Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Review

7.0

Format PlayStation 2

Developer Microsoft

Publisher Konami

Genre Sim / Strategy

History. Tedious, eh? Sat at school learning who did what to whom. But if they put a line of PS2s and some copies of Age of Empires 2 in the classroom, they'd have people clamouring to study.

KILLERS IN KILTS
You command forces in historical campaigns, from the Middle Ages' England vs Scotland scraps (as in Braveheart) to Joan of Arc (as in human BBQ). Developing buildings, troops and technologies, then assigning tasks gets really involving, and you'll find yourself whizzing all over the maps to keep an eye on everything. Thank God for a decent control system, then.

AoE2's very addictive n not surprising as it's almost identical to the impressive PC original. It may not look like an action-packed game on the surface, but when the fighting starts you'll be as tense as the shock absorbers on Victorious BIG's car (may he rest in peace). And, as complex as it looks n and gets at times n you never feel overawed or out of control.

Les Ellis