Worse graphics, older engine, worse unit control, worse everything except water physics and content (types of animals and stuff like that). Just a worse game straight up, to today’s standards, without nostalgia goggles.
The discussion was about the choices they made for the sake of unit visibility, not conflict between graphical details and competitiveness. There is enough graphical detail in AoE4, that was the point. It’s a beautiful game, and if you don’t like it, you are free to play AoE3 and show Microsoft via raw player numbers that a game like that is what people want.
Dead games don’t sell DLC.
Edit: You started replying seconds after I posted this. Makes me wonder if you’re reading the posts you’re replying to. Not that it matters but might explain why you’re misreading my points.