Now, fifteen years later, the game has gotten a long overdue update with the release of Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, improving on the already impressive original in almost every way. It's hard to think of any games that have been as influential to the real-time strategy genre as this series.
Players can also build their own custom scenarios or mods and ask, "What if history had unfolded differently?" And finally, you can take your skills to the virtual battlefield and compete in online multiplayer matches, teaming with or fighting against other armchair leaders from around the world. You can test your military strategies against those of record in the Historical Battles mode, which recreates some classic clashes of the past, or practice The Art of War and take on a series of challenges that spotlight the unique nature of each civilization. Players can follow the Story through three distinct campaigns that span the globe from the Ottoman Empire's siege of Malta to the battles of early settlers' confrontations with Native American tribes to the expansion of the feudal dynasties in Asia beyond the Far East borders. The classic real-time strategy game is back and better than ever, with 4K HD graphics, newly enhanced audio, two new civilizations, and two new game modes.
History doesn't just repeat itself with AGE OF EMPIRES III: DEFINITIVE EDITION - it improves on itself. There's some blood shown onscreen and in cutscenes, but little in the way of graphic or gory depictions of violent acts. Violence is constant, as players try to eliminate the opposition or complete specific goals. Play requires a lot of strategic thinking and micromanagement, but includes easy to follow tutorials and scalable difficulty levels to help newcomers or casual fans. The game includes a comprehensive representation of the military forces of each civilization, with a detailed Compendium describing how they were used in combat. Players choose from 16 different civilizations, teaming with and fighting against each other in skirmishes that represent both historical battles and alternative "What If?" scenarios. The game is an updated and enhanced version of 2005's original Age of Empires III release and its previously released expansions, as well as brand new content and features. Parents need to know that Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is a real-time strategy game available on Windows based PCs.