Real-time strategy game. The game covers the Medieval Period, starting from the fall of Rome. The game offers high paced action played on an isometric landscape a huge number of units types are incorporated. The game allows you to take control of 13 civilizations; the Britons, Celts, Franks, Goths, Teutons, Vikings, Mongols, Chinese, Japanese, Byzantines, Persians, Saracens and Turks. There are four ages to work through (Dark, Feudal, Castle and Imperial). Each culture includes unique and historically accurate unit and building designs.
There are multiple play options. Apart from the single and multi-player death matches there is a good selection of challenging single-player campaign missions. As in the previous game, maps can be randomly generated or designed using the comprehensive map-editor function. Eight new maps types have been added since the last game.
There is a variety of victory criteria, including those based on resource accumulation as well as combat success. In addition, victory can be achieved, for instance, by building a Wonder of the World, collecting all the relics on a map or by protecting your king whilst assassinating enemy monarchs (regicide mode).
The single-player campaign game has undergone a major revamp. The original campaign with its set of missions has been replaced by four smaller campaigns which put you in the place of a famous historical figure, such as Genghis Khan or Joan of Arc. Use is now made of in-game cut sequences to develop the story.
Resource management plays an important part in the game. There are four main resources (food, wood, gold and stone). There is a great deal of complexity to the resource management - for instance you can herd sheep or hunt deer and build mills and storage capacity.
The combat system remains effective. The interface has been refined since the first game. An innovative feature is the capacity for automatic grouping of your troops in various formations. The AI has also been improved.
The game's graphics are effective - units are easily recognizable and detailed. A good selection of audio is incorporated.
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