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| Age of Empires: The Age of Kings on DS | |
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| Topic Started: Dec 23 2008, 11:29 PM (780 Views) | |
| Tyford | Dec 23 2008, 11:29 PM Post #1 |
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This is a re-hash of my review in the main forum of Age of Empires on the DS. There are a few corrections and differences (e.g. spelling mistakes corrected and observations updated). I bought Age of Empires DS off Amazon.co.uk, and I was pleasantly surprised at it's addictiveness. While not being Age of Empires II as I knew it on the PC, the DS version is certainly a one-off. The most obvious difference between the PC series and the DS game is that on the DS it is turn-based. This is not a bad thing, as going across the screen when you come under attack would be cumbersome, so the change from real-time to turn-based was a good idea. Visuals are good, but it can become cluttered, especially when several units are on the screen at once. Controls are basic, but there are two control styles - touch-screen and control pad/buttons. As to which you go for depends on personal preference, but I usually use the buttons as it is easier to use. AI isn't as good as it could be, but it puts up a challenging fight. Features include Campaign (play as the Saracens, French, English (incorrectly called the British in the game), Mongols and Japanese), Empire Map (scenario mode, set up a battle and then play) and Empire points. Empire points are pretty interesting. For each Empire Map you win you get so many points (usually 50 or 100). With each campaign mission you gain so many points for winning, and additional points for completing optional objectives (such as retrieve a relic as Joan of Arc, or hold all the bridges as Yoshitsune (the Japanese general)). You can then spend these points on additional units and maps (including such battles as Hastings and Agincourt). The campaigns (split between the five civilisations) are pretty difficult to win towards the end, and with each campaign you complete, the next one down the list is progressively harder (although all are playable from the beginning). In Empire Map you can switch 'Blackmap' and 'Fog of war' on and off, and the AI can be set to aggressive (Attila), normal (Ave) and passive (Turtle) and set to easy, normal or hard AI. The tutorial (which is the first campaign, where you play Joan of Arc of the French) explains everything you need to know about the game, and all information is shown in text, with the option of reading it again. Research is in the game, but it looks like it was an afterthought. You also have the four ages you have in Age of Empires to advance through (in Age of Empires II and DS they are the: Dark Ages (once again referred to as the Dark Age, but I prefer the former), Feudal Age, Castle Age, Imperial Age). The research acts as the pre-cursor to more units and buildings in each age. The game-killing bugs are only in early American versions, and are not game problems here in the UK. Overall Age of Empires DS is a very good game. While not as good as it's PC counterpart this is a worthy addition to the strategy genre on the DS. Now, I can't wait to play Age of Empires: Mythologies on the DS. Score 9.5/10 DGC A, I think Edited by Tyford, Jan 12 2009, 03:24 PM.
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| CW [DG] | Dec 24 2008, 12:01 AM Post #2 |
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I didn't know the bugs weren't in the UK version. Must put this on the wish list now. A great review to start this new forum with. 
Edited by CW [DG], Dec 24 2008, 12:01 AM.
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| Tyford | Dec 24 2008, 12:06 PM Post #3 |
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Thanks. The game killing bugs only occur in early American versions, so it must have been a batch of bad cartridges, or the bug was looked at and fixed for Europe and the UK. This is probably why it took so long to be released over here. |
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| Tyford | Jan 12 2009, 03:25 PM Post #4 |
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I've added a score, and DGC, and the review can go on the main Deaf Gamers website, if you want. |
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| Tyford | Feb 12 2009, 08:12 PM Post #5 |
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I got Age of Empires Mythologies when it was out (it is, in effect, a late Chanukah present), and I will hopefully write a review for that game soon. It seems, during the first play at least, to be a more complex and longer game. The tutorials are all in text, rather than sound. The game will be reviewed after I have played some more, unless someone beats me to it first, of course  .
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