Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Chronicles: Alexander the Great

The main pros of the game

• Engaging Storytelling: The narrative is praised for its depth and creativity, with many players appreciating the blend of historical and mythological elements.
• High Production Quality: Excellent voice acting, immersive cutscenes, and a well-composed soundtrack contribute to a cinematic experience.
• Variety in Missions: Players enjoy the diverse mission types, including city-building and treasure-hunting, which keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.
• Challenging Difficulty Levels: The introduction of multiple difficulty settings, especially the "legendary" mode, offers a significant challenge for experienced players.
• Unique Civilizations: The addition of three new civilizations (Macedonians, Thracians, and Puru) adds variety and depth to the gameplay.
• Replayability: The campaign's structure and various choices allow for replayability and exploration of different strategies.

The main cons of the game

• Difficulty Balance Issues: Some players find the legendary difficulty excessively challenging, with certain missions feeling unfair due to overwhelming enemy forces.
• Limited Playtime with New Civs: The Thracians and Puru only have one mission each, leading to disappointment among players who wanted more in-depth gameplay with these civilizations.
• AI and Mission Design Flaws: Criticism of the AI's behavior and mission designs that sometimes feel chaotic or poorly balanced, leading to frustrating experiences.
• Overemphasis on Alexander: The campaign heavily focuses on the Macedonians, with players spending most of their time as this civilization, which some found limiting.
• Narrative and Dialogue Critique: Some players felt the dialogue was overly dramatic or cringeworthy, detracting from the overall experience.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

• More Scenarios for New Civilizations: Players expressed a desire for additional missions featuring the Thracians and Puru to better explore their unique traits and gameplay.
• Improved AI Mechanics: Suggestions for refining AI behavior to enhance strategic gameplay and reduce frustration during missions.
• Greater Historical Accuracy: Some history enthusiasts felt that certain events were not represented accurately or compellingly, leading to disappointment in how Alexander's story was portrayed.
• Co-op Modes or Additional Content: Requests for more cooperative gameplay options or additional scenarios that expand upon the campaign's narrative.
• Customization Options: Players wanted more opportunities to customize their armies and utilize unique units outside of the campaign context.

Summary

• Overall, while "Chronicles: Alexander the Great" has received acclaim for its storytelling and production values, it also faces criticism regarding difficulty balance, mission design, and underutilized new civilizations.

Summary generated on: November 3, 2025