One of the few expansion packs that are worth the price.

PC game expansion packs usually offer about as much enjoyment as an extra slice of pizza after you have just finished downing a whole pie. By the time the expansion pack comes out, you are already sick of the game, and are on to something new. On top of that, that extra slice of gaming pie is usually just plain old cheese, a simple extension of the gaming flavor of the original. Of course, this sometimes works, but usually is not worth the price of entry. The folks at Microsoft Games seem to know their way around the expansion pack pitfalls, as they proved with the AOE pack, Rise of Rome, and it appears that they have hit pay dirt once again with Age of Conquerors, the expansion pack for the addictive Age of Kings.

What made Age of Kings such a great sequel was both its simplicity and its evolutionary advancement in AI, graphics and overall game play. Many things that were enhanced weren't instantly noticeable, but instead, you appreciated more and more as the game progressed. For Age of Conquerors to succeed in extending the enjoyment of that game, it must offer enough instant variety to hook the player in, and sustain this enjoyment over the long haul. The reason? Well, with the emergence of user-created scenarios and third-party 'unofficial' expansion packs that are available on the cheap, a gamer has a world of choices instead of the premium priced official expansion pack. If I am going to plunk down a twenty or more for an expansion pack, well, then, I had better get my Jackson's worth. The only way to do that is to offer enhancements beyond the standard new units and different scenarios. We're talking about subtle AI changes, better resource gathering, and maybe even some new technologies thrown into the mix. Guess what, it's all here in spades.

Without further ado, let me tell you exactly what Age of Conquerors offers your greedy little gaming selves in the way of innovation. First off, there are five new civilizations (Aztecs, Mayans, Koreans, Spanish, and the Huns) bringing the total up to a whopping 18. Each new civ offers considerable gaming variety; the Huns do not need houses for population support, the Spanish produce buildings 30% faster, etc. New civilizations don't radically change the landscape of the game, but it does add an extra dimension. On top of the new civs, some of the old ones have been overhauled a little bit to better balance play. For instance, the Brits get help with Town Centers, and Viking docks are a bit more expensive, to name a couple. Nice touch.

On top of the changes and additions to the civs, there are also several new technologies (over a dozen) and units. I guess the new units are the most exciting addition in any expansion pack, and they deliver a bit of excitement here as well. One of the most interesting is the Mayan Jaguar Warriors, who not only possess a rather cool name, but are one of the best units in the game for close combat. Another interesting unit belongs to the Spanish. Personally, I was hoping for Inquisition Agents, but the Conquistadors do a fine job of hit and run attacks, which not only suits my style of dating, but also is a perfect match for the way I play this game as well.

The folks over at Microsoft could have stopped there, and the expansion pack would sell in truckloads. Thankfully, they didn't. They also enhanced the game play. One of the greatest things they did is allow the replanting of farms via the Mill. I hate replanting the damn farms, especially when I am involved kicking some butt, and the Mill now takes care of that for me, so long as my lumberjacks do their job. Also, the villagers seem to have taken some IQ serum, because they are now a bit smarter than the wood they are chopping. Instruct them to build something, and they will automatically gather the resources for it. Even better, they will drop gathered resources at the appropriate place when you instruct them to build something. Not bad, and very much appreciated.

In all, this expansion pack further feeds the addictive frenzy Age of Kings created. It's one of those add-ons that improves the original, and stays in your consciousness when you should be thinking about more important things. (Just ask one of my lady friends about that) With all of the additions, including new Ally controls and three new multiplayer games, Age of Conquerors changes enough to be new, but rings true enough to the original to seamlessly extend the life of the game. If you haven't figured it out already, this is a must buy if you have the original. If you haven't got the original, then why are you reading this in the first place?

Reviewed by John Misak.