Age Of Empires: Definitive Edition Launch Details Are Here

History has had an undeserved reputation of being boring or dead. And yet it has become the source of inspiration of some the most addictive and most engaging games of all time, like Sid Meier's Civilization and, of course, Age of Empires. Microsoft Studios attempted to launch a Definitive Edition of the original title last year to mark it's 20th anniversary. Sadly, it also announced a delay right before it launched. The good news is that there's no stopping conquerors and negotiators now, with Age of Empires: Definitive Edition launching next month.

Like many "remastered" classic games, the developers behind this Definitive Edition had to strike a delicate balance between new and old. Specifically, they wanted to stay faithful to the feel of the original game while still updating Age of Empires for modern gaming expectations. It's no easy feat and it's pretty much the reason Microsoft gave for the delay.

It might be well worth the wait though, at least if the feature list of changes are anything to go by. For one, the Definitive Edition sports an in-game tech tree whose absence would be inconceivable in this day and age. Multi-player mode now works for both local (LAN) and online (Xbox LIVE) play. And modders will be able to easily create and share custom campaigns with others.

As for keeping the original feel, the Definitive Edition will feature assets that have been rebuilt to support 4K resolutions. The soundtrack has also been re-recorded, which also includes a new orchestral score.

So when do all these land? The date that is now set is February 20, and hopefully there will be no more delays. And just to make sure everything is running smoothly and all tests are covered, there will be yet another multiplayer beta starting January 29. Age of Empires: Definitive Edition will be available on Windows PCs for $19.99.

SOURCE: Microsoft