Steam Workshop) is a solid idea. This is an impressive feat for a real-time strategy game that came out over a decade ago, especially when you consider that the official multiplayer matchmaking service was shut down years ago. After all, the original Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings and its expansion are so beloved that there is still a healthy modding and multiplayer community devoted to the game. The appeal of Age of Empires II: HD Edition is readily apparent.
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