Agree with all of your points, but not entirely with this one. The AOE-4 campaigns are saved by documentaries and narration, but we don’t see a single cinematic, plot, or adventure through the eyes of the protagonist and other characters. If they make the campaigns simpler than they are currently, I would be very disappointed.
All previous games have at least one intro cinematic that recreates a situation in the context of the game, but I don’t see any of that in AOE-4.
AOE-1:
AOE-2:
AOM
- It also has cinematics in its campaigns:
AOE- Online:
AOE-3:
INTRO TWC:
INTRO TAD:
- In addition to creating cinematics within AOE-3 campaigns with/without the game engine:
- In addition to the fact that they took the “trouble” to remaster all the AOE-3 cinematics, for AOE-3 DE, which pleasantly surprised me because they didn’t do it with the other definitive editions (they should):
…And if AOE-4 is supposed to live up to one of the best references in the genre (StarCraft), why not make a campaign that really lives up to it?:
SC-1:
SC-2:
I bought this game because I like the campaigns of this game (one of the best campaing I’ve played in my life) and science fiction, not because a player plays it well competitively. I think a story is vital to engage the players.
I like the AOE-3 campaigns a lot, but I know that many don’t like them because they are not completely based on real events, but they did strive to create a good story.
Was it easier to make cinematics in the 90s and 2000s than it is now? And why does AOE-3, which is not so popular compared to the most prominent games in the saga, have cinematics, and also reworked campaigns and cinematics for the definitive edition?
These are things that make me scratch my head.
“AOE-4 has cinematics” some will say, but compare with all of the above to see which one seems you best:
