Age of Empires vs Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Age of Empires is a classic real-time strategy game that lets players guide ancient societies from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. Gather resources, train armies, and wage wars across historically inspired maps. The game offers both single‑player campaigns and multiplayer battles, delivering deep strategic gameplay with a strong historical flavor. Its intuitive interface and balanced units make it a timeless staple for strategy enthusiasts.
Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome is the acclaimed expansion to the classic real‑time strategy classic, adding new civilizations, units, and technologies set in the ancient world. Players command Romans, Greeks, Carthaginians, and more, mastering resource management, tactical combat, and empire building across single‑player campaigns and multiplayer battles. The expansion refines the original engine with improved AI, balanced gameplay, and richer historical scenarios, delivering a deeper and more immersive RTS experience for both veterans and newcomers.
- Deep strategic gameplay
- Rich historical setting
- Robust single‑player and multiplayer modes
- High replay value with varied civilizations
- Rich historical content
- Diverse civilizations with unique units
- Improved AI over the base game
- Strong multiplayer community
- Outdated graphics by modern standards
- Steep learning curve for new players
- Limited online matchmaking infrastructure
- Graphics are dated by modern standards
- Limited to PC platform
- Campaign length can feel short for some players
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Alternatives to Age of Empires
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Lead historic civilizations to victory in timeless real‑time strategy battles.
Expand your empire with historic Roman campaigns and deep strategy
Alternatives to Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome
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Lead historic civilizations to victory in timeless real‑time strategy battles.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataAge of Empires is the safer default choice offering a higher critic score and lower price, while The Rise of Rome provides expanded content, a revised AI, and a higher price tag.
Key differences
- •Age of Empires costs $29.99 with a 92/100 critic score, whereas The Rise of Rome costs $49.99 with an 85/100 critic score and is limited to the PC platform.
- •The Rise of Rome adds four new civilizations (Romans, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians), 20+ new units and structures, and a scenario editor, which are not mentioned in the base game.
- •Age of Empires supports LAN or online multiplayer, while The Rise of Rome explicitly supports up to eight players in competitive and cooperative matches.
- •The Rise of Rome includes a revised AI for more realistic opponent behavior and enhanced graphics and sound effects compared to the base game's outdated graphics.
Gameplay & fun factor
Higher critic score of 92/100 compared to 85/100 for The Rise of Rome, featuring tactical unit placement and tech trees.
Platform availability
The Rise of Rome explicitly lists PC as a tag, while Age of Empires has MacSoft Games as a publisher (not specified for Rise of Rome).
Price & value
Lower MSRP at $29.99 compared to $49.99 for The Rise of Rome, delivering deep strategic gameplay and high replay value.
Multiplayer / co-op
The Rise of Rome explicitly supports up to eight players in competitive and cooperative matches, alongside a scenario editor.
Content & replayability
Adds four new civilizations, 20+ new units and structures, an expanded tech tree, and a scenario editor for custom maps.
Difficulty & accessibility
Features varying AI difficulty levels for newcomers and veterans, though both games suffer from a steep learning curve or short campaigns.
Graphics & performance
The Rise of Rome provides enhanced graphics and sound effects, whereas Age of Empires has outdated graphics by modern standards.
Choose Age of Empires if…
Strategy fans wanting a lower price, higher critic score, and classic historical campaigns.
Choose Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome if…
Players wanting expanded civilizations, an 8-player multiplayer cap, and a scenario editor for custom maps.
Common questions
Which game is cheaper?
Age of Empires is cheaper with an MSRP of $29.99, compared to $49.99 for Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome.
Which game has a better critic score?
Age of Empires has a higher critic score of 92/100, while Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome has an 85/100 critic score.
Does Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome add new content?
Yes, it adds four new civilizations, 20+ new units and structures, a revised AI, enhanced graphics, and a scenario editor.