

And that's only after they've made their way past my network of outpost towers, kitted out to not only take potshots at the approaching foe but also raise the alarm throughout the city, bolstering defensive efforts throughout my kingdom. Cannon emplacements are one thing, but I'd rather drop a pot of boiling oil on my unfortunate enemy. This Age of Empires III mod strives to achieve the most unrestricted experience: build limits lifted up to the skies, population cap extended, game graphics modernized, sounds reworked and many other both gameplay-related and quality of life features await the player. Years ago, Age of Empires 2 established castles as a major threat to anyone fighting beneath, but Age of Empires 4 lets you turn them into defensive juggernauts. If the enemy does make it inside your walls, then you can flee back to your keep (likely leaving your archers to be cut down by rampaging infantry). In Age of Empires 4, they're a vantage point upon which you can position your infantry, thinning out approaching foot soldiers in the event of a siege.


In previous games they were largely inert, a huge but simple suit of stone armour around your vulnerable city. Take, for example, the imposing city walls. The varied ways in which I can keep my foes at bay while helping my civilization thrive seem almost too many to count. For those as defensively minded as myself, the long-awaited sequel is like a toy box overflowing with possibilities.
