Iconic Middle Ages

In terms of gameplay, the successor to the 1997 strategy hit Age of Empires, called Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, was an improvement in pretty much every respect. Not only was the setting moved from antiquity to the much more exciting Middle Ages, adding numerous options for warfare on land and at sea, but the factions now also differed significantly from one another and were able to research and train unique technologies and units.

The Vikings, for example, were able to spread fear and terror with their dragon boats and berserkers, while the Carthaginian cataphract cavalry injured surrounding enemies with their trampling damage as they rode past. The Saracen Mamelukes threw their sabres and the Persians led the lumbering and thick-skinned war elephant onto the field. And there was the suicide bomber known from Command & Conquer , called Petard, who, equipped with two powder kegs, had to figure out why he didn't have to pay into the feudal pension fund.

Games from the Age of Empires-series

Age of Empires (1997)

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (1999)

Of all the AoEs, up until the release of Age of Empires IV I had probably spent the most time with this game and its expansion, The Conquerors. Since the game is still actively played today, it can be considered a milestone in video game history - and, in my opinion, rightly so. Even though it has 'Age' in its name (always a difficult thing), Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is timeless. The same applies to its soundtrack.

Let's start with the main theme, which is hidden behind the stupid title Quest for Butter and should ring a bell with pretty much every experienced gamer. The 'Da Daaa, DaDa Da Daaa ... Da Daaa, DaDa Da Daaaaaa' is super-simple and super-catchy. Although it was already played in the intro and other cutscenes in the first AoE , it was subsequently included again in the score of the sequels. As with the first Age of Empires , the siblings David and Stephen Rippy are once again at work, but here they are joined by Kevin McMullan, who would later work on the successful Destiny-series.

For me, the 16-track OST is a cozy, warm nostalgia bath in which I can sink into and let my soul dangle. Unlike contemporary strategy titles, or Age of Empires 1, which actually sounds much more 'aggressive' in parts due to its MIDI compression, the music in part 2 has a relaxed, almost calming soundscape. As it was not customary at the time to use cues to switch between battle and ambient tracks to accompany the battles, there are no sharp breaks between trivial background noise and heroic battle music.

Instead, tracks such as Shamburger, Drizzle [Firelight Smoove Mix] or T Station take us into an almost trance-like state. In these tracks, beats and (medieval) instruments such as glockenspiel, harpsichord and flute complement each other and create a rocking rhythm that almost runs counter to the sometimes hectic mass battles. I Will Beat on Your Behind, which sounds a little like Medieval 2: Total War on Valium, also fits in with this.

This relaxation therapy is contrasted by tracks such as Bass Bag or Rich Corinthian Leather , whose high tempo delights in a rather different way. Stereotypes such as tribal and oriental influences in Machina del Diablo, Ride Lawrence Ride! and Smells Like Crickets, Tastes Like Chicken add a pleasant touch to the medieval mood without falling out of the composition. Only the final track … Where Credit Is Due, which seems to have been borrowed from a Simon & Garfunkel sessions album featuring Jerry Martin (The Sims), actually does this. However, this does not detract from the overall impression. The soundtrack to Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is iconic.