Building upon Microsoft’s 2019 release of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition comes its fourth expansion pack, Return of Rome. For those who may be long-time followers of the series, this major expansion shares a stark similarity in name with the original game’s first-ever expansion pack, Age of Empires: Rise of Rome, which launched worldwide starting in October 1998. This is by no accident either, with content from the original Age of Empires expansion being brought across to the AoE II Definitive Edition.
This new content, now available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox cloud, and Windows PC versions of the game, seeks to bringhe nostalgic charm of classic Age of Empires gameplay, complemented by innovative content designed to offer players an immersive, self-contained gaming experience.
Return of Rome introduces three new fully voiced campaigns that take players on a journey across different periods and locations in history. Players can strategise as Sargon of Akkad in a Sumerian-focused setting, Pyrrhus of Epirus with a Macedonian spotlight, or Trajan in the backdrop of Rome. Moreover, all 16 original Age of Empires civilisations have been revitalised, along with the addition of the brand-new Lac Viet civilisation.
Gamers longing to play as Romans can rejoice as the expansion enables Romans in single-player and unranked multiplayer modes for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. An upcoming update promises to introduce Romans into ranked multiplayer games as well, although a specific release date has yet to be confirmed.
On top of this, Return of Rome brings along a slew of new quality-of-life upgrades and features, adding to the excitement and depth of gameplay. The expansion pack also debuts the D3 game mode, inspired by rules popular in the Age of Empires Vietnamese esports scene.
This is not a free update to Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, with Return of Rome to set players back approximately $19.95 AUD or local equivalent.
About Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition – Return of Rome
Welcome to Return of Rome, a completely new type of expansion pack which brings Age of Empires, the title that started it all, into Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition as a brand new self-contained experience. This new expansion will allow you to challenge friends with the original sixteen Age of Empires civilizations — plus one brand-new Return of Rome exclusive civilization, the Lac Viet— and relive the triumph and trials of antiquity. Battle your way across the ancient world with three new campaigns featuring conquerors, empire-builders, and gifted tacticians fighting desperately against fate! As an additional bonus, the Romans will no longer be bound by time as they become a new playable civilization within Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, ready to battle in the new Age.
