The franchise outshone Starcraft and Warcraft, Command & Conquer, and pop culture RTS riffs like Dune, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars with its focus on real-life playing out on the computer, and that same energetic storytelling is alive here too. So much of Age of EmpiresвЂ™ strengths have come from its base in reality. Microsoft Microsoft blends real footage with animation in cutscenes and itвЂ™s incredible. This was even furthered by n arration loaded over the top, setting the scene and really explaining the setup of each turning point in the war, which helped turn every skirmish into an epic contest. L ive-action cutscenes showing off the battlefield, areas of concern, and the English coasts were riveting, especially once Xbox Studios loaded in the animated soldiers in battle formations, marching orders, and the din of battle. It was here that Age of Empires IV really felt like it hit high gear. This starts (where else) with the Battle of Hastings in 1066, allowing you to take control of the grand victory that has continued to ring through the annals of history for the next thousand years. I found myself getting lost in these historical retellings.ДЇirst up is вЂњThe Normans,вЂќ spearheaded by William the Conqueror and his grand Norman invasion of England in the 11th century. Putting matchmaking issues and Age of Empires II memories aside for a moment, there was one section where MicrosoftвЂ™s new real-time strategy release really shone, and bright at that вЃ - the history-filled, story-heavy Campaigns. Microsoft ItвЂ™s been a whopping half a decade since Age of Empires IV was first announced.

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