One game that made a lot of noise in 2006 was Ancient Empires II (AE2). Mainly for having won awards such as “Game of the Year” by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. The turn-based strategy game with scenarios divided into frames (similar to a chessboard) was very well received by the public and critics. However Ancient Empires was not a totally original game, it had several references and similarities with Advance Wars, GameBoy Advance game originally released in 2011.
Possessing all these qualities, the least we can imagine is that AE2 is stamped on all operators' download portals. Well, that's not exactly what happened. Currently, the game is not very well distributed, it is difficult to find and its gameplay does not match the current Gamer scenario. Because? Because in addition to not having a native touchscreen version, the game is difficult and frustrating at times. The “trial and error” method does not work very well with this game, as the matches last well over 30 minutes. This last factor makes AE2 a middle ground between mobile and console gaming.
Let's match. It's boring to play for an hour and find that the battle is compromised and it's better to start over. That's the first thing to learn about AE2. The game deserves respect in terms of difficulty.
The resemblance to chess is undeniable. In addition to having the king/queen that is more powerful than the other characters, we have a large board with several terrain changes that directly impact the character's defense and attack. When you are on a mountain or in a castle, you gain additional defense points.
The story
AE2 begins almost immediately after the first game ends, with Galamar and Valadorn (free from magic) now having to fight a demonic invasion led by the demon Saeth. The brothers split up in their attempt to defend their lands. They discover that the demons have focused their attacks on various temples and are stealing mystical crystals. They eventually come to face Saeth, only to find that he has been using the crystals to activate an ancient weapon of great power - Heaven's Fury. Now the brothers must use all the strength they have to defeat Saeth's army before they use this weapon.
online content
Although not easy to find, Its content online is still available. You can download new maps and new challenges to continue enjoying AE2. One of the most interesting things is that the game had a lot of online content available. This was in 2005. There were news and lots of maps and missions for skymish mode.
Multiplayer local
The game's multiplayer mode was in the "pass your cell" style. It was a nice option but as the matches take a long time, I believe the experience is impaired.
Produced by Macrospace, a company that had good artists and programmers, Ancient Empire II was a game that marked a lot. It had a very colorful graphic for the time and due to the amount of content, it made the game "last" a lot on your device and gave the feeling of paying off the investment. For strategy fans, AE2 is a game more than indicated. The story isn't the best, but the battles are ALWAYS intricate with little room for failure. this leaves a good impression, especially for challenge fans.
[originally published April 16, 2012]
