New content for AOE II Conquerors
Age of World Empires Mod is a free game utility created by World Empires Studio. This custom add-on was developed for the real-time strategy (RTS) game Age of Empires II: The Conquerors. In this mod, players get to enjoy a visual reimagining of the 2000 strategy game. Instead of generic-looking skins, it adds more details that help each unit stand out.
It doesn’t add any content such as maps or new campaigns, but it’s still great to have the visual upgrade with the Age of World Empires Mod. Make sure to have Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Update though.
Visual appeal and historical accuracy
By adding more details to each unit in the game, Age of World Empires Mod offers a visual upgrade together with more historical accuracy. As mentioned, it adds more features to the character models used in the base game. In the original, all Knights follow the same template. Now, there are regional differences setting Europeans apart from the Middle Eastern civilizations as well as the East Asian ones.
More than simply differentiating them by region, other unique units also get an upgrade in this add-on. The Japanese Ashigaru, a mix between musketeer and pikeman, now carries a nobori or a banner on their backs. Similarly, the Spanish Tercio also uses custom textures and details to further distinguish this unique unit. Thankfully, these upgrades don’t affect the animation in any way.
However, it is important to note that this mod is only intended for the Conqueror expansion. Additionally, the mod also requires the C patch installed. Running it anywhere else won’t work. This is quite unfortunate because most AOE II content is now consolidated in the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, including all expansion content plus a remaster of the base game.
A highly-nuanced update
Unless you’re one of the few people still playing Age of Empires II: The Conquerors, Age of World Empires Mod is not an accessible mod. It requires a specific version of AOE II and a specific patch. After this, however, you’re guaranteed to have what might be the best version of this old, nuanced game. Every unit is made unique and more accurate.