Let me start by saying this: I love Age of Empires IV and I want it to succeed. If I woke up tomorrow with a billion dollars, I’d throw it straight at AoE4 development.
But I need to say it honestly — the base game campaigns desperately need love. Crucible was a step in the right direction, but the launch campaigns still feel way too barebones. They get boring fast, they have almost no replayability, and they never get updated to reflect the new civilizations we’ve gotten over time. It’s frustrating because the pre- and post-mission cutscenes are AMAZING… but the missions themselves lack the personal storytelling that made AoE2 legendary.
Here’s what I wish the devs would consider:
- Update old campaign missions with the new variant civs.
Imagine Rus missions swapped to fighting the Golden Horde instead of generic Mongols. Or the French campaign letting you play as Jeanne d’Arc using the JD variant. Or Ayyubids showing up in Sultan’s Ascend — or even fighting KT. Stuff like this would instantly make the campaigns feel fresh again.
2. Add more “human” storytelling.
Give soldiers, heroes, and enemy commanders dialogue during missions. Think Rise of Empires: Ottoman. That light drama + documentary vibe is PERFECT for AoE4.
3. Make missions less railroaded and more varied.
Sultan’s Ascend nailed mission variety — give the base campaigns that same level of creativity. Let players approach scenarios differently instead of following one narrow path every time.
4. Don’t abandon Crucible.
Yes, reviews focused on “no new full civs,” but Crucible has potential. Add more POIs, more in-mission dialogue, more map variety — don’t let it die.
5. PLEASE add an in-game editor.
Seriously. This one feature alone would revive the community and extend the game’s lifespan by YEARS.
6. A nostalgia-powered DLC idea:
Port AoE2’s fully voiced campaigns into AoE4. No reinventing the wheel, no new voice acting needed — just bring them over. AoE2 fans would go nuclear (in a good way), and it could bridge both communities. I’d buy that DLC instantly.
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I’m saying all this because I genuinely love AoE4. It has amazing foundations, but the campaigns feel like a forgotten pillar of the game — and with a bit of love, they could become the best in the franchise.
TL;DR: I love AoE4, but the base campaigns need major updates. Add the new variant civs into old missions, bring in character dialogue, make missions less linear, keep improving Crucible, add an in-game editor, and consider porting AoE2’s voiced campaigns as DLC to pull in AoE2 fans. The cutscenes are great — the missions should match that quality.