A series of popular real-time strategy games designed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft. First released in 1997, the series has sparked seven titles and three spin-offs.
The games take place during historical events starting from the Stone Age all the way to the Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Ages. Some installments focus on specific moments in history such as the Roman Empire or the Spanish Conquest of the New World. In all, players can choose to either complete the single-player campaign, which involves a pre-written storyline loosely based on actual events, or they can generate a random map. Random map mode is considered a hallmark of the series because it allows players to endlessly create random environments to pit their civilizations against one another or a computer opponent. Thus, no two games will ever be alike allowing endless replay possibilities. The AI is also highly touted for playing a “fair game” without resorting to cheating to beat the human player.
Age of Empires is well respected amongst the gaming community and has sold over 20 million copies. It is credited for making a significant influence on the real-time strategy genre through its innovative game play. The series has even been praised by parents for encouraging interest in history amongst their children.
