Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition

This is surely the best way to experience a classic and beloved game. Age of Empires III Definitive Edition is a major upgrade to the original even though its gameplay shows its age.

A solid remaster of a good old-fashioned strategy game. Its biggest problem? It will forever lie in the shadow of its famous predecessor.

Quotation forthcoming.

Quality of life improvements, the new UI, and even Historical Battle mode, are additions highly appreciated; however, they are not enough justification to return to Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, unless you are already a die hard fan.

For better or worse, this is still Age of Empires III with a new coat of paint. At its core, it’s still the slightly weird and maybe overly ambitious sequel to one of the (if not the) best RTS games of all time, Age of Empires II. I still appreciate the gumption of Age of Empires III Definitive Edition and had a ton of fun going down memory lane. It’s far from a perfect RTS but there is a lot of fun and enjoyment still to be had as we wait for the eventual release of Age of Empires IV. Whether you skipped Age of Empires III during its original release or are interested in dipping back in, I think the Definitive Edition does enough to warrant a look, if for nothing else just to enjoy some good old-school RTS fun.

This definitive edition of Age of Empires III will doubly be able to get rid of the "black sheep" label. However, the changes in the interface, as well as being able to choose the HUD of the game that best suits our way of playing, alternating between the classic and the new one, changing the position of the resources and all the indicators, make this game the best version of Age III but, unfortunately, it will have to compete against the prejudices of the vast majority of fans who ignored it for so long.

Dedicated remaster with successful new modes, races and detail improvements. Technically and in terms of AI behavior, however, the game is unfortunately not yet running as smoothly as it should.

A modest remaster of a fun but flawed RTS that’s stuck in the ever-lengthening shadow of its predecessor.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is not like Age of Empires or Age of Empires II. For sure is more suitable for newbies and for those who like a more agile gameplay.

While it may not hold the same appeal to new players, returning fans can revisit this classic and find themselves transported to a different era. With Age of Empires IV currently deep in development, time will tell whether this venerable series can truly make the jump to the modern age.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is the remaster the game deserves. The overhaul of aesthetics in gameplay make it look better than it ever has. This Definitive Edition comes supersized with all the previous game’s content plus new missions, campaigns and factions. The new additions are fully developed and integrate masterfully with the base game. While the game is beautiful to look at and still holds true to the formula that makes AoE such a great franchise, it’s also riddled with frustrating glitches and inconsistencies. While I’m sure a post-launch patch will be released to add fixes, players will have to deal with these inconveniences in the the meantime. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, however, does justice to the franchise by recognizing its flaws and working towards a better product. The collaboration with Indigenous consultants helps it regain its dignity by providing historical accuracy. Through these collaborations, developers were also able to solve gameplay issues that plagued all fans of the game. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is by no means a perfect product, but it perfectly honors the spirit of the franchise.

We hope that Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is the last step towards the fourth chapter, but this farewell doesn't have a sad taste.

Age of Empires III Definitive Edition follows the original formula offering a ton of content and adding a very nice and effective coat of paint, both visually and in the audio department. The old style gameplay could turn off modern RTS players though.

It ticks all the boxes it promised to, but feels like it could've gone further with improvements to gameplay, home cities for new civs, and AI.

The new content and revamped elements are integrated seamlessly, but bugs, AI issues and well-known, yet still evident problems make this Definitive Edition definitely feel unfinished.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is a decent addition to Age of Empires family. While not surprisingly good, it is still a good game, which unfortunately suffers from its technical state. [Issue#307]

Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition is a bold attempt to remaster the most controversial game in a series. The funky experimental RTS at the core of AoE 3 is intact, but it's still just that: Weird. Like a stinky cheese, it just can't appeal to everyone. The new graphics, UI, sound, and content make it much more fun to play and will win converts among those who are trying it for the first time. The rest was harder to update, and though it's better than it was, the single-player scenarios will never be half as fun as multiplayer matches.

It comes down to the fact that Age of Empires III has never been the best at fundamental RTS gameplay. The Definitive Edition has done a great job of bringing the title into the modern age with beautiful visuals and a new UI – but that core gameplay remains, and it falls flat especially compared to the standard set by last year’s Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition‘s intriguing campaigns are worth a look, but if you value adaptive and fluid multiplayer gameplay, stick with Age of Empires II.