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Age of Empires 2 HD
Age of Empires 2 HD
Released Apr. 9th, 2013
Published by: Microsoft Studios
Details
In Age of Empires II: HD Edition, fans of the original game and new players alike will fall in love with the classic Age of Empires II experience. Explore all the original single player campaigns from both Age of Kings and The Conquerors expansion, choose from 18 civilizations spanning over a thousand years of history, and head online to challenge other Steam players in your quest for world domination throughout the ages. Originally developed by Ensemble Studios and re-imagined in high definition by Hidden Path Entertainment, Skybox Labs, and Forgotten Empires, Microsoft Studios is proud to bring Age of Empires II: HD Edition to Steam!

Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten

In August 2013 an expansion pack was announced for Age of Empires II HD, entitled The Forgotten. It is based on the fan-made expansion, The Forgotten Empires. The Forgotten introduces five new civilizations: the Italians, Indians, Slavs, Magyars, and the Incas. It includes new maps, campaigns, units, a new game mode, an increase of population limit from 200 to 500 and numerous balance and gameplay adjustments.
Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms

A second expansion pack for Age of Empires II HD was announced on April 9, 2015, and released on November 5. The African Kingdoms introduces four new civilizations: the Berbers, Ethiopians, Malians, and the Portuguese. It includes new maps, campaigns (Sundjata, Francisco de Almeida, Yodit, and Tariq ibn Ziyad), and units, a new game mode, and numerous balance and gameplay adjustments.
Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas

Rise of the Rajas was released December 19, 2016. It is set in Southeast Asia, and adds four civilizations (Burmese, Malay, Khmer, and Vietnamese; each with its own fully voice-acted campaign: Bayinnaung, Suryavarman I, Gajah Mada, and Lê Lợi) as well as a new map type with environments, units, improved AI and more.

Gajah Mada

The campaign starts with a mission explaining the origins of the Majapahit Empire, wherein Raden Wijaya leads the Javanese to victory against the Mongols, the Singhasari, and the Kediri. Gajah Mada proper then appears on the scene to rescue King Jayanegara from the city of Trowulan, which is surrounded by rebels. However, Jayanegara is dissolute and is soon assassinated. His sister, Tribhuwana, takes power and appoints Gajah Mada as her prime minister. Gajah Mada then swears his famous Sumpah Palapa oath to unify Nusantara, whereupon he will not eat any food containing spices until the whole Indonesian archipelago is unified. The Majapahit empire then proceeds to expand settlements to the islands of Bali, Sulawesi, and Borneo, and has conflicts with the Sunda, Dhamasraya, and Temasek. The queen regent then abdicates to let her now-matured son, Hayam Wuruk, ascend the throne, and the Majapahit Empire then expands to the east by destroying the Docks of Makassar, Kutai, and Luwu. The sole group which remains are the Sunda, and Gajah Mada manipulates them into a trap by arranging for a marriage between his king and a Sunda princess. Whereas the Sunda believe that the marriage will result in an alliance, Gajah Mada has written into the contract that via the marriage, the Sunda will submit to Majapahit rule, unbeknownst to Hayam Wuruk. The result is the Pasunda Bubat Massacre, wherein all the Sunda princes are killed and Hayam Wuruk's bride commits suicide out of grief. Gajah Mada is then summoned to the king and exiled for his actions.

Suryavarman I

Suryavarman starts by launching a campaign against and killing King Udayadityavarman I in the city of Angkor. Following the successful crushing of a rebellion led by Jayaviravarman, who is killed in the battle, Suryavarman sends an envoy through hostile territory to the Chola, offering lavish gifts in exchange for an alliance against the Tambralinga. The Chola and Khmer then launch a two-pronged attack against the Tambralinga and the thalassocracy of Srivijaya. After defeating these two powers, Suryavarman then deals with domestic threats from the Dai Viet, Cham, Indrapura, and Lavo, which have sought to take advantage of the king's distraction with foreign conquests.

Bayinnaung

1538 AD: Bayinnaung starts out as the loyal follower of King Tabinshweti. Together, they march against the Hanthawaddy who harbor the Mon king, Takayupti, and capture the city of Prome, in spite of the raids led by the Shan. 1543 AD: At this time, Bayinnaung assists the king in the conquest of Ava by the killing of its king, Hkonmaing, and fending off opposition by the Shan and the Rakhine. They must amass a sufficient sum of gold in order for Tabinshweti to be crowned in the religious city of Pagan. 1550 AD: Tabinshweti encounters a Portuguese merchant who leads him into alcoholic habits, leading to Bayinnaung acquiring increased authority as first minister. Tabinshweti is ultimately killed on orders of Smim Sawhtut, and Bayinnaung must avenge his death by putting down the rebellions led by the possible pretenders, including Smim Sawhtut in his stronghold of Pegu, Rakkate, Thado Dhamma Yaza, and Smim Htaw. 1563 AD: Bayinnaung, now Cakkavati and King of the Toungoo Empire, seeks to expand eastward by bringing relics to the neighboring kingdoms to show his devotion. He faces the Ayutthaya, led by King Chakkraphat, Bayinnaung's vassal Lan Na, and Lan Xang along the way, in addition to various nats. 1580 AD: Bayinnaung ends the campaign by entering into a meditative state as his sons Nanda and Thinga Dathta lead the conquest of the Rakhine city of Mrauk U, and lead him to the four Buddhist temples in the region.

Lê Lợi

Lê Lợi is the leader of an uprising against the Ming Empire. The campaign starts in 1418, where Lê Lợi is leading a guerrilla band in destroying all the Ming towers in the Vietnamese villages, with the help of the Trịnh and Nguyễn families. He then defends a fort in Chí Linh with the help of Lê Lai, who disguises himself as Lê Lợi and sallies forth to lead a suicidal frontal assault upon the enemy, giving his life so that Lê Lợi and his troops can escape, once they have destroyed the towers to the east. Lê Lợi then advances upon Hanoi and succeeds in capturing the city. Afterwards, he marches towards the Ming capital of Nghệ An, but finds himself on the way there obliged to deal with a fortress garrisoned by Cam Banh, a vassal of the Chinese. The Chinese send in their veteran general, Wang Tong, to relieve the fortress, but he is too late to stop Lê Lợi from capturing it. Lê Lợi then splits his forces into three groups: Dinh De to lead the cavalry upon Đông Đô to keep Wang Tong occupied, Le Trien to move north to intercept the Chinese reinforcements under Liu Sheng, and Luu Nhan Chu and Bui Bi to Nghệ An. Miraculously, this triple plan works, prompting the Ming to accept a peace deal. However, the local Vietnamese vassals of the Ming will not accept this, prompting a final showdown with Wang Tong. Peace is finally concluded, and Dai Viet is allowed to exist as a tributary state of the Ming.