Top 9 games like Age of Empires

 Age of Empires is an unforgettable classic and one of the best strategy games of all time. It is part of the RTS ( Real-Time Strategy ) genre, that is, real-time strategy. It is an important game and saga, as it helped lay the foundations of the genre.

Because of this, there are many games that have tried to copy the success of the Age of Empires. There are titles that take the same bases and expand some aspects, while others prefer to focus on giving a different RTS experience. If you love that game and want to play others that are similar, then in this guide you will find the best 9 games that are similar to Age of Empires!

1. Age of Mythology

We start the article with Age of Mythology, the sibling of Age of Empires! It is quite a famous game that takes the same foundations but focuses entirely on ancient mythologies. With this game, you have a great opportunity to embark on Greek, Egyptian and Norse legends.

You will control Arkantos in the main campaign, a military man from Atlantis. His mission is to hunt down Gargarensis, a Cyclops who seeks to destroy his hometown. This will take you on an adventure full of battles and conflicts between the three cultures mentioned above.

Similar to Age of Empires, the gameplay of Age of Mythology is simple. It is based on the construction of different types of structures and the collection of resources. All this will serve to form an army capable of destroying enemy units and cities. Besides, there is the Extended Edition, which includes more campaigns and mythologies for most fans of real-time strategy.

• You are interested in ancient cultures and mythologies.
• You prefer to play a game that includes monsters and legendary creatures instead of just humans.

2. Warcraft III

Warcraft III could not miss this list. It is one of the classic RTS and one of the most important for the genre along with Age of Empires. You can fight in battles as Humans, Orcs, Undead, or Night Elves, among other races. Units can be led by heroes, characters who are more powerful and can improve their attributes.

The main campaign of the game is huge. You will start with Reign of Chaos, which has a prologue with two chapters. After this start, the chapters will focus on different factions of the game. If you are left wanting more, The Frozen Throne expansion adds more content.

The multiplayer mode allows you to play on the single-player maps, although it is best to create, edit and customize the maps. For information, Warcraft III: Reforged has been released. Although it hasn't impressed fans much, it does include the content of the game and the expansion.

Play Warcraft III if:

• You are a die-hard fan of the Warcraft franchise.
• You prefer a satisfying adventure and story mode with the Blizzard hallmark.

3. Command & Conquer

With this franchise, we entered a field somewhat removed from Age of Empires. The first and most obvious difference is the theme. While Age of Empires focuses on the past, Command & Conquer always set each installment in a somewhat apocalyptic future. If we look at the Red Alert line, we experience a unique revision of historical facts.

The gameplay of this franchise focuses a lot on collecting crystals present throughout the map. After collecting them, it is necessary to refine them to use them and obtain resources during the game. The missions that help us progress usually consist of rescuing hostages, capturing enemy buildings, and, of course, eliminating your opponents!

The Command & Conquer franchise is an example of excellence in most of its games. Therefore, we encourage you to explore the Red Alert, Tiberium, and Generals lines, as they all have their own nuances and strengths.

Play Command & Conquer sagas if:

• You love the futuristic theme and also something apocalyptic.
• You want to get your hands on some very advanced technology.

4. Rise of Nations

Rise of Nations is one of the great successors of the Age of Empires. Although it takes some similar foundations, it distances itself from the said game by bringing new playable mechanics. One of them is the importance of land. Without going into too much detail, each type of army has advantages and disadvantages depending on the terrain it is on. Taking advantage of the environment is essential!

There are 18 civilizations to control in the Rise of Nations. All of them have unique and exclusive abilities, according to the historical references of each one. You can be in command from the Aztecs to the Koreans, passing through Turks, Greeks, Spaniards, Incas, and Romans.

Another difference between this game compared to Age of Empires and many other RTS is the presence of air units. In addition to land and sea units, it is possible to use planes and helicopters. In this way, there are a total of 200 units in the entire game, which you can unlock through 8 Ages.

These numbers wouldn't be as useful if it weren't for the excellent Rise of Nations campaign. In the course of it, it is possible to obtain bonus cards and forge alliances with your enemies. You will progress through the Ages, from the Ancient Age to the Information Age. Your ultimate goal? Conquer the world!

Play Rise of Nations if:

• You are looking for a game similar to Age of Empires but with more strategic elements.
• You want to enjoy a journey through the history of mankind.
• You are attracted to the idea of ​​surviving the changes of all the Ages and succeeding in conquering the world.

