10 Age of Mythology
This one should be obvious since it was made by the same people behind Age of Empires and Age of Empires 2. Just take the gameplay that you love from the franchise and add centaurs, minotaurs, gods, and things like that to understand what to expect in Age of Mythology.
Players still have to collect resources, build their structures, train units, and all that we are used to doing in Age of Empires and most RTS games. However, do not be surprised if the walls surrounding your structures is breached by an angry cyclops.
9 Battle For Middle-Earth
This game came to capitalize on the release of The Lord of The Rings movies, but it delivered much more than the usual bad movie game that most gamers are used to. In fact, Battle For Middle-Earth is a surprisingly good Real Time Strategy game.
Add that feeling of strategizing the growth of your defenses and armies, positioning your troops correctly, and managing resources to the most amazing fantasy setting out there. The combination of this franchise with the Real Time Strategy genre were an amazing fit that eventually gave us an even better game as a sequel that is one of the best console RTS games ever.
8 Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War
Explore the map and micromanage your units in one of the craziest settings ever created. Warhammer 40K is a franchise that does not need introductions. The futuristic setting that has space orcs, space marines, and so on is interesting on its own.
If different races with unique combat styles and gameplay aren’t enough to lure you to this Real Time Strategy game, the amazing gameplay and unique mechanics certainly will. For anyone who has enjoyed Age of Empires, but is looking for an over-the-top science fantasy setting, this is the perfect game.
7 Command & Conquer
An old franchise that has contributed immensely to the Real Time Strategy Genre, Command & Conquer is definitely a good choice to anyone who enjoys the micromanaging of units and resources while exploring a gigantic map with a vast array of situation to deal with.
The game provides multiple campaigns and constantly goes back and forth on who is telling the story, delivering an amazing story along with great gameplay. The game is also considered very balanced and rewards skilled players, making it one of the best RTS games out there.
6 Warcraft
This is a hulking franchise that might have shaped RTS games as we know them. This game is responsible for the birth of World of Warcraft, Defense of the Ancients, and indirectly, DOTA 2. Warcraft is Blizzard’s Real Time Strategy game that feels very similar to fans of Age of Empires and games alike, but with a twist. World of Warcraft has always delivered an amazing fantasy story that focused, at least at first, on the conflict between Humans and Orcs.
The game grew in popularity and has gained two sequels. Warcraft 3 was known for having a balanced gameplay and hours of a great campaign with many memorable characters.
5 Starcraft
The most famous and popular Real Time Strategy game out there. Considered the National Sport of South Korea, Starcraft delivers what is perhaps the most interesting campaigns and most balanced gameplay in the Real Time Strategy genre.
The three races have been battling since the first Starcraft, and kept doing so in Starcraft 2, which was also a great success and one of Blizzard’s greatest games ever. The campaign, the characters, the storytelling, and the online experience are all equally great sides of this amazing title.
4 Northgard
Vikings seem to always be popular, so it might have been a good idea to make a Real Time Strategy game with this theme. Northgard is a real time strategy game that, at its core, is very much like Age of Empires. You have your units that must scout to find food, wood, and other resources.
The twist here is that players must survive the weather. So, in order to face the winter, proper structures and enough food must be gathered. It is an interesting take on a familiar gameplay that makes trying this game worth it.
3 The Settlers
This franchise will feel very familiar to Age of Empire fans. Broadly speaking, it is a city builder with combat mechanics. Players have to build structures, research technology, gather and manage resources, and all the things that the genre is known for.
Although it might not be as historically accurate as Age of Empires, The Settlers is a very interesting franchise with a medieval-like setting that has great mechanics and campaigns. Fans of Age of Empires who are looking for something similar will be pleased.
2 Stronghold
Another game that is very much a combination of a city builder and a Real Time Strategy game is Stronghold, which pushes the players to think a bit more about spacing things more than other games of the franchise. Specially in later titles, the positioning of your structures can cause a huge difference in how efficient your city is.
The rest of the game will feel very familiar to those who have played games like Age of Empires. The unique spin on positioning and logistics make this an interesting choice. It also makes this feel like a different game instead of just an Age of Empires clone.
1 Rise of Nations
This game is very much like Age of Empires. There are 18 civilizations for the players to choose from, which might be considered a dated feature. Everything that players know from Age of Empires will be here: collecting resources, building structures, training units, and so on.
This is very familiar to a point that it feels like it’s almost the same thing. The civilizations go through eight different stages of world history, all in a title with very solid gameplay. Although this game is from 2003, it aged much better than most games that came out within the same decade.
NEXT: 10 Games To Play If You Love Civilization 6
