Upon launching Age of Empires Mobile, I was initially impressed by its faithful adaptation of the popular real-time strategy game series to mobile. Using my phone’s touchscreen, I was able to command units, engage in combat, and strategize to take down structures. The familiarity of gameplay mechanics drew me in, reminiscent of the time I spent playing Age of Empires II. However, this feeling was short-lived as the true nature of Age of Empires Mobile soon revealed itself.
Instead of the immersive real-time strategy experience I was hoping for, much of my time in Age of Empires Mobile was spent navigating gacha menus, engaging in idle city building, and participating in auto battles. These activities seemed disconnected from the essence of the Age of Empires series and left me wanting more. While there are elements of the game that capture the essence of Age of Empires, the overall execution feels more like a mobile game with Age of Empires branding rather than a thoughtful adaptation of the series for mobile platforms.
A historical gacha
In Age of Empires Mobile, the main gameplay loop revolves around acquiring resources to enhance your citadel and upgrade historical heroes and troops. While the initial build provided ample resources without time constraints, it’s likely that free-to-play players will encounter restrictions in the form of time and resource gates. The gacha system for obtaining historical figures adds an element of diversity to the game without overwhelming players with numerous factions or campaigns at the start.
While some games have abused similar systems, the inclusion of historical figures through gacha pulls in Age of Empires Mobile is understandable. These figures serve as leaders of the troops under my command. However, the game falls short of the depth found in its PC counterparts or other mobile real-time strategy games like Warcraft Rumble. The battles, which involve clicking a button to attack, lack strategic depth and result in predictable outcomes based solely on player level differences.
While Age of Empires Mobile does offer sieges and multiplayer battles reminiscent of PC strategy games, these features were not encountered in the early stages of the game. The emphasis on idle city building and autobattler modes in the beginning rather than the core RTS gameplay of the series is a questionable decision.
My gameplay experience in Age of Empires Mobile was predominantly focused on building and upgrading my citadel. While this aligns with the essence of the Age of Empires franchise, the lack of customization options made this aspect feel more like a repetitive chore rather than an engaging gameplay element. Additionally, the constant redirection to the Island Tactics mode, which mimics Auto Chess, further detracted from the overall strategic experience of the game.
While autobattlers can be entertaining, the lack of strategic depth in Age of Empires Mobile deviates from the core gameplay experience fans expect. The game, apart from the initial charm and excitement of obtaining historical heroes, feels more like a derivative of popular mobile games rather than a true Age of Empires title.
As someone open to mobile gaming experiences, Marvel Snap has been a staple for me since its beta release in May 2022. Occasionally, I explore titles like Threes, Marvel Strike Force, or Warcraft Rumble for casual entertainment. Expecting a captivating mobile adaptation of Age of Empires, I was left disheartened and puzzled by the prevalence of generic tropes rather than a well-crafted strategy game that pays homage to the PC classics. While Age of Empires Mobile may attract a niche audience, it may struggle to captivate veteran fans of the Age of Empires franchise.
Age of Empires Mobile is set to launch for iOS and Android on October 17.
