Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - The Mountain Royals Review Summary

New civilizations are fun and unique: The addition of new civilizations, particularly the Armenians and Georgians, is well-received. Players find them enjoyable, original, and interesting with unique traits and gameplay elements.

Enjoyable and successful campaigns: The campaigns are highly praised for being fun, well-designed, and entertaining. Players appreciate the depth, difficulty, and narration of the campaigns.

Unique units and mechanics: The new civilizations introduce unique units and mechanics, such as mule carts and fortified churches, which players find refreshing and enjoyable.

High-quality DLC content: The DLC is considered a worthy purchase, with high-quality content that is highly recommended by players.

Excellent narration and voice-acting: The narration and dubbing in the campaigns are highly praised for their quality, adding to the overall enjoyment of the game.

High price concerns: Many players feel that the game and its DLC are overpriced, with specific complaints about the price increase from $10 to $15 without sufficient justification or added value.

Bugs and stability issues: The game and DLC have introduced many new bugs and have existing bugs that are being ignored. Players also report encountering gameplay instability and balance issues.

Lack of new content: Players are disappointed with the lack of new architecture, flora, fauna, and graphic additions. There is also criticism about the lack of significant new content compared to previous DLCs.

Lack of creativity: Players feel that the game lacks unique features and creativity, leading to repetitive and uninspired campaign missions.

Translation and text issues: There are notable translation issues, particularly between simplified and traditional Chinese. Players also report poor text quality and display issues.

Unique gameplay mechanics: The introduction of unique mechanics, such as fortified churches and mule carts, adds depth and variety to the gameplay experience.

New civilizations and campaigns: Players appreciate the addition of new civilizations and campaigns, which bring fresh content and unique mechanics to the game.

Georgian and Armenian civilizations: The Georgians and Armenians are highlighted for their unique traits and units, including defensive cavalry and mobile resource collection points.

Persian civilization rework: The Persians have been reworked with new unique technologies, units, and bonuses, providing a refreshed gameplay experience.

Campaign design and depth: Campaigns are praised for their depth, numerous side quests, and well-designed missions with unique mechanics and narratives.

Pathfinding and unit issues: There are notable problems with unit pathfinding and interactions, including collision issues.

Game crashes frequently: The game experiences frequent crashes, which significantly disrupts gameplay.

Synchronization and disconnection problems: Players encounter synchronization errors and high disconnection rates, impacting multiplayer experiences.

Poor optimization: The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to performance issues.

Initial DLC bugs: The DLC had numerous bugs at launch, affecting the overall experience.

Worth buying on sale: Multiple reviews suggest that the DLC is worth purchasing, but only when it is available at a discounted price. This indicates that while the content may be enjoyable, it might not be valued at its full price point.

Recommended for fans: Players who enjoyed the base game and have completed all the campaigns are likely to find this expansion worthwhile. It is particularly recommended for those with a keen interest in specific regions like Georgia and Armenia.

Polish technical details: There are concerns about the technical aspects of the DLC, with recommendations that it should not have been released until bugs and other technical details were polished.

Pricing concerns: There are mentions of the DLC pricing, indicating that it might be a consideration for potential buyers.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00.

Story completion: 17.5h.

Session length: 1.0h.

The game becomes enjoyable primarily in co-op or multiplayer modes, with early gameplay friction due to weak early mechanics and repetitive missions.

Reported time to anchor: 30m.

Friction: weak early game; repetitive missions.

Unlock drivers: playing with friends; multiplayer modes.

Strategic Team Player: Slow-paced, economy-focused, team-oriented. Motivation: Enjoyment of strategic depth and team dynamics. Stance: buy.

Campaign Enthusiast: Campaign-focused, narrative-driven. Motivation: Engagement with single-player campaigns and storytelling. Stance: sale.

Veteran Critic: Critical, experienced-based, nostalgic. Motivation: Nostalgia and high standards for new content. Stance: deep sale.

Monetization: The analysis of user reviews reveals several key themes related to the monetization and perceived value of the DLC. The most prominent issues include the high price for less content compared to previous DLCs, regional pricing disparities, and the perception of pay-to-win mechanics. Additionally, users express dissatisfaction with the cost relative to the limited new content provided. These factors contribute to a negative perception of the DLC's value proposition.

DLCs focusing on new regions: Players are suggesting that future downloadable content should focus on regions such as the Americas, Africa, or Oceania.

Try Georgian cuisine: There is a recommendation for players to try Georgian cuisine, specifically mentioning the dish Satsivi.