The game's main menu theme
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is a remaster of Age of Empires II, released on November 14, 2019. It was launched as update 32708.
It features a fully remastered soundtrack, multiple quality of life improvements, significant graphical upgrades, and includes all content from Age of Empires II: HD Edition and The Last Khans, an expansion that adds four new civilizations based on Central Asia (the Cumans and the Tatars) and Eastern Europe (the Bulgarians and the Lithuanians), and three new campaigns (for Tatars, Cumans, and Bulgarians). It also includes the Enhanced Graphics Pack that increases the Definitive Edition to ultra-high fidelity resolution. It also features an extensive rework of the campaigns of The Forgotten.
On December 15, 2020, a new expansion was announced, Lords of the West. It features two new civilizations based on historical kingdoms of Western Europe (the Burgundians and the Sicilians), three new campaigns (for Burgundians, Sicilians, and Britons), and new achievements. It was released on January 26, 2021.
On April 10, 2021, the second expansion was announced, Dawn of the Dukes. It features two new civilizations from Central and Eastern Europe (the Bohemians and the Poles), three new campaigns (for Poles, Bohemians, and Lithuanians), and new achievements. It was released on August 10, 2021. In addition, new cooperative campaigns and Historical Battles were announced and have been gradually added since July 6, 2021.
On June 2021, the Co-Op game mode was announced. Between July 2021 and January 2022, co-op versions of several campaigns and scenarios were added.
On April 14, 2022, the third expansion was announced, Dynasties of India. It features four new civilizations from South Asia (the Bengalis, Dravidians, Gurjaras, and Hindustanis), by reworking and splitting the existing Indians civilization, three new campaigns (for Bengalis, Dravidians, and Tatars/Hindustani) and new achievements. It was released on April 28, 2022.
On October 25, 2022, on the 25th Anniversary of the Age of Empires series, it was announced that Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will be available on Xbox on January 31, 2023. It has an exclusive William Wallace Learning Campaign Scenario to use the controller, Story mode difficulty level for campaigns, new UI/UX for controller input, Villager command menu, priority presets, site-based commands, and can be played using a mouse and keyboard. In addition to this release, 10 new achievements were added. Also, Age of Empires was announced to be ported to the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Engine as the Return of Rome expansion, with three campaigns for Return of Rome (For Sumerians, Macedonians, and Romans), new achievements, and also a new civilization, the Romans (Initially available for singleplayer and unranked multiplayer games, but later available for ranked multiplayer games in a later update) for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
On October 11, 2023, another expansion was leaked in the Xbox Store, The Mountain Royals. It features two new civilizations from the Caucasus (the Armenians and Georgians), as well as a rework of the Persians and three new campaigns (for the Armenians, Georgians, and Persians). It was released on October 31, 2023. With its release, the developers delivered everything in the roadmap which was teased with update 63482.
On January 31, 2024, it was announced that the sixth expansion will be campaign-focused. On February 23, 2024, the Victors and Vanquished expansion was officially unveiled.[1]
New features[]
- Base Age of Empires II: HD Edition game and all previous expansions ported into the Definitive Edition
- The Last Khans content
- Changes to some civilization architectural sets
- Mediterranean and East European sets reworked
- Byzantines and Spanish now use the Mediterranean set
- Vietnamese now use the East Asian set
- Crest symbols for each civilization
- Cross-play functionality between Microsoft Store and Steam versions
- Empire Wars game mode
- Global queue display
- Improved and reworked campaigns, including changes to the civilizations that feature for a more accurate representation
- Voice acting added for The Forgotten campaigns
- Improved spectator mode and multiplayer, including native streaming support
- Manual gate rotation (using mouse-wheel)
- Mixed technology and unit queue
- Modding via Age of Empires web platform
- New AI that does not cheat, and a new level of difficulty: Extreme
- New main menu features and functions
- Campaign difficulty indicators (the more swords, the more difficult)
- Campaign pages reorganized to geographical regions
- Historical Battles section (combined Battles of the Conquerors and Battles of the Forgotten)
- The Art of War challenges on learning advanced gameplay tactics (e.g. booming, early economy, fast Castle Age)
- El Dorado campaign replaced by Pachacuti, features Incas and is presented as The Forgotten campaign
- New graphics and effects, including demolished building animations
- New objects and units, in addition to redesigns for some old ones (e.g. Sea Wall)
- New, fully remastered soundtrack
- Each soundtrack set now begins with a theme of the civilization being played
- Options allow for the selection of soundtrack sets
- New scenario editor features, including a reworked triggers system
- New server-based multiplayer
- Progress bar for buildings, effects on them if they are working
- Reworked interface that displays the number of villagers working on each resource
- Toggleable gameplay and interface options for veteran players
- Toggles for automatic Farm and Fish Trap reseeding
- Zoom functionality
The Last Khans content[]
The expansion's main theme
(present in the game files)
Civilizations[]
Like The African Kingdoms and Rise of the Rajas, this expansion adds four new civilizations from almost the same general geographical area.
| Architecture set | Civilizations |
|---|---|
| Eastern Europe |  Bulgarians
|
 Lithuanians
| |
| Central Asia (new) |  Cumans
|
 Tatars
|
- Bulgarians: 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: 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: 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: 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?
