Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Review: Is It Worth Playing?

What is Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition?

Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is a real-time strategy game developed by Relic Entertainment and World's Edge, published by Xbox Game Studios. It is an updated release of the 2021 base game, Age of Empires IV, launched in 2022 to mark the series' 25th anniversary. The Anniversary Edition is not a sequel but a content-expanded version of the original title, adding new civilisations, maps, and cooperative modes. The game is a direct continuation of the classic Age of Empires formula, focusing on historical conflicts, resource management, base building, and large-scale tactical battles. It is available on PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, and is also included with Xbox Game Pass for PC. According to official documentation, the Anniversary Edition was designed to address player feedback from the launch version, adding features such as the Malians and Ottomans as playable factions, along with a ranked season system. The game does not have a Metascore listed for this specific edition, but critic consensus for the original release was broadly positive, with many reviewers noting it as a faithful modernisation of the series' core mechanics.

Gameplay

Gameplay in Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition follows the established RTS structure: players gather food, wood, gold, and stone, construct buildings, train military units, and advance through four ages of technological progression. The core loop is familiar to anyone who has played Age of Empires II, which remains the series' most celebrated entry. The Anniversary Edition retains the eight civilisations from the base game, each with unique units, buildings, and bonuses, and adds two new factions: the Malians, who excel at gold-based economies and infantry, and the Ottomans, who rely on military schools and a steady stream of free units. According to aggregated user reviews on Steam, the new civilisations are generally well received, with players praising their distinct playstyles and visual identity. The campaign mode offers historical documentaries interspersed with playable missions, covering conflicts such as the Hundred Years' War and the Mongol invasions. These documentary segments are produced in collaboration with historians and are widely considered a standout feature, providing context that many RTS campaigns lack. Multiplayer remains the game's primary draw, with ranked ladders and custom matches. The Anniversary Edition introduced a ranked season system and a map pool rotation, which, according to community feedback, improved the competitive experience compared to the launch version. However, some user reviews note that the game's pathfinding and unit responsiveness are occasionally inconsistent, particularly with melee units navigating around buildings or terrain. This is a common criticism in the RTS genre, but it is more noticeable here because the game's pacing is slower and more deliberate than contemporaries such as StarCraft II or Company of Heroes 3. The AI in skirmish mode is competent but predictable, often favouring large frontal assaults rather than flanking or economic harassment. The game also includes a cooperative mode for campaign missions, which was added post-launch and is included in the Anniversary Edition. This mode allows two players to control the same civilisation, splitting resource management and military control, which works well in practice but can feel redundant with a competent partner.

Who is Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition for?

Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is aimed squarely at two audiences: long-time fans of the Age of Empires series, and newcomers to the RTS genre who are intimidated by the complexity of modern competitive titles. For veterans, the game offers a familiar structure with enough mechanical updates to feel fresh, particularly in the new civilisations and the documentary campaign. For newcomers, the game includes a detailed tutorial system that explains resource gathering, unit counters, and building placement in a clear, step-by-step manner. The difficulty curve is gentler than many modern RTS games, and the campaign missions are designed to teach mechanics gradually rather than throwing players into complex scenarios. That said, the game is not for players who prefer fast-paced, micro-intensive RTS gameplay. The average match length is longer than in comparable titles, and the emphasis is on macro-management and strategic positioning rather than rapid unit control. Players who enjoy the historical setting and the educational framing of the campaigns will find more value here than those seeking a purely competitive esports experience. The game also supports modding, with official mod tools available on the Steam Workshop, which extends its longevity for players who enjoy custom scenarios and balance tweaks. According to player reviews on G2 and Steam, the game's community is active but smaller than that of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, so matchmaking times in less popular regions can be lengthy.

Graphics and performance

Visually, Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is a significant step up from its predecessor. The game uses a stylised art direction that is neither fully realistic nor cartoonish, sitting somewhere between the two. Buildings and units are highly detailed, and the animations for combat, resource gathering, and construction are smooth and readable. The game supports 4K resolution and high refresh rates, and the user interface is clean and customisable. According to official system requirements, the game runs on a wide range of hardware, but performance varies depending on the scale of the battle. User reviews on Steam report that the game generally runs well on mid-range PCs, but frame rate drops are common during large engagements with hundreds of units on screen. The game's engine is not as efficient as that of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, which can run on near-potato hardware, but it is far more demanding. The Anniversary Edition includes a benchmark tool that allows players to test their system's performance before entering multiplayer. The game also features a dynamic weather system and day-night cycles, which are purely cosmetic and do not affect gameplay. The soundtrack and sound design are competent, with period-appropriate music and clear unit response voice lines. However, the game's audio mixing can occasionally make battle sounds overwhelming, and the unit voices repeat frequently, which some players find grating over long sessions.

Value for money

The pricing for Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is listed on official store pages at a standard AAA price point, though it is frequently discounted during sales. The game is also included in Xbox Game Pass for PC, which offers a lower barrier to entry for subscribers. In terms of content, the Anniversary Edition includes the full base game, the two new civilisations, four new maps, and the cooperative campaign mode. There are no microtransactions or loot boxes, and all gameplay-affecting content is included in the purchase price. The campaign offers roughly 35 missions across four historical campaigns, and the skirmish mode against AI provides near-infinite replayability due to randomised maps and difficulty settings. The multiplayer component is the main source of long-term value, but its longevity depends on the size of the player base. Aggregated user reviews suggest that the game's community, while dedicated, is smaller than that of Age of Empires II, which means that ranked matchmaking can be slow outside peak hours. For players who already own the base game, the Anniversary Edition was offered as a free update, which is a generous move by the publisher. For new players, the value proposition is reasonable, but the game's high system requirements and the existence of the cheaper, more content-rich Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition may give some pause.

Verdict

Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition is a competent and polished RTS that successfully modernises a classic formula without alienating its core audience. The addition of the Malians and Ottomans adds meaningful variety, and the documentary campaign remains one of the most distinctive features in the genre. However, the game does not significantly innovate beyond the template set by its predecessors, and the performance issues during large battles are a persistent annoyance. For players who have never experienced an Age of Empires game, this is a solid entry point. For veterans of the series, it is a worthwhile addition, but not an essential one if they are still actively playing Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. The lack of a Metascore for this specific edition makes it difficult to compare directly with other releases, but the critical consensus on the base game, which was positive, appears to carry over to this version based on the lack of major negative feedback in aggregated reviews. The game is best recommended to those who enjoy historical settings, slower-paced strategy, and cooperative play. Competitive RTS players seeking a faster, more demanding experience should look elsewhere. Overall, it is a solid, well-made game that delivers exactly what it promises, but it does not push the genre forward in any meaningful way.