Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is a remaster of Age of Empires II released on November 14, 2019.

It features 4K resolution graphical upgrades and a fully remastered soundtrack, and includes The Last Khans expansion adding four new civilizations based on Central Asia and Eastern Europe, and four new campaigns.



New features

 * The Age of Empires II HD base game and all expansions ported into the Definitive Edition
 * New graphics and effects, including building demolition
 * New soundtrack
 * Remastered original soundtrack
 * Each soundtrack set now begins with a theme of the civilization you are playing as
 * Allows you to select sets of soundtracks from the options
 * Toggleable options for old school fans
 * Automatic farm/fish trap reseeding
 * Global queue
 * Mixed units and tech queue
 * Progress bar for buildings, effects on them if they are working
 * Zoom
 * Challenge maps to learn mechanics such as boar luring and build orders
 * New server-based multiplayer
 * New AI that doesn't cheat, and a new level of difficulty: extreme
 * Reworked GUI with villagers working in each resource displayed in the top
 * Reworked and improved old campaigns, including changes to the civilizations displayed for a more accurate representation
 * Voice acting for Forgotten Empires campaigns
 * Changes to some civilizations architectural sets
 * Byzantines and Spanish now use the Mediterranean European set
 * Vietnamese now use the East Asian set
 * The Last Khans content
 * Modding possibility via Age of Empires web
 * New units and objects, and redesign for some old ones (e.g. "sea wall")
 * Crests for each civilization which appear in various places
 * Improved spectator mode and multiplayer, including native streaming support
 * Crossplay between Steam and Microsoft Store
 * New functions on the main menu
 * Historical Battles (Battles of the Conquerors and Battles of the Forgotten renamed and combined into one new section)
 * The Art of War (learning advances game techniques, e.g., booming, early economy, fast Castle Age)
 * Campaigns reorganized according to geography
 * Difficulty of campaign shown next to name (more swords, more difficult)
 * Manual gate rotation (using mouse-wheel)
 * New scenario editor features, including a reworked triggers system.
 * Empire Wars game mode

Civilizations
Like Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms and Rise of the Rajas, this expansion adds four new civilizations from the same general geographical area (Eastern Europe and Central Asia, in this case).


 * Bulgarians (Eastern Europe): When nomadic Bulgar horsemen approached the Danube in the 7th century and encountered the local Slavic tribes, the stirrups that they brought changed European cavalry warfare forever. Fortify the nearby mountain passes with formidable Kreposts and punish overconfident invaders with powerful combined armies of cavalry, infantry, and siege engines! Your valiant Konniks, the pride of your army, will continue to fight fearlessly even after their horses are felled beneath them.
 * Lithuanians (Eastern Europe): The forested boglands east of the Baltic Sea hold more than meets the eye. Coagulate the various Baltic tribes into a Grand Duchy with a new religion, smash invading forces with powerful cavalry and mobile spearmen and javelineers, and assemble the largest empire in late-medieval Europe! The Lithuanian unique unit is the Leitis, a heavy cavalry unit who strikes with such vigor that all armor is useless against his weaponry.
 * Cumans (new Central Asia architecture): The vast Eurasian plains were home to nomadic tribes whose steppe husbandry and fearsome exploits still live on in the records of their terrified neighbors. Lead the Cuman-Kipchak hordes to war and pillage to your heart’s content, or offer your riders as coveted mercenaries in the service of foreign kings. When an even greater threat looms to the east, will you migrate west and adopt the lifestyle and warcraft of your sedentary neighbors, or vanish before an unstoppable wave of Mongol conquerors?
 * Tatars (Central Asia): For centuries, fierce nomads roamed the Central Asian steppe, periodically launching distant migrations or campaigns to conquer or extort their sedentary neighbors. Don arrow-resistant silk armor and dominate the hills and plains with mobile horsemen and cavalry archers, or join the Mongol hordes and swell the ranks of the Keshiks, honored bodyguards of the Great Khan himself! Dare you follow in the footsteps of Tamerlane and mercilessly conquer an empire from Transoxiana to India, Anatolia, and Russia?

