Age of Empires II: The Conquerors vs Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors is the acclaimed expansion to the classic real‑time strategy masterpiece, adding five new civilizations, new campaigns, and a wealth of gameplay refinements. It builds on the solid foundation of the original, delivering deeper strategic options and richer historical scenarios for both solo and multiplayer experiences.
Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest is the official expansion pack to the classic real-time strategy game, developed by Mad Doc Software and published by Sierra Entertainment. Building upon the foundation of the original game, this expansion introduces thrilling new strategic dimensions including unique civilization powers, distinct hero units, and two new playable civilizations: Japan and Korea. Players can immerse themselves in three distinct narrative-driven campaigns that span vastly different eras, taking them from the legendary battles of Ancient Rome through the global conflicts of World War II all the way to futuristic warfare on 24th Century Mars. With new units and expanded tactical options, it delivers a comprehensive challenge for strategy enthusiasts.
- Rich addition of new civilizations
- Deep strategic depth
- Strong multiplayer community
- Extensive modding tools
- Adds compelling new civilizations like Japan and Korea
- Engaging campaigns spanning diverse historical and futuristic settings
- Introduces game-changing civilization powers and hero units
- Expands the strategic depth of the original Empire Earth
- Graphics are dated compared to modern RTS titles
- AI can still be predictable on higher difficulties
- Limited native support for newer operating systems without patches
- Graphics have aged significantly since its 2002 release
- Can be difficult to run on modern operating systems without community patches
- Balancing issues present in certain multiplayer match-ups
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Age of Empires II: The Conquerors
View all →
Lead historic civilizations to victory in timeless real‑time strategy battles.
Expand your empire with historic Roman campaigns and deep strategy
Lead new civilizations through history in this strategic expansion pack.
Expand your historical empire across time from Ancient Rome to 24th Century Mars.
Alternatives to Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest
View all →Lead new civilizations through history in this strategic expansion pack.
Lead civilizations through 15 epochs of human history in this epic real-time strategy game.
Command global factions through five historical epochs in real-time strategy combat.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataAge of Empires II: The Conquerors offers deeper strategic depth and stronger community support at a higher price, while Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest is cheaper but has weaker critical reception and more dated graphics.
Key differences
- •A adds five new civilizations and three extensive campaigns; B adds only two new civilizations and three themed campaigns.
- •A’s technology tree is more comprehensive, giving richer strategic choices than B’s civilization‑specific powers and hero units.
- •A’s multiplayer community is noted as strong; B’s multiplayer suffers from balancing issues and fewer players.
- •A costs $39.99 versus B’s $19.99, a $20 price gap.
- •A received a higher critic score (86) compared to B’s 73.
Gameplay & fun factor
A provides a deeper tech tree, more units, and five new civs, delivering richer strategic variety.
Platform availability
Both are PC titles with limited native support for newer OSes without patches.
Price & value
B is $19.99, half the cost of A’s $39.99, offering lower upfront expense.
Multiplayer / co‑op
A boasts a strong multiplayer community and up to eight players; B has noted balancing issues.
Content & replayability
A includes five new civs, three campaigns, a map editor, and extensive mod tools; B has fewer new civs.
Difficulty & accessibility
B’s lower critic score and simpler new civs may be easier for casual players; A’s AI can be predictable at high levels.
Graphics & performance
A offers HD graphics enhancements and widescreen support; B’s graphics are noted as significantly aged.
Choose Age of Empires II: The Conquerors if…
For players seeking deep strategy, robust multiplayer, and extensive modding, willing to pay more.
Choose Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest if…
For budget‑conscious gamers who want a shorter learning curve and enjoy varied historical/futuristic campaigns.
Common questions
Which game offers more new civilizations?
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors adds five new civs; Empire Earth adds two.
Is the price difference significant?
Yes, A costs $39.99 while B costs $19.99, a $20 difference.
How do the critical reviews compare?
A has a critic score of 86/100; B has 73/100.