Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Return of Rome

What Content Does This Expansion Bring to the Table?

This expansion centers on bringing the classic antiquity setting back into the modern framework. It introduces a substantial package focused on the early eras of civilization building and warfare, effectively serving as a bridge between the first and second installments of the classic RTS series.

New Campaign Experiences

The expansion features three new campaigns that immerse players in the struggles of antiquity. These scenarios focus on historical figures who were conquerors, empire-builders, and skilled tacticians navigating challenging historical circumstances across the ancient world.

Civilization Roster Expansion

A major draw of this release is the inclusion of the original sixteen civilizations from the first game, now playable within the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition environment. Furthermore, it adds one brand-new civilization exclusive to this content: the Lac Viet.

Integration with the Base Game

While it functions as a new, self-contained experience centered on antiquity, this content requires the base game, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, to play. A key addition is that the Romans civilization, central to the original game, is now integrated as a fully playable civilization within the standard Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition multiplayer and skirmish modes, unbound from the specific campaigns of this expansion.

Core Gameplay Loop and Atmosphere

The atmosphere is rooted firmly in the ancient world, focusing on the trials and triumphs of early empires. The core gameplay remains true to the Real-Time Strategy (RTS) genre, emphasizing resource management, technological advancement through ages, and military conquest. By porting the original civilizations, players can experience the distinct economic and military characteristics that defined the start of the series, now enhanced by the Definitive Edition's quality-of-life improvements.

What is the scope of this content update?

As an expansion, this release is substantial, effectively serving as a major content injection that ports significant portions of the original game into the current engine. Currently, there are no further listed DLCs or additional expansions released for this specific package since its launch in May 2023.