Age of Empires II (Retired) similar games & best alternatives

Age of Empires II (Retired) - age-of-empires-ii-retired_1.avif
Age of Empires II (Retired) - age-of-empires-ii-retired_2.avif
Age of Empires II (Retired) - age-of-empires-ii-retired_3.avif
Age of Empires II (Retired) - age-of-empires-ii-retired_4.avif
Age of Empires II (Retired) - age-of-empires-ii-retired_5.avif
Age of Empires II (Retired) - age-of-empires-ii-retired_6.avif

Age of Empires II (Retired)

2013

Should you play it?

Age of Empires II has been re-imagined in high definition. With the release of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, this product will not be updated further.

What works

  • Timeless and highly replayable gameplay
  • Strong multiplayer community and support
  • Robust map editor and modding capabilities
  • Engaging historical campaigns
  • Balanced and skill-based strategy

Things to keep in mind

  • Dated graphics despite hd update
  • Multiplayer lag and lack of lan support
  • Steep learning curve for new players
  • Some toxic behavior in competitive matches
  • Paid dlc content

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

Less fantastical

Games that feels like Age of Empires II (Retired) but with less imaginative fiction

  • Blitzkrieg Anthology

  • American Conquest: Fight Back

  • Cossacks: European Wars

  • Cossacks 3

  • Cossacks II: Battle for Europe

  • Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition

Less intimate

Games that feels like Age of Empires II (Retired) but with less focus on close relationships

  • Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)

  • Kohan II: Kings of War

  • Stronghold Crusader 2

  • Command & Conquer™ Tiberian Sun™ and Firestorm™

  • Tzar: The Burden of the Crown

  • Stronghold 2: Steam Edition

Less dominating

Games that feels like Age of Empires II (Retired) but with less domination over others

  • Stronghold: Definitive Edition

  • The Scouring

  • Age of Mythology: Retold

  • Northgard: Definitive Edition

  • Battle Realms: Zen Edition

  • Tooth and Tail

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 (Retired): Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Fellowship, Domination. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Leadership, Story, Domination.

Last update: 03/08/2026