Age of Empires IV Key Art

New Age of Empires IV Trailers Receive Mixed Reviews Among Fans

Over the weekend, Age of Empires IV released two new trailers, but the visuals have left a lot of fans disappointed.

Age of Empires already secured its legacy long ago. Upon release, players praised the historical theme of the game as it focused on Europe, Africa and Asia. The playthrough started in the Stone Age and ended in the Iron Age. Eventually, an expansion explored the formation and development of the Roman Empire.

The sequel, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, took place in the Middle Ages. Its expansion added to the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Age of Empires III is a collection of three games. They explored the early modern period when an ascendant Europe colonised the Americas, and several Asian nations were declining. Moreover, the AI opponents stood out in their relative lack of cheats compared to their contemporary and even modern counterparts. The critical acclaim translated into commercial success with over 25 million copies sold all games combined.

The Age of Empires IV Teaser Trailers

Age of Empires IV is the latest addition to an already accomplished franchise. Without a doubt, the expectations from fans are high. The new game boasts eight asymmetric civilisations; different playing styles, technology trees and so on. These civilisations include the Abbasid Dynasty, Chinese, English, French, Mongols, the Rus, Delhi Sultanate, and the Holy Roman Empire.

The game also contains four new historical campaigns; The Rise of Moscow, The Mongol Empire, Norman Campaign, and the 100 Years War. According to initial observations, a brand new three-dimensional terrain will grant bonuses to units on the high ground. This includes archers who can now rain arrows on their enemies while standing on walls.

However, once the Naval Warfare teaser trailer dropped (see above), fans ripped into the poor visuals. One person described the graphics as ‘‘cartoonish.’’ Another fan opted for a cheeky ‘‘Nice 2010 graphics.’’ Needless to say, few were impressed by this display, and even fewer were willing to pay for it. The Abbasid Dynasty trailer was also revealed. Although not much can be gathered from the clip, except that they ride camels, the House of Wisdom is important, and it’s the Islamic Golden Age.

In the end, even the power of nostalgia cannot blind demanding fans from mediocre graphics. Whether Age of Empires IV will create a whole new generation of ”wololo” chanters or be the franchise’s downfall remains to be seen. You can pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition right now on the Age of Empires official website. The game launches day one for Xbox Game Pass on PC on October 28th, 2021.