Common

 * Steppe Lancer: Ranged melee cavalry, available at the Stable for Central Asian civilizations (Cumans and Tatars).
 * Xolotl Warrior: Mesoamerican cavalry equal to the Knight Line, available at a converted Stable (Aztecs and Incas)

Unique

 * Konnik: Castle unique unit of the Bulgarians, cavalry unit that creates a Dismounted Konnik infantry when killed at no cost.
 * Kipchak: Castle unique unit of the Cumans, multi-shot cavalry archer.
 * Leitis: Castle unique unit of the Lithuanians, cavalry with an attack that ignores armor.
 * Keshik: Castle unique unit of the Tatars, cavalry that generates gold while attacking other units.

Fauna

 * Pig (herdable)
 * Goose (herdable)
 * Cow (herdable) - Now with four variants
 * Ibex (huntable)
 * Horse - Now with five variants
 * Bactrian Camel
 * Wild Bactrian Camel
 * Snow Leopard (hostile)

Heroes

 * Alaric the Goth
 * Athaulf
 * Tsar Konstantin

Other

 * Flaming Camel
 * Ox Wagon
 * Ox Cart
 * Sosso Guard
 * Khan
 * Merchant
 * Ninja
 * Iroquois Warrior
 * Mounted Samurai
 * Town Center (Packed)

Cheat units

 * Photonman - Cheat unit

Buildings

 * Krepost: Unique building of the Bulgarians, small Castle that can train Konniks but not research technologies.

Unknown

 * Shrine
 * Tower of London
 * Dormition Cathedral
 * Paifang Gate
 * Sankore Madrasah
 * Aachen Cathedral
 * Rock Church

Common

 * Supplies: Militia line units cost . Cost: . Available to all civilizations except Goths.

Unique

 * Silk Armor (Tatars): Scout line and Cavalry Archers +1 pierce armor.
 * Timurid Siegecraft (Tatars): Trebuchets +1 range.
 * Stirrups (Bulgarians): Scout line and Konniks +25% attack speed.
 * Bagains (Bulgarians): Militia line +3 armor.
 * Steppe Husbandry (Cumans): Scout line and Cavalry Archers train 80% faster.
 * Cuman Mercenaries (Cumans): Team members can train up to 10 Elite Kypchaks for free at the Castle.
 * Hill Forts (Lithuanians): Town Centers have +3 range.
 * Tower Shields (Lithuanians): Spearman and Skirmisher lines +1 pierce armor.
 * Kamandaran (Persians): Archer-line gold cost is replaced by additional wood cost.

Campaigns

 * Tamerlane (Tatars): In the 14th century, while lesser men tear apart the decaying remains of the Mongol Empire, Tamerlane sees entropy as opportunity. A brilliant, charismatic tactician bred on the rugged steppes of Transoxiana, can he restore the splendor of the fractured state—even if he must slaughter half of its inhabitants in the process?
 * Ivaylo (Bulgarians): During the Mongol invasions, a pig farmer leads a militia defending the Bulgarian villages. But when his victories attract the attention of the Tsar and his nobles, he is forced to lead a mass uprising. Can a man of such humble origins defy the established order and give his people freedom?
 * Kotyan Khan (Cumans): For centuries, the Cumans throve on the vast plains of Eurasia. Now, a new threat comes from the East – Mongols, ruthless beyond imagination and seemingly invincible. Kotyan, the khan of a small clan, must unite the Cumans to resist the invaders. Will he save his people, even if it means abandoning their ancestral lands and ancient ways?
 * Pachacuti (Incas): Countless tribes vie for supremacy in the steep mountain valleys and dense jungles of South America. But which will prevail and earn the favor of the gods? As treachery and discord gnaw at the young empire of the Inca, the destiny of an entire people lies in the hands of a single man

Map Editor-related changes

 * New trigger conditions:
 * Diplomacy State
 * Object HP
 * Object Not Visible
 * Researching Tech
 * Technology State
 * Units Garrisoned
 * Variable Value
 * New trigger effects:
 * Acknowledge AI Signal
 * AI Script Goal
 * Attack Move
 * Change Civilization Name
 * Change Object Cost
 * Change Object Description
 * Change Object Icon
 * Change Object Stance
 * Change Player Name
 * Change Research Location
 * Change Train Location
 * Change Variable
 * Create Garrisoned Object
 * Enable/Disable Object
 * Enable/Disable Technology
 * Modify Attribute
 * Modify Resource
 * Modify Resource By Variable
 * Set Player Visibility
 * New objects:
 * Chain - Similar to Palisade Wall, only available in Map Editor and appears in certain campaigns including Attila the Hun.
 * Nubian Pyramid
 * City Gate - (City Wall counterpart)
 * Butterflies
 * Cart - Eyecandy
 * Temple Ruin
 * Well - Eyecandy
 * Army Tent - (Comes in 5 variants)
 * Huts - (Comes in 7 variants)
 * Target - Eyecandy (Comes in 2 variants)
 * Tent - (Comes in 5 variants)
 * 3 new barricade variants
 * 2 new pagoda variants
 * 1 new bridge variant
 * 1 new torch variant
 * New statue variants (Civilization, Column, "Right")
 * Movable map revealer
 * Invisible Object
 * Contraption

