Age of Empires 2: Definitive Version will take a deep dive into its personal historical past when its Return of Rome DLC releases later at present. The enlargement is bringing over all 16 civilizations from the unique Age of Empires into the second sport, and even offers three of them their very own distinctive campaigns. Along with all that, it is including the brand new Lac Viet civ to the AOE 1 roster and introducing the D3 aggressive mode, which is outwardly tremendous fashionable in Vietnam.
I wrote about this one final month, nearer to its announcement, so I will not rehash all the small print right here. What I’ll say is that Return of Rome hits Steam and the Microsoft Retailer (opens in new tab) at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET / 6 pm BST at present, and—whereas I by no means suggest preordering something—you may nab it for 15% off (£8.50/$13) if you happen to decide it up earlier than it releases.
Though you may need idle fantasies of pitting AOE1’s Sumerians in opposition to AOE2’s Khmer, it is best to know that Return of Rome will exist as its personal, distinct part of AOE2: DE. As Microsoft defined in its “Return of Rome: Every part You Have to Know” submit, Return of Rome has a separate little bit of the sport’s most important menu. Whenever you click on, you are magically transported to a portion of the sport siloed off for Return of Rome content material, so you will not be capable of combine and match the brand new and previous civs. That applies to the Lac Viet, too.
In case you’re dissatisfied, you may at the very least take solace in the truth that Rome—and solely Rome—will even be added to AOE2’s roster of civs. It’s, in spite of everything, returning.
If, by some means, you have forgotten all of AOE1’s civilisations, listed below are the historic empires and societies that may be a part of the fray at present:
- Assyrians
- Babylonians
- Carthaginians
- Choson
- Egyptians
- Greeks
- Hittites
- Macedonians
- Minoans
- Palmyrans
- Persians
- Phoenicians
- Romans
- Shang
- Sumerians
- Yamato
- Plus the Lac Viet (who’re new)