What Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is
This is a real-time strategy game covering 1,000 years of human history, remastered for its 25th anniversary with 4K Ultra HD graphics and a fully remastered soundtrack. You pick one of more than 45 civilizations, gather resources, build a town, raise an army, and fight for control of the map. The base game comes with three expansions included: "Lords of the West," "Dynasties of India," and "Dawn of the Dukes." There are 229 campaign missions and over 200 hours of gameplay to work through, plus ongoing updates that add events, extra content, new game modes, and improvements. The Scenario Editor is supported and lets you build your own maps and missions, and mods are available too.
Playing it with your group
You can play online PvP against each other, team up for online co-op, or use LAN for PvP and co-op matches. Cross-platform multiplayer means people on different setups can still join the same game. Quick Play is there for getting into a social game without much setup. If your group likes making things, the in-game editor gives you a shared project: build a scenario, then play it together. Achievements and trading cards give you something to chase alongside the matches themselves.
Before you start
The game runs on a mouse, and there is a mouse-only option if you prefer to leave the keyboard alone. Difficulty is adjustable, so a mixed-skill group can tune matches to suit everyone. Text size and color alternatives can be changed, menus are narrated, and volume controls are split so you can balance music, effects, and voice separately. There is no timed input required, so you can play at your own pace, and you can save anytime with Steam Cloud backing your progress. Family Sharing is supported, and Steam Achievements track what you pull off.