Changelog

 * Tracking removed: Effects apply to all civilizations for free upon reaching the Feudal Age. Slavs receive free Supplies instead.
 * Watch Tower HP reduced from 1020 to 700 before the Castle Age
 * Camel renamed Camel Rider (and its upgrades renamed accordingly).
 * Arbalest renamed Arbalester.
 * Nordic Swordsman renamed Norse Warrior.
 * Elite Skirmisher upgrade cost increased from 200w/100g to 230w/130g.
 * Herbal Medicine effect increased by 50%.
 * (Palisade) Gate armor decreased to 0/0 while under construction.
 * Palisade Gate cost increased from 20w to 30w.
 * Elite Battle Elephant attack reduced from 16 to 14.
 * Dry Dock and Berber ship speed bonus no longer reduce gold per trip for Trade Cogs.
 * Eagle Scout -1 line of sight and search radius in the Dark Age.
 * Trebuchets now deal damage after packing or getting destroyed.
 * Fixed the issue which made houses able to attack.
 * Fixed the issue with Chemistry not increasing attack of secondary Castle arrows.
 * Fixed the issue with side parts of diagonal gates being walkable during construction.
 * Fixed the issue where the Burmese Relic bonus would permanently reveal spots on the map.

Berbers

 * (Elite) Genitours receive +2 attack vs Spearmen line.

Britons

 * Warwolf cost increased to 800w, 400g (from 500w, 250g).

Franks

 * Cavalry +20% HP bonus only available from the Feudal Age.

Incas

 * Slingers -1 attack (reduced from 5 to 4).

Italians

 * Genoese Crossbowman reload time reduced from 3 to 2.

Khmer

 * Fixed the issue with Ballista Elephant attack being inconsistent.
 * Fixed the issue with Chemistry not increasing attack of secondary Ballista Elephant bolt.
 * Receive Faith.
 * Receive Hussar.
 * Lose Shipwright.

Koreans

 * Receive “Military units (except siege weapons) cost -15% wood”.
 * Lose “Fortifications built faster”.

Malay

 * Harbors minimum range increased to 1 (from 0). Requires Murder Holes to reduce to 0 range.
 * Harbors base attack reduced from 6 to 3. Bonus attack vs Ships increased from 9 to 10.
 * Forced Levy changes gold cost into additional food cost (instead of removing it).
 * Forced Levy cost decreased to 850f, 500g (from 1000f, 600g).

Malians

 * Receive Fast Fire Ship.
 * Lose Galleon.

Mongols

 * Destroyed house foundations no longer provide population space with the “Nomads” technology.

Persians

 * Town Centers and Docks work +5% faster in Dark Age.
 * Boiling Oil replaced by Kamandaran. Kamandaran (200f, 200g) replaces gold cost of foot archers with additional wood cost.

Saracens

 * All Archers (except Skirmishers) now deal +3 bonus damage vs buildings.
 * Market costs -100w (instead of -75w).
 * (Elite) Mameluke firing delay reduced.
 * Halberdiers -5 attack vs Mamelukes.

Spanish

 * (Elite) Conquistadors receive damage from anti-cavalry archer attacks.
 * Missionaries heal as quickly as normal Monks.
 * Missionaries affected by Husbandry.

Slavs

 * Receive Faith.
 * Receive free Supplies (instead of Tracking).
 * Farmers work 10% faster (lowered from 15% faster).
 * (Elite) Boyar training time reduced to 15s (from 23s/20s).

Teutons

 * Receive Herbal Medicine.
 * Murder Holes & Herbal Medicine free.

Vietnamese

 * Receive Husbandry.
 * Paper Money cost reduced to 500f, 300w (from 800f, 200g) and research time increased to 60s (from 40s).

Audio
Example of the new extended civilization theme, for the Malays.