Starting with eight is a big endeavor, and then we're going to keep expanding Adam IsgreenĪfter spending much of the last decade playing games in the Total War series, though, Age of Empires still looks like a throwback to me. Units can now man the walls around a city to fight off attacks, making sieges more complex and suitably dramatic. He pointed to some major additions in Age 4, like units being able to hide in forests to pull off ambushes.
"So much time has passed, and other strategy games have evolved and iterated how RTS works," said Isgreen. Each has its own aesthetic, down to the architecture and clothes on workers in the fields. During the roundtable I also got quick looks at the Chinese and Delhi Sultanate, the other two confirmed civilizations. But, broadly, civilizations are more distinct from one another, or, as game designers love to say, "asymmetrical." The Mongols, for example, can pack up all their buildings and move them, something the English aren't about to do with a stone castle. There are still generic units shared between factions, because AOE4's developers decided to retain the triangle of cavalry, ranged units, and pikemen core to series' combat. As you go through ages one, two, three, four, these buildings grow and become more elaborate and more decorative, reflecting the technological refinements of each civ." It reflects the narrative: In age one you have almost primitive-looking buildings and structures using very basic materials. "The modeling actually changes, the textures change.
#AGE OF EMPIRES 4 GAMEPLAY PC#
Keep updated on the latest PC Gaming news by following GameWatcher on Twitter, checking out our videos on YouTube, giving us a like on Facebook, and joining us on Discord."Houses are different from each age," art director Zach Schlappi said. Today's Fan Preview event also shed light on Age of Empires 4's first single player campaign and the historical period it's set in, while also revealing what's next for the Definitive Editions of AoE 2 and AoE 3.Īge of Empires 4 is expected to launch at some point in Fall 2021. In addition, their language also evolves as they move through the four ages so, in England's case, you'll hear Old English morphing into Middle English. In terms of the scale, Game Director Quinn Duffy said that when development started, the target was for 4v4 matches with 200 units for each player, leading up to a total of 1600 units taking to the field with slaughter in mind.Īnother interesting detail, although perhaps having more to do with immersion, was confirmed by Narrative Lead Philippe Boulle, who revealed that each civilization has its own musical theme. But while they will all play differently, the asymmetry isn't total, as there will still be a pool of shared core units. This stems from the developers' desire to introduce asymmetrical factions that have their own distinct mechanics and unique units. In closing, a set of ships – possibly Japanese – were also teased. More importantly, they can also can pack up their base and relocate to a different spot on the map.Īt the climax of the footage, we saw a priest-type unit able to convert an entire mass of enemies with one Wololo by using a relic. England will feel quite similar to playing the Britons in Age of Empires 2, according to the developers, while Mongols have access to a sheep pen for an additional source of food. Where the Delhi Sultanate fields powerful War Elephants, the Chinese bring rocket batteries and gunpowder to the field. Forests act as hiding spots and your soldiers will whisper while in them, which is a neat little touch as far as immersion goes. Siege Towers unload troops directly on walls rather than magically teleporting them into the enemy's base.
But while there's a lot that's familiar, there's quite a bit that's new. The buildings that give the age its name return, ready to fire arrows down upon attackers. The Castle Age enables you to build impressive stone walls to guard your base. Scouts can round up sheep as they explore the map, bringing them back to base for an extra food source. Starting with the Dark Ages, berry bushes return, as do single buildings placed down next to resources to make gathering faster.
There's a lot that feels instantly recognizable in the first Age of Empires IV gameplay footage. Art Director Zach Schläppi confirmed in a Q&A session, which we attended, that building visuals also change as players progress through ages. Each civilization's units and buildings are easy to distinguish between thanks to detailed models that stay true to the uniforms, weapons, and architecture of their respective cultures.
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