5. StarCraft II

The StarCraft games pioneered many elements of RTS. The theme is totally futuristic and features three different races: Protoss, Zergs, and Terrans. In the case of StarCraft II, the main story is divided into three chapters, each focusing on one of the three races.

The Multiplayer mode supports at least 7 players in a game. Even though StarCraft is from the late 90s, it is still played on quite a few servers all over the world. In fact, in 2017 it was remastered for PC. Regardless of the version, they all have a common goal: manage your bases to build armies and defeat your opponents.

On the other hand, StarCraft II was released in 2010. Although it maintains the same races as in the first game, new units were added that provide other tactical options for players. The focus is more on multiplayer, more balanced, and optimized.

Of course, this approach does not detract from the quality of the story of this sequel. As you play through all three campaigns, you'll enjoy high-quality cut-scenes and a good number of missions to complete. An essential game for all lovers of real-time strategy!

Play StarCraft II if:

• More than a futuristic game, you also want to play with and against races from other planets.
• You fancy an RTS where action and quick reaction prevail.

6. Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth

There is nothing better than a real-time strategy game to experience JRR Tolkien's universe. Battle for Middle-Earth contains four well-known factions: Mordor, Isengard, Gondor, and Rohan. In addition, the iconic characters of Middle-earth, such as Gandalf, Legolas, Galadriel and Sauron, cannot be missing.

Compared to Age of Empires, this game is much simpler in terms of gameplay. There are few military units available and the variety of buildings you can build is rather small. The interest of the game lies in its campaign mode, as it allows you to interact with the narrative and events of The Lord of the Rings. If you love this game, there is a sequel!

Play The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth if:

• You consider yourself a big fan of The Lord of the Rings and everything related to Middle Earth.
• You are looking for an RTS with somewhat simpler and more direct mechanics.

7. Empire Earth

Many gamers consider Empire Earth to be the game that expanded the Age of Empires formula. If the latter sounds like an excellent game to you, there's no way you won't love what Empire Earth has to offer. To begin with, it covers more epochs, since it begins with Prehistory and ends with the Space Age. Yes, in the future!

If the 15 Ages know you little, be careful with the other numbers. First of all, you can take control of up to 21 civilizations, depending on the campaign and era in which you play. And not only that, because in Empire Earth you can create your own civilization. Secondly, you can enjoy no less than 5 campaigns, including the learning one.

Third, this game includes both familiar and fictional heroes and the ability to build wonders with special features. You will see how Alexander the Great, Henry V and Julius Caesar, among others.

Of course, the premise of collecting resources and growing as an empire to be the most powerful of all is not lacking. If Empire Earth 1 isn't enough for you, the saga contains two other installments and a couple of expansions. You will have many weeks of fun!

Play Empire Earth if:

• You fell in love with everything Age of Empires is and are looking for a game that takes the formula to the next level.
• You are drawn to the idea of ​​playing historical heroes to further your plans of conquest.

8. 0 A.D.

You are facing a somewhat different game, without distancing itself much from what Age of Empires offers us. It is not a complete game and, in fact, it is still in what we call the alpha stage. However, it has caught the attention of many RTS lovers around the world, not because of what it currently offers, but because of what it claims to offer.

For now, it is set mainly in the time and civilizations of the years 500 to 1 BC, which includes Carthaginians, Celts, Iberians and Romans, among others. The goal is to also include others from the year 1 to 500 AD This game, 0 AD, has a strong economic and military component, challenging us to evolve and grow taking into account more aspects than we are used to in these games.

A peculiarity of 0 AD is the fact that it is open source and totally free. It is still in full development and many people are working hard to create mods and maps that help diversify the game, as well as give ideas for future expansion. It is a game that, ultimately, tries to be realistic historically speaking, but that takes its own licenses.

Play 0.AD if:

• You want to see how a strategy game takes shape over time.
• You would like to know what it would be like to see ancient civilizations at their peak fighting each other.
• You are looking for a free strategy game that reminds you of other RTS classics.

9. Stronghold

We end the article with a game that gives us a different experience. In Stronghold, the goal is not to take over the world with a civilization, race, or empire. Instead, you take control of a feudal lord in order to defend yourself and capture enemy castles.

In addition to the RTS components also present in other games, Stronghold includes castle simulator aspects. The economy and administration of your lands are crucial, especially not to fall into the hands of your enemies. Interestingly, the fire takes a lot of prominences! It is a powerful weapon, the usual way to corner and make your enemies surrender.

To make matters worse, Stronghold contains 21 missions that will challenge you to defend yourself and attack numerous enemies.