Best 14 RTS Games Like Age Of Empires

The long-running RTS franchise might open your thoughts to the style. So, we’ve compiled a listing of video games like Age of Empires for a mix of historic RTS, story-driven campaigns, wholesome multiplayer, and fixed developer assist.

Decades after its debut, Age of Empires 2 stays on the style’s high. It’s additionally about to develop into essentially the most profitable sport of its type for the console, as it should debut for Xbox Series in 2023.

Microsoft added to the saga’s medieval legacy with 2021’s Age of Empires IV, which debuted 16 years after the third installment. Let’s see what we will discover for followers of any of the AoE entries. 

Northgard

Northgard is a real-time technique sport with a Viking setting. You should conquer “Northgard” on a prolonged marketing campaign with one of many out there 6 clans. The enemies are mythological monsters, a nasty winter, wolves, and different clans.

The core gameplay is about constructing a settlement. But slightly than creating villagers, Vikings can transfer into your metropolis if happiness is above a sure degree. Then, you possibly can assign your Vikings to numerous jobs, for instance, warriors, sailors, loremasters, farmers, explorers, fighters, and more. 

Aside from managing Vikings, gamers have to handle assets rigorously to outlive lengthy winters. On high of that, the sport additionally has co-op modes and PvP modes on high of the marketing campaign. 

0 A.D.

0 A.D. is an open-source RTS sport. The builders created it as an Age of Empires mod. However, it debuted as a fully-fledged free-to-play sport. 

There are nonetheless over 100 folks engaged on the title, and it receives loads of developer assist despite the fact that it’s within the “Alpha” stage. That stated, as an Age of Empires various, it covers the time period of the unique title by specializing in 1 C.E.

The gameplay is just like AoE. You construct constructions, collect assets, practice the army, and battle. However, the financial system is more profound because it contains more analysis, tech tiers, and more.  You can expertise these programs by an intensive historic marketing campaign. 

Rise of Nations: Extended Edition

Brian Reynolds, a Civilization II designer, created Rise of Nations as one other medieval RTS. It makes use of the Age of Empires components as its spine, nevertheless it covers the complete historical past of humanity. 

In explicit, it has 18 civilizations, every that includes distinctive models and perks, however no historic information. Then, the sport contains seven eras starting from the Ancient Age to the Information Age. You can expertise these programs on the marketing campaign or multiplayer (it has a ranked ELO ladder like on Aoe video games).

Lastly, the “Conquer the World” marketing campaign combines board-like options just like the Total War collection. You management your cities and empire and transfer your armies by a board-like interface. These occur in turns, and while you transfer into customized situations, the purpose is to make use of your military to beat the enemies.

Empire Earth III

• Developer: Mad Doc Software
• Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
• Release Date: November 2007
• Platform: Windows

Empire Earth III takes the mechanical pillars of AoE and provides Civilization-like options. But in contrast to AoE, the marketing campaign is a non-historical “World Domination” that permits gamers to beat the planet. 

Notably, it has 5 fashionable eras to ship targeted and sophisticated experiences. You collect assets, construct, analysis, practice models, and age up. It additionally has the basic rock-paper-scissor counter system, a prolonged marketing campaign, and board-like options.

Elsewhere, every civilization has sub-factions as nicely, like for instance, Japan and China for the Far East civ. Additionally, gamers can customise civilizations by mixing preset traits. 

Starcraft II

Starcraft II is a fast-paced RTS that introduces three vastly totally different “civs,” plus restricted assets on each match or degree -unlike farming meals indefinitely. So, the battle is commonly about conquering enlargement websites or denying your enemy’s enlargement websites.

The three asymmetrical factions are Zergs, Protoss, and Terrans. The fundamentals are the identical (tech tiers, unit tiers, and assets), however the models are fairly totally different. Even so, successful is about mastering the counter system, using unit skills, and micro-managing your armies slightly than mastering the macro.

And like AoE titles, SCII has an incredible, three-part marketing campaign. The first part is free (Wings of Liberty), maybe the perfect. The story follows a galaxy-wide conflict between stars between the three races, one in every of which (the Zerg) poses a risk to each residing being. 

Age of Mythology: Extended Edition

Xbox Game Studios is but to launch an Age of Mythology remastered. Without the AoE therapy, the Extended Edition is the perfect we’ve received on. It contains the bottom sport, The Titans enlargement, the Golden Gift marketing campaign, enhanced visuals, new maps, and multiplayer assist.

Age of Mythology is the fantasy RTS model of Age Of Empires for these unfamiliar. There’re 4 uneven factions, and every one options totally different mythological models. 

Similarly, growing old up requires selecting a favor of a God, which can be totally different for every faction. Aging rewards perks unlock mythological creatures and grant powers. Then, the marketing campaign enemies are largely legendary monsters, enemy factions, and even Titans.

Dawn Of Man

Dawn of Man is a survival and city-builder title. The core gameplay is about advancing by numerous ages. In explicit, the beginning period is the Stone Age, and the end-point is the Iron Age, 10,000 years later. 

