Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition was supposed to be a grand return to form, a polished update of a classic RTS that once stood tall among its peers. But let’s be honest: it’s a bit of a letdown. Released in 2020, this "Definitive Edition" feels anything but. Instead of being a celebration of what made the original great, it’s more like a sluggish, clunky rehash that struggles to justify its existence in today's gaming landscape.

First off, let’s talk about the graphics. It’s 2020 (well, 2024 now), and this game looks like it’s stuck in the early 2010s. Sure, the devs slapped on some new textures and called it a day, but honestly, it’s not enough. The visuals are inconsistent, with some units and buildings looking okay-ish, while others are painfully outdated. The environments, which should be immersive and detailed, instead feel flat and lifeless. For a game that's supposed to be definitive, it’s disappointing that it doesn't even look as good as some modern indie RTS games. It might have looked fine back in the day, but now it’s just plain underwhelming.

Then there’s the gameplay. Age of Empires III always had its quirks, but those quirks now feel more like flaws in this definitive edition. The gameplay is clunky, and the controls feel unresponsive at times. Units sometimes don’t do what you tell them to, and managing large groups of them is more frustrating than it should be. Pathfinding issues that were a pain in the original still persist here, making you wonder what they actually improved in this edition.

The pacing of the game is another issue. It’s slow. Like, painfully slow. In a genre where games like StarCraft II and even Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition manage to keep things engaging, Age of Empires III: DE feels like it’s dragging its feet. The AI isn't particularly challenging either, which makes single-player matches more of a slog than a strategic battle of wits.

Okay, so what about the new content? They added some new civilizations and game modes, but it honestly feels like a thin layer of frosting on a stale cake. The new civs don’t do much to shake up the formula, and the historical battles are more of a chore than an exciting addition. It’s clear the developers tried to add some value, but these additions feel tacked on and don’t really address the underlying issues with the game.

Multiplayer could’ve been this game’s saving grace, but nope, it’s just as frustrating. The matchmaking is slow, and there are still a bunch of bugs that can ruin matches. Lag spikes and disconnects are more common than they should be in a game that’s supposed to be a polished, definitive experience. And good luck trying to find a decently balanced match—half the time you’re either steamrolling or getting steamrolled.

At the end of the day, Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is a boring, clunky mess that doesn’t live up to its promise. It looks like it belongs in the past, and not in a nostalgic way, but in a “wow, games used to be this rough?” kind of way. There’s just nothing here that makes it worth recommending, especially when there are far better RTS options available today.

If you’re a die-hard fan of the original, you might find some enjoyment in revisiting it. But for everyone else, you’re better off looking elsewhere. Age of Empires III: DE is a relic that should have stayed in the past.

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