Year: 1999
Type: Original Soundtrack (OST)
Composer(s): Kevin McMullan; David Rippy; Stephen Rippy
Number of tracks: 16

★★★★★

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.

Age of Empires (1997)

Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome (1998)

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

Age of Empires II: The Conquerors (2000)

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.

Nr.	Title	Interpret(en)	Ratings
01	Quest for Butter	Stephen Rippy	5
02	Shamburger	Stephen Rippy	4
03	I Will Beat on Your Behind	Stephen Rippy	5
04	Drizzle [Firelight Smoove Mix]	David Rippy; Stephen Rippy	3
05	Machina del Diablo	Stephen Rippy	4
06	T Station	Stephen Rippy	4
07	Bass Bag	Stephen Rippy	5
08	Ride Lawrence Ride!	Stephen Rippy	4
09	Smells Like Crickets, Tastes Like Chicken	Stephen Rippy	4
10	Operation Monkey	Stephen Rippy	3
11	Tazer	Stephen Rippy	4
12	Uluzah	Stephen Rippy	2
13	Carne y Helado	Stephen Rippy	3
14	Rich Corinthian Leather	Stephen Rippy	4
15	... Where Credit Is Due	Stephen Rippy; Chris Rippy; Kevin McMullan; Matt Stanberry	3
16	Joey JoJo	Stephen Rippy	4

Year: 2000
Type: Original Soundtrack (OST)
Composer(s): Kevin McMullan; Stephen Rippy
Number of tracks: 15

★★★★★

The Conquerors

Just one year later, The Conquerors , the first add-on to the main game The Age of Kings , was released, bringing four new campaigns and game modes as well as a few quality-of-life improvements and five new civilizations. As the name and cover reveal, some of these were located in Mesoamerica (Aztecs and Mayans) and had their own campaign, while the other three (Spanish, Huns and Koreans) came from the other side of the world ... or the same, depending on how far you go.

However, the soundtrack - this time without David Rippy - promises more of the same, picking up where the main game left off: Namely with the main theme. However, The Conquerors is a variation, as can be seen from the name "Quest for Jam" as opposed to "Quest for Butter". Here, the heroic main motif is replaced after its triumphant opening and interrupted by a flute intermezzo reminiscent of vast steppes and native American scenery. A perfect transition from the Eurocentric soundscape of the main movement to early colonial America.

The guitar is used to reinforce this effect. For, as we all know, the guitar represents Spain, Spain represents colonies including conquistadors ... Bam! Montezuma ... or something. This addition once again results in almost meditative tracks that remind us to relax with a mixture of Mediterranean and medieval. Starting with the almost angelic introduction of the vocals in "Pork Parts", the shallow guitar riffs in "The Monkey Book" or the drawn-out flute notes in "Voodoodoodoo" and finally culminating in "Seamus & Chamois", which oscillates somewhere between calming and awakening.

By contrast, tracks such as "Tide Me Over, Warm 'em Ups" and "Shookies in the Bank" are similar in style to games such as Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom or SimCity, even if the latter track is more reminiscent of Age of Empires 1 due to its fracturing. Things get oriental with "The Bovinian Derivative", while "Case in Point: Paste" and "Basura! Basura!" drift into the Asian.

A new addition is that a classic Fighting-song enters the ring with "Neep Ninny-Bod [Mix 2]". It combines bagpipes, percussion and flutes to create a cacophony, whose tempo incites unrest, almost hecticness to the leisurely hustle and bustle - but maybe that's just me. The lowlight, meanwhile, is again the credit theme "Droppin' tha Trou", which swings completely out of line with its jazz/funk style. No Me Gusta.

Nr.	Title	Interpret(en)	Ratings
01	Quest for Jam	Stephen Rippy	4
02	Pork Parts	Stephen Rippy	5
03	The Monkey Book	Stephen Rippy	5
04	Tide Me Over, Warm 'em Ups	Kevin McMullan	3
05	Voodoodoodoo	Stephen Rippy	5
06	The Bovinian Derivative	Kevin McMullan	4
07	Case in Point: Paste	Stephen Rippy	5
08	Seamus & Chamois	Kevin McMullan	5
09	Shookies in the Bank	Kevin McMullan	5
10	Basura! Basura!	Stephen Rippy	4
11	Neep Ninny-Bod [Mix 2]	Stephen Rippy	5
12	Uluzah	Stephen Rippy	2
13	Carne y Helado	Stephen Rippy	3
14	Rich Corinthian Leather	Stephen Rippy	4
15	Droppin' tha Trou	Kevin McMullan; Stephen Rippy	2