You begin by ordering your folks to hunt wild animals for meals, bones, and pores and skin. Then, every period requires totally different assets, however an important stat is “Happiness.” It determines whether or not or no more NPCs will transfer to your villages, cities, and cities.

As you collect assets and advance by the ages, the setting rewards you with new challenges reminiscent of seasons and altering climate. There’s additionally a technological tree, so you possibly can attain radiators over time to higher resist climate circumstances.

Empires Apart

Empires Apart is an indie free-to-play medieval RTS sport that takes many concepts from Microsoft’s saga however lacks a single-player marketing campaign. It affords skirmishes towards the A.I. or different gamers in numerous sport modes. 

For instance, one of many sport modes is Survival. It’s about establishing your financial system through the day and surviving hordes of enemy assaults at night time. There’re additionally Challenges, that are a number of checks that require mechanical and tactical expertise. 

The setting is medieval, because it’s a homage to AoE video games. There’re numerous distinctive factions, customization choices, and a number of victory circumstances. Lastly, the assets within the sport are the identical as AoE – meals, wooden, gold, and stone. 

Total War: Warhammer III

The Total War saga doesn’t share numerous components with the Age of Empires saga. However, it’s the RTS evolution, and probably the most widespread video games within the style. That stated, Warhammer III is a high-medieval fantasy with a number of distinctive factions and heroes. 

As a part of the saga, it really works as regular. There’s a turn-based world map the place you management each facet of your empire. You micromanage your cities, diplomacy, financial system, and army construction whereas shifting troopers and brokers on the map. 

Then, if armies meet on the map, you handle armies that will embody, for instance, 12 squads of 40 troopers. You then use easy orders reminiscent of expertise, formations, and stances to satisfy the enemy in battle. 

Frostpunk

• Developer: 11 bit studios
• Publisher: 11 bit studios
• Release Date: April 2018
• Platform: Windows, macOS, iOS, PS4, Xbox One, Android

Frostpunk is a post-apocalyptic city-builder survival. The builders modified the basic medieval components for a frozen wasteland the place gasoline and warmth are very important for survival.

The core gameplay is managing a metropolis with an overhead view. You undergo a collection of ranges presenting totally different challenges, and it’s important to handle assets to develop your metropolis, keep the residents heat, and keep political assist. 

You can expertise the sport in numerous single-player modes. There’re situations, an “Endless Mode,” a marketing campaign, and others. Additionally, there’re three expansions out there on the sport’s Season Pass. 

Tooth and Tail

• Developer: Pocketwatch Games
• Publisher: Pocketwatch Games
• Release Date: September 2017
• Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, PS4 

Tooth and Tail is an RTS sport the place you management a military of anthropomorphic animals. Food is low, the inhabitants is indignant, and it’s time to guide a revolution of boars and skunks to make sure your survival -either on-line, co-op, or offline!

The purpose of every match and degree is to destroy the enemy’s assets. You can accomplish that by harvesting assets to construct constructions, create models, and command your models to assault. Also, you begin matches by choosing one of many out there commanders. 

Lastly, the gameplay is sort of totally different from different RTS. You transfer your commander with a WASD controller scheme and an isometric model. The solely factor you’ve got originally is a farm, and you’ll develop to different deserted farms. Then, your commander should construct constructions, command troopers, and commerce assets to maintain the empire rising. 

Crusader Kings III

Crusader Kings III is a turn-based RTS sport that performs like a board sport. There’re no battles, nevertheless it incorporates a medieval setting and focuses on the politics of a noble home within the Middle Ages. 

You select a noble home, and the purpose is to guide the dynasty by energy throughout the ages. That means establishing a reign and managing many complicated programs like diplomacy, politics, man-at-arms, knights, warfare, peasants, vassals, and more. 

The marketing campaign occurs between 867 and 1066 A.C in Europe. The timespan is stuffed with historic factions, information, and occasions. Because of this, Crusader Kings III can be a medieval simulator. Moreover, you’re to customise your royal relations and rule with an iron fist. 

Iron Harvest

Iron Harvest is an RTS sport with classical mechanics and a diesel-punk setting. Its plot follows an alternate 1920 historical past, a universe created by Polish artist Jakub Rozalski. 

The sport has three factions, over 40 unit varieties, and 9 heroes. Each hero has distinctive skills to vary the course of the battle. Then, army models embody mecha, infantry, and hero models. 

You can expertise the sport by 20 marketing campaign missions, co-op, or customized skirmish modes. Regardless, the gameplay is about controlling mechanized models into battle and using superior ways like cowl and stealth. 

STAR WARS Galactic Battlegrounds Saga

Galactic Battlegrounds comes from AoEII and AoEIIi creators. As such, it makes use of the identical mechanics and designs, however you possibly can play with far-away factions and models. 

The factions are Galactic Empire, Rebel Alliance, Wookies, Gungas, Royal Naboo, and the Trade Federation. Each faction has a marketing campaign you possibly can play, and the story occurs through the prequel period. 

The gameplay is full-on basic RTS, with a sci-fi setting. However, the battles rely closely on land, sea, and air autos. These battles occur throughout the single-player marketing campaign, customized skirmishes, and solely PvP.