Age of War

There is a reason Age of War is considered an absolute internet classic. Whether you are logging on for a quick nostalgia trip from an apartment in Chicago, taking a screen break in a London flat, or spending a weekend afternoon gaming in Sydney, this legendary base-defense game will immediately hook you. The premise is brilliantly simple but incredibly addictive: you are locked in a relentless war against a neighboring civilization, and the battle stretches from the dawn of humanity straight into the distant sci-fi future.

To win, you must carefully balance your strategy. You have to actively defend your own base from incoming waves of enemies while simultaneously deploying your own troops to march across the screen and crush the opponent’s base.

How to Master the Battlefield

When you hit Play, you can choose your difficulty level. From there, you are dropped directly into the action. You start in the humble Stone Age, where your only line of defense consists of club-wielding cave dwellers and basic rock slings.

As the battle rages on, you need to manage two primary resources:

• Money: Every time you defeat an enemy soldier, you earn gold. You use this cash to spawn your own troops and build defensive turrets on your base.

• XP (Experience Points): Dealing damage to the enemy base and surviving attacks earns you XP. Once you gather enough XP, you can trigger an evolution.

There are 16 different types of units and 15 distinct turrets you will unlock as you play. You have to keep a very close eye on the health bar hovering above your base. If the enemy troops manage to break through your line and reduce your base’s health to zero, the game is over.

Evolve Through the Ages

The defining feature of Age of War is the evolution mechanic. When you have earned enough XP, click the star icon on your toolbar to advance your civilization. Evolving completely changes your character models, your weapon types, and the background environment. Staying an era ahead of your opponent is the easiest way to dominate the battlefield.

You will progress through 5 distinct eras:

1. Stone Age: Dinosaurs, clubs, and slingshots.

2. Castle Age: Knights in armor, swords, and archery.

3. Renaissance Age: Early gunpowder, musketeers, and cannons.

4. Modern Age: Infantry, heavy tanks, and modern artillery.

5. Future Age: High-tech combat, laser blasters, and flying war machines.

Special Attacks and Defenses

Sometimes, the enemy just builds up a massive wave of troops that your standard units cannot handle. When things look incredibly bleak, you have access to a devastating Special Attack. In the Stone Age, this might be a brutal shower of flaming meteors, while later ages feature massive artillery barrages. These attacks run on a cooldown, so save them for emergencies when the enemy is dangerously close to your base!

Controls

Playing Age of War is completely point-and-click.

• Spawn Units & Build: Simply use your mouse to click on the toolbar at the top right of the screen to train soldiers, build turrets, or unleash special attacks.