Age of Empires 4 is a base-building, sword-clashing, village-pillaging RTS of the classic style, inside and out. Jumping into a match as the tenacious English squaring off against the chivalrous French feels like being transported back – not only to its setting of the High and Late Middle Ages, but to a different era of strategy games entirely. And there are some things about that which feel really nice, like comfort food for gamers of a certain age. But it’s the few spots where Relic has taken risks here and there that this battlefield shows us its best and feels modern. Outside of that, it often just seems too careful and safe in a world where Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition already exists.
