If until now each episode of the series concerned a new historical period, Age of Empires IV chooses safety and offers us a return to the Middle Ages, thus taking example from the beloved Age of Empires II. Pending future expansions, the game currently offers eight playable civilizations. You can therefore choose to embody the English, the Chinese, the Abbasid Dynasty, the French, the Mongols, the Rus', the Holy Roman Empire and the Sultanate of Delhi. Each of these factions has a few characteristics of its own, whether in terms of statistics, units or buildings. The Abbasid Dynasty harvests berries faster than average but cannot hunt boars, the Rus' palisades are stronger, the French's economy technologies cost less, the Chinese construct their buildings faster, etc.
The civilization that stands out the most is undoubtedly that of the Mongols, since it is the only one to play really differently. In order to translate its nomadic nature into the gameplay, the developers have indeed given it the possibility of moving all its buildings. Suffice to say that in multiplayer, many players prefer this camp. The solo is articulated around four independent campaigns: the Norman Conquest, the Hundred Years War, the Mongol Empire and the Rise of Moscow. Naturally much more scripted than a skirmish game, the different missions also give us control of some heroic figures (William the Conqueror, Joan of Arc, Genghis Khan, etc.) with special abilities. It is generally very pleasant to play all these historical events, thanks to the well thought out maps, the clear objectives, the immediate handling, and a didactic progression which does not forget the novices of the genre. But surprisingly, it is the coating of the missions which is the most attractive.
A GOOD LESSON
Thus, the historical context is always correctly explained. Even the most allergic to history will come to understand the different issues. This effective narration is all the more educational as it uses superb cinematic scenes to support its point. Available in 4K resolution if you wish, these videos embed the digital silhouettes of the fighters of yesteryear in the real settings of our time. Extremely elegant, this process reinforces the link with the past and the interest that one can feel for the events described in the campaigns. In order to further strengthen the educational aspect of the game, the solo progression allows you to unlock real documentary videos. Watching them is totally optional, but you would be wrong to ignore them, because they are short and well done enough to never cause boredom. This concern to anchor Age of Empires IV in reality is also found in the voices of acquiescence of the units, which are expressed in the language of the period. Launch a Norman knight to attack English troops and hear him declaim something like "weaken the anemi!" does not lack flavor. The attention to detail is even pushed to the point of making the replicas evolve according to the advancement of our civilization. Over time, we understand better and better the interjections of our little soldiers and peasants.
A MIDDLE-AGED GAME?
The saga having gone to 3D in 2005 on the occasion of the third episode, the fourth naturally continues on this path. The graphics support 4k, are not lacking in detail, are quite cute and have the good taste to remain readable at all times, including in the most populated fights. But do not expect all the same to take full eyes. The visual aspect is unmistakably clean, but remains classic and never really impressive. The gameplay also follows the path of classicism and does not change much from the original formula. The units once again follow a "rock paper scissors" pattern, and we always have to evolve our civilization from one age to another (dark age, feudal age, castle age and imperial age). Microsoft and Relic Entertainment have also chosen the path of security to relaunch the franchise. We are in a pure "old-fashioned" RTS, modernized in form but not in its mechanics. After all, it makes it easy for old players to find their feet and for new ones to enjoy proven gameplay. It is regrettable, however, that no real progress in terms of artificial intelligence is being felt. The AI indeed continues to have questionable behavior at times, the enemies sometimes sounding the retreat for no reason or arriving in small waves far too small to constitute a real threat. Another shortcoming, more anecdotal however: it is impossible to change the orientation of buildings before placing them on the map. Lovers of pretty, well-aligned towns will be at their expense.