Units[]
Common[]
Steppe Lancer - Elite Steppe Lancer: Light cavalry unit with additional range, available at the Stable for Central Asian civilizations (Cumans and Tatars) and Mongols (the latter since update 35584).- Xolotl Warrior: Native American cavalry equal to the Knight Line, available at a Stable (Aztecs, Incas and Mayans).
Unique[]
- Konnik: Castle unique unit of the Bulgarians, heavy cavalry unit that creates at no cost a Dismounted Konnik infantry when killed.
- Kipchak: Castle unique unit of the Cumans, multi-shot cavalry archer.
- Leitis: Castle unique unit of the Lithuanians, heavy cavalry with an attack that ignores armor.
- Keshik: Castle unique unit of the Tatars, heavy 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)
- Butterflies - Three variants
Heroes[]
Other[]
Cheat units[]
Buildings[]
- Krepost: Unique building of the Bulgarians, small Castle that can only train Konniks but not research technologies.
Editor only[]
Technologies[]
Common[]
- Supplies: Militia line units cost -15 food. Cost: 150 food, 100 gold. Available to all civilizations except Goths.
Unique[]
- Silk Armor (Tatars): Scout Cavalry line and all Cavalry Archers +1 pierce armor.
- Timurid Siegecraft (Tatars): Trebuchets +1 range.
- Stirrups (Bulgarians): Scout Cavalry line and Konniks +33% attack speed.
- Bagains (Bulgarians): Militia line +3 armor.
- Steppe Husbandry (Cumans): Scout Cavalry and Cavalry Archer lines train 400% faster.
- Cuman Mercenaries (Cumans): All team members can train up to 10 Elite Kipchaks for free at the Castle in the Imperial Age (slot 4).
- 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 an additional 25 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?
Definitive Edition content[]
New campaigns[]
- 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.
- The Art of War (Challenge Scenarios): Uncover the strategic wisdom of Sun Tzu and practice your Age of Empires II skills in a series of short challenges. In each challenge, you will strive to earn a medal and prove your worth to your friends and enemies.
Reworked campaigns[]
- The population cap in most of the original The Age of Kings and The Conquerors campaigns is increased. All campaigns from The Forgotten were reworked.
- Alaric ( Goths)
- Bari ( Byzantines)
- Vlad Dracula (Magyars/Slavs/Turks, significant changes to The Dragon Spreads His Wings and The Moon Rises)
- Prithviraj ( Indians)
- Sforza ( Italians)
- Yodit ( Ethiopians, significant changes to Welcome Home)
Reworked Historical Battles[]
[]
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 Color Mood
- 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
- Script Call
- Set Player Visibility
New objects:
- Chain – similar to Fortified Palisade Wall, but weaker
- Nubian Pyramid
- City Gate – City Wall counterpart
- Dismantled Cart – eyecandy
- Temple Ruin – eyecandy, similar to Ruins
- Well – eyecandy
- Army Tent – comes in 5 variants
- Huts – comes in 7 variants
- Paifang Gate
- 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 – removed
Non-gameplay content[]
- On 11 December 2023, alongside update 99311, three packs of purchasable cosmetic content in the form of animated player icons were released: La Hire's Dry Humor, Joan's Marvelous Moving Masterpieces, and Barbarossa's Barrel of Pickled Goods.
Trivia[]
- The announcement trailers were voiced by Charles Dance.
- All civilizations introduced in The Last Khans have strong focus on cavalry units, as well having mounted units as unique units. Also, all of the new unique units are affected by either a civilization bonus or unique technology. All civilizations have Paladin or equivalently strong units.
- According to Microsoft creative director Adam Isgreen and developers Forgotten Empires, the new civilizations introduced are planned to be the last ones as they consider having reached a sufficient number of civilizations to feature in the game. However, due to the overwhelming success of the title and community enthusiasm, plans have changed in that regard according to Cysion (Bert Beeckman), founder of Forgotten Empires.[2]
- The intro cinematic was later updated in a patch to replace the "Exclusive" text, which was used at the start of the trailers of Xbox One exclusive games, to the "Xbox Game Studios" text, to fit with the Xbox Game Studios logo.
- The Last Khans is the last expansion to introduce a new architecture set, real-world maps, and soundtrack.
Age of Empires II communities[]
- Discord: Age of Empires II: https://discord.com/channels/585165441790509094/
- Twitter: Age of Empires: https://twitter.com/ageofempires
- Reddit: Age of Empires II: https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/
- AoEZone - The international Age Of Empires community: https://www.aoezone.net/
- Age of Empires Forums: https://forums.ageofempires.com/c/age-of-empires-ii/104
- Age of Notes Guides: https://ageofnotes.com/
Gallery[]
Definitive Edition[]
The Last Khans[]
Videos[]
References[]
- ↑ https://www.ageofempires.com/news/new-year-new-age-announcement/
- ↑ Bert Beeckman's comment. Reddit. 16 December 2020.
