Recent reviews by TeCH

Basically, as a committed AOE4 player, I feel forced to buy DLCs that I don't even like, just because I want access to new custom maps, the opportunity to practice on them before when if they are on the ladder, see new points of interest on new maps, and try out the new single-player content.

So what's the problem? It's a continuation of a trend that partially began with the first paid DLC, which introduced civilization variants like the Empire of Jade (Zhu Xi's Legacy kekw) and Jeanne d’Arc — civs that go completely against the fundamental design philosophy of the game.

AOE4 was originally praised for the uniqueness of its civilizations — separate unit models, distinct cultures, unique mechanics, and immersive sound design. Now, they're moving even further away from that vision by adding two new civ variants that, while mechanically different in a good way, feel like a chaotic mashup of bonuses, recycled units, and overlapping unit roles within the same civ.

I won’t go into every tiny detail that breaks this design philosophy — this is just a quick Steam review after all — but in short, it feels like this DLC was made by an entirely different group of people. People who don’t really understand what made Age of Empires IV a good game in the first place. Instead, they’re throwing in random ideas from AOE2 and AOE3 just because they feel comfortable or easy to implement.

On top of that, the DLC feels cheap and lazily made. Honestly, it seems like something a group of modders could’ve pulled off — and actually, I’ve seen plenty of passion-driven mods across various games that offered way more content, including new models, custom sounds, and unique mechanics — all completely free and non-profit.
Just look at Gothic 2: Chronicles of Myrtana – Archolos, which had full professional voice acting, tons of new assets, and a level of polish that puts some official DLCs to shame. Some examples of cheap game development:

– No new voice acting, music or unit models.
– Recycling mechanics like Donso’s bonus and slapping it onto the Earl’s Guard MAA just because it already existed in the code.
– Model reuse: Demilancers are just reskinned HRE knights; the Manor is literally two English houses stuck together with a Town Center wall. Want to have trebuchet on a Templar Fortress? Just slap a unique Hui Hui Pao mongol trebuchet on it and squeeze it in size.
– Templar units from different cultures all speak French. Polish cavalry speaks French. Spanish cavalry doesn’t speak at all. Teutonic Knights? Also French… even though German voice lines exist in-game. That’s just lazy.
– Why Templars? Because they already made models for units in other DLC campaign and wasted opportunity to do a proper civ just to introduce recycled Zhu Xi and Order of the Dragon type of civs. Now obviously is time to squeeze money out of already made models and do the Templars in random DLC, not in Crusade themed DLC which is the previous one.

There are a lot more things that are worthy mentioning in some other form of discussion but for steam review I feel it's enough.

RTS with great balance and variety

1/3 of matches you are going to play with obvious aimboter who shoots through every smoke and wall, 1/3 with wallhackers who are hiding and only 1/3 matches you are going to play with legit players. All of this on prime account. In no-prime account you are just gonna met spinboters more often.