Age of Empires was first introduced in 1997 by Microsoft and there has been no looking back for it since. This game scaled the era from the time of Stone Age to medieval times. The game is about building your own civilization, raising the districts and cities, building the armies, managing resources and economy and so much more.
Once you have played all the installments of Age of Empires, it is natural for you to look for the similar experience in other games. This is why we have put together this list of amazing games like Age of Empires.
1. Anno 2070
Anno 2070 is one of the best real-time strategy games you could play, especially if you are looking for something like Age of Empires. Yes! There’s a lot of strategy involved in building the cities from ground zero. But, unlike Age of Empires, which has the period backdrop, this game is set in 2070, many years ahead in future. You need to build a modern and advanced district right from the scratch.
There are multiple factions you play the game with. Each faction has a special short name as well. Your objective is not only to build the city but also to control the environment. Anno 2070 has been developed by Ubisoft, one of the leaders in the video gaming industry.
 2. Rise of Nations
The Rise of Nations was first introduced in 2003 at the time when Age of Empires was already a massive success. The game managed to give tough competition to Age of Empires. As of now, it is one of the most popular real-time strategy games of all time. The game play is extremely addictive and keeps you glued in for several hours. Rise of Nations chronicles eight different ages in the world history.
There are a number of playable factions and civilizations. The game offers extreme depth in strategy and there is a lot to do. You build the cities from the scratch and make them prosper. You also expand your territory by conquering your neighboring cities. Just like AOE, you need to exploit the resources to the maximum potential. You need to assign the workers to the tasks who keep working automatically.
 3. Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology has been created by the same developers who developed Age of Empires. In fact, it is considered as the spin-off of AOE. However, it brings the mythological elements into the gameplay instead of the historical ones. The game is played on the turfs of Atlantis and the famous mythological gods are its prime focus. The backdrop has changed but the gameplay remains pretty much the same as Age of Empires.
You need to build cities, raise the army, manage and exploit the resources, and conquer the different civilizations. You could get started by choosing a civilization. There are three to pick from: Egyptian, Greek, and Norse. The culture and religion vary across civilizations. Depending upon the civilization you have chosen, you can choose your primary God. During the course of the game play, you also unlock the secondary gods. You gain special powers and abilities as the game progresses.
 4. Command and Conquer – Red Alert 3
Red Alert 3 is also one of the best alternatives to Age of Empires you can play. The game unfolds the alternate History during the time of World War 2. It is a pretty standard real-time strategy game. There are 3 different factions you can play the game with. As is the case with other RTS games, the three factions are constantly at war with each other to ascertain the world domination.
5. Starcraft 2
Starcraft is somewhat different from the other RTS games you may have heard of or played so far. This game focuses on space and is set sometimes in the distant future. There are 4 different species in the galaxy and they remain in constant war with each other in order to win and rule the entire universe. Starcraft 2 is the second game in this series.
It is a three-part game in which all the parts are related with each other and complete the story. The three species are playable and the player can pick any one of them. Wings of Liberty is the primary game which lets you play as the Terran species. If you wish to play as any other species you can download the expansion pack.
 6. Empire Earth 2
Empire Earth 2 is one of the games like age of empires was released in 2001 and it became an instant hit. Its unprecedented success resulted in the development of the new edition called Empire Earth 2. This installment offers better visuals and increased depth of game play. There are various eras and a number of playable civilizations to choose from. In fact, you could start all the way back from what is called Stone Age and work your way through thousands of years into the modern era.
 7. Warhammer 40000 – Dawn of War
If you want to play a real-time strategy game in a futuristic world where there is plenty of Sci-Fi and Military elements, Dawn of War could be the perfect pick. All the elements of warfare and science fiction are blended into the game quite nicely. As far as real-time strategy is concerned, the gameplay is pretty standard. The objective is to take over several strategic locations and use them for military advantage for future quests.
But, your job does not end at capturing a particular location; in fact, it starts there. You need to deploy the manpower in the area that can make use of the resources and even develop resources in order to create barracks, building, and other military structures. The idea is to capture as many strategic locations as possible and convert them into a strong military base.
 8. The Settlers 7 – Paths to a Kingdom
This one makes it to the list because it deserves a mention here. The RTS elements have been pretty nicely incorporated into the game, making it really engaging and addictive. There are varieties of games modes to choose from including Multiplayer, Ranked, Skirmish and Campaign. There are three focus areas, Science, Military and Trade. You can pick one of them and then choose the development path for the same.
 9. American Conquest
This game is set in the Colonial Era and takes you back to the 15th Century. Just like most other real-time strategy game, the objective of the game is to build the civilizations, develop military bases, manage the resources, and strengthen the economy and military. The Military remains as the primary focus of the game play. But, you need to make sure that there are enough peasants as well so that there is always some balance. This may be a good choice if you’re looking for games like Age of empires.
 10. Napoleon – Total War
This could easily be the least popular RTS game in the list. Nevertheless, it is a great game to play. As you may have already guessed this game is about one of the mightiest, feared, and revered rulers of the History. You take the role of Napoleon himself and embark on his incredible journey interspersed with some overwhelming battles. The objective is to defeat your opponents win the campaigns.
CONCLUSION
Age of Empires is one of the most widely played real-time strategy games of all time. Once you have played this game, you would certainly want to relive the experience. This list of 10 games like Age of Empires will help you pick the right RTS game for you.
