Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition Review: Is It Worth Playing?

Absolutely, especially for fans of the genre or series. The Anniversary Edition bundles the acclaimed base game with all post-launch content, including new civilizations, maps, and features. It offers immense value with polished, deep strategic gameplay, beautifully produced historical campaigns, and a thriving competitive and cooperative multiplayer scene. The developers have shown strong ongoing support, making it a live, evolving title that justifies its price for hundreds of hours of engagement.

Completion time varies greatly by playstyle. The four extensive narrative campaigns, focusing on the Normans, Hundred Years' War, Mongol Empire, and Rise of Moscow, take roughly 30-40 hours to complete at a standard pace. Mastering the game, however, can take hundreds of hours. This includes learning eight unique civilizations, achieving high ranks in competitive multiplayer, exploring all co-op modes, and completing masteries and challenges, offering near-endless replayability.

Yes, multiplayer is a cornerstone of the experience. You can team up or compete against friends in ranked and unranked matches for up to 8 players. The game features robust matchmaking, custom lobbies, and shared lobby codes. Additionally, the co-op vs. AI mode is perfect for learning together. The Anniversary Edition also introduced new team-based achievements and continues to add content that enhances the social and competitive aspects of play.

Age of Empires IV is available natively on PC (Steam, Microsoft Store) and Xbox consoles (Series X/S, One via cloud). The Anniversary Edition is included with PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass at no extra cost, offering the full experience. There is no announced plan for PlayStation or Nintendo Switch ports. The game leverages Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing cross-progression and purchase between the Microsoft Store and Xbox consoles.

Age of Empires IV modernizes the formula with more immersive 3D graphics, asymmetric civilizations with vastly unique mechanics, and documentary-style campaign presentation. AoE II: DE offers unparalleled depth with over 40 civilizations and decades of refined, balanced gameplay, appealing to purists. AoE IV is more accessible for newcomers with clearer unit counters and modern quality-of-life features, while still providing deep strategic complexity. Both are excellent, with AoE IV representing the evolutionary future of the series.