Age of Mythology
Games Like Age of Empires If You’re Looking For Something Similar
Also developed by Ensemble Studios, the creators of Age of Empires, Age of Mythology released in 2002 and is a spin-off of the former game series. Rather than being based on historical events and famous names, Mythology is based on the tales of Greek, Egyptian, and Norse mythology and is set in Atlantis.
It follows the same RTS structure of Empires, with you choosing between the three mythological civilizations and building armies to conquer the opponents. You can build up ranks of Minotaurs and Cyclopes, while managing your resources and scouting out your rivals. Your own civilization’s God can even intervene in battle, flattening enemy towns with their signature powers. If you’re looking for the gameplay of Age of Empires with a different and often more impressive style, then Age of Mythology would be the perfect choice.
StarCraft 2
Games Like Age of Empires If You’re Looking For Something Similar
Developed by the minds behind Overwatch and World of Warcraft, StarCraft 2 is the second game in the space-focused RTS series. Set in a 26th-century science fiction universe, the game revolves around three species: the Terrans, the Zerg, and the Protoss, all of which are very different. The game is also split into three parts to tell the story of each of the species; Wings of Liberty is the story of the Terrans and the two expansions cover the others.
The storytelling saw a huge improvement over the first game, complimenting the already engaging gameplay. The new in-mission features, such as lava that floods the battlefield every five minutes, also keeps the game fresh. At the time of release, StarCraft 2 was the fastest-selling RTS game ever and, in 2017, Blizzard transitioned the content to a free-to-play model.
Rise of Nations
Games Like Age of Empires If You’re Looking For Something Similar
Featuring 18 civilizations and eight ages of world history, Rise of Nations is considered to be one of the best strategy games around. The gameplay is similar to Age of Empires but centers around the concept of “territory.” The area surrounding the player’s main settlement is considered their territory, and you can only construct buildings within your territory or an allies’. Your nation’s borders can be expanded by the building of additional cities and forts, the technology tree, and obtaining access to certain rare resources. You need to progress through the ages to get access to better technology to get the upper hand on your enemies.
Tooth and Tail
Games Like Age of Empires If You’re Looking For Something Similar
If you’re looking for something that released more recently and is different to the large-scale, war-themed RTS games, such as Age of Empires, you may be used to, Tooth and Tail might interest you. Rather than controlling single nations or armies, you control a squad of animals. A drastic food shortage has hit the world and differing political ideologies have split the animal kingdom. Through the construction of your ranks, you organize your fellow animals to take on the other parties and gain control over the food supplies.
Tooth and Tail’s strengths lie in its ability to cater to both casual and hardcore RTS fans. The general concept is easy to grasp, yet the intricacies of team make-up and movement strategy make it a difficult game to master. The beautiful visuals and the multiplayer options also compliment the gameplay well, with the latter giving you options on top of the often challenging single-player.
Homeworld
Games Like Age of Empires If You’re Looking For Something Similar
Homeworld is more story focused than many other RTS games. Set in space, the game follows the Kushan race after it is exiled from the planet Kharak, which was destroyed by the Taiidan Empire in retaliation for developing hyperspace jump technology. You need to gather enough resources and build fleets of spaceships that are robust enough to take on the enemies that are attempting to stop you from rebuilding your home planet.
While the gameplay is strong, yet mostly standard RTS stuff, the world that the game takes place in is the star. For 1999 standards, it was a beautiful game. The backgrounds added depth and scale to the battles and the spaceships themselves were incredibly well-detailed. The 2015 remaster also brought those visuals closer to modern standards. The cutscenes that precede each of the game’s 16 missions also add to the world building, ensuring that you’re invested in the struggles of the Kushan.
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