Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition similar games & best alternatives

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Trailer
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Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One • 2019

Should you play it?

42 Civilizations, 229 Campaign Missions, Singleplayer, Co-Op, Multiplayer, In-Game Editor, Mods, Cross-play...It is good to be the king.

What works

  • Timeless and deep strategic gameplay
  • Extensive content with many civilizations and campaigns
  • Active and supportive community
  • Robust modding and map editor support
  • Ongoing updates and quality-of-life improvements

Things to keep in mind

  • Steep learning curve for new players
  • Occasional pathfinding and technical issues
  • Dlc pricing can be high
  • Competitive multiplayer can be intimidating
  • Some ui elements feel dated

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • Rise of Nations: Extended Edition

  • Cossacks: Back to War

  • Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition

  • Age of Empires: Definitive Edition

  • Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition

  • Sid Meier's Civilization® IV

More fantastical

Games that feels like Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition but with more imaginative fiction

  • Age of Mythology: Retold

  • Age of Mythology: Extended Edition

  • SpellForce 3 Versus Edition

  • Age of Wonders III

  • Command & Conquer™ Tiberian Sun™ and Firestorm™

  • Godsworn

Less intimate

Games that feels like Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition but with less focus on close relationships

  • Cossacks: European Wars

  • American Conquest: Fight Back

  • Stronghold Crusader 2

  • Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization

  • Knights of Honor II: Sovereign

  • Civilization IV®: Warlords

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition: Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Fellowship, Domination. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story, Domination. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Fantasy.

Last update: 03/08/2026