The game received “generally favorable reviews” according to review aggregator Metacritic.
Mobile Syrup wrote that “Age of Empires IV (Age IV) is essentially Age of Empires II with a fresh coat of paint, but that’s entirely okay, especially if you’re a long-time fan of the series like me.”[23] While IGN summed up their review by saying “Age of Empires 4 is an enjoyable RTS throwback that often plays it too safe, but excels when it doesn’t.”[24] Rachel Weber of GamesRadar+ praised the variety of the civilizations, writing, “each has been meticulously designed to offer different gameplay experiences”.[25]Game Informer liked the history videos between missions, but criticized how the game didn’t seem to innovate on the formula of its predecessor, feeling that Age of Empires IV “lacks any ambition to even gently jostle the standards set by Age of Empires II decades earlier”.[26] Hayes Madsen of CGMagazine summed up his 10/10 review by saying “Age of Empires IV is a bold and ambitious evolution of the series, and quite likely one of the best RTS games ever made.”[27]
The Washington Post enjoyed the campaign balancing describing it as how “Every battle feels like it could tip any way at any moment” and that there was a “magic to this design”.[28]VG247 felt that the game’s commitment to historical accuracy set it apart from its strategy game peers “making Age of Empires 4 more than just another medieval combat simulator”.[29]PCGamesN‘s Ian Boudreau praised the Art of War tutorials, saying they were “hugely helpful for new players who want to understand the nuts and bolts of successful economy management”.[30]
Robert Zak of PC Gamer felt the distinct civilizations were the fourth entry’s greatest triumph, calling “the visual and strategic” variety “one of the most significant evolutions in the series”. He criticized how he felt the game whitewashed history, saying AOE4’s “squeaky-clean presentation skirts around the ickier parts of history”.[31]Polygon felt the simplifications from Age of Empire 3‘s mechanics benefited the game, saying that the changes led “its complications [to] come more from decision-making and strategy than from the minute details of mechanical plays”.
