Truly a masterpiece for the Ages, this gem of a game conveys the true meaning of life. I cannot recommend this beautiful work of art enough, as it has changed my life in so many ways. In the future, when historians look to study the old world, this game will not only serve as a model for history, containing an immensely detailed account of the Age of Kings itself, but also as a model of gaming for the 21st century and beyond. Gaming developers should definitely look to this game for inspiration and to know "what to do right."

In addition to the marvelous game design, the cultural elements are very accurately represented in the game, such as the English having the most broken range on their longbowmen, or the Italians and the smell of their spaghetti. In addition, the team behind the music design clearly had Mozart and Beethoven within their employ, as the soundtrack is truly astounding to witness and enjoy.

The voice acting is also beautiful, bringing to mind the marvels of the cinema age in terms of line delivery. Lines such as "I need wood," "Builden," "Gadurer," and "Get out" evoke emotions within me that I never even knew I had. "Start the game already" put me into an emotional spin. The characters themselves will embed themselves in your heart as well. When I was playing, I had the great joy of playing with none other than King Henry himself, and he personally destroyed 2,000 of the enemy's units. Truly a sight to behold.

All in all, Age of Empires II is not a game you should pass on, and ultimately, it will be the only game that ever truly mattered in the future. Seriously though, stop reading and start playing!