Empire Earth vs Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Empire Earth lets players guide humanity from the prehistoric age to the future, offering a massive timeline of 15 distinct epochs. Its deep tech trees and varied units let you wage wars across centuries, from stone‑age spears to laser‑armed drones. The game features both a robust single‑player campaign and extensive multiplayer modes, supporting up to eight players in massive battles that test strategic planning and resource management.
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is a classic real‑time strategy game that lets players command medieval civilizations across multiple ages. Build economies, train armies, and wage wars on detailed historical maps. The game offers both a robust single‑player campaign and competitive multiplayer modes, delivering deep strategic gameplay that has stood the test of time.
- Extensive timeline covering prehistoric to futuristic eras
- Deep and varied tech trees for strategic diversity
- Robust multiplayer supporting up to eight players
- Active modding community with tools provided
- Deep strategic depth with multiple civilizations
- Rich historical campaign and lore
- Strong multiplayer community and LAN support
- Extensive modding and map‑creation tools
- Steep learning curve for new RTS players
- Graphics are dated by modern standards
- AI can be inconsistent in higher difficulty levels
- Outdated graphics compared to modern RTS titles
- Steep learning curve for new players
- Limited official support and updates
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataEmpire Earth is the safer default if you want a massive timeline spanning prehistory to the future, while Age of Empires II is better for a focused medieval setting at a lower price point. The main trade-off is 15 epochs and science-fiction elements versus 4 medieval ages and historical civilizations.
Key differences
- •Timeline span: Empire Earth covers 500,000 years across 15 epochs including speculative futures, whereas Age of Empires II focuses on medieval history across 4 distinct ages and 15 civilizations.
- •Pricing: Age of Empires II has an MSRP of $39.99, making it $10 cheaper than Empire Earth's $49.99 MSRP.
- •Release date and developers: Empire Earth was released in November 2001 by Stainless Steel Studios, while Age of Empires II launched earlier in September 1999 by Ensemble Studios.
- •Publisher differences: Empire Earth is published by Sierra Entertainment, whereas Age of Empires II is published by Konami and Microsoft.
Gameplay & fun factor
Both offer deep real-time strategy gameplay with resource balancing (food, wood, gold, stone), tech trees, map editors, and up to 8-player multiplayer.
Platform availability
Not specified for specific platforms beyond standard PC/LAN context implied by features; both support online and LAN play.
Price & value
Age of Empires II has a lower MSRP of $39.99 compared to Empire Earth's $49.99 price tag.
Multiplayer / co-op
Both games support single-player alongside online and LAN multiplayer matches for up to eight players.
Content & replayability
Empire Earth offers 15 epochs stretching from prehistory to speculative futures, plus dynamic weather and day-night cycles affecting unit performance.
Difficulty & accessibility
Both titles share a steep learning curve for new RTS players and feature AI opponents with varying difficulty levels.
Graphics & performance
Both games feature graphics that are considered dated by modern standards, and both earned an identical critic score of 80/100.
Choose Empire Earth if…
Choose Empire Earth if you want a massive timeline stretching from prehistoric eras to speculative futures.
Choose Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings if…
Choose Age of Empires II if you prefer a strictly medieval setting and a lower purchase price.
Common questions
Which game is cheaper?
Age of Empires II is cheaper with an MSRP of $39.99, compared to Empire Earth's $49.99 MSRP.
How many players do the multiplayer modes support?
Both games support up to eight players in online and LAN multiplayer matches.
What time periods do the games cover?
Empire Earth covers 500,000 years of history and speculative futures across 15 epochs, while Age of Empires II focuses on the medieval era across four distinct ages and 15 civilizations.