Microsoft Studios’ hit RTS game Age of Empires II is getting its fourth official expansion next week. The game which made its debut in 1999, that’s right 17 years ago, was remade into a HD version by (Forgotten Empires and Skybox Labs) called Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten, in 2013, following which a third expansion called Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms was released in 2015.
The new expansion for Age of Empires II HD is called Rise of the Rajas , and will be released as a paid DLC.
Rise of the Rajas features 4 Southeast Asian empires:Burmese, Khmer, Malay, and Vietnamese. Each of the civilizations will have its own campaign, featuring Gajah Mada, Suryavarman I, Bayinnaung and Lê Lợi. The campaigns will be fully voiced.
What’s new in Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas
Unique Units + Buildings
- Burmese – Arambai, a ranged cavalry unit with powerful but low accuracy attack
- Khmer – Largest religious monument, Ballista Elephant (mounted scorpion)
- Malay – Docks can be upgraded to harbours to shoot arrows, Karambit Warrior (extremely cheap infantry unit)
- Vietnamese – Rattan Archer, heavily-armored ranged unit resisrant to enemy archer attacks
New Units and features:
- Battle Elephant: (Melee unit trained from the Stable) Availabable to all 4 new civilizations, with unique bonuses for each empire.
- Imperial Skirmisher: The nexr upgrade to Elite Skirmisher unit, exclusive to the Vietnamese (and teammates)
- Improved AI
- 5 New Random Maps (Rainforests, beaches, mangrove forests, shalows)
- 5 New Special Maps
- 5 New Real World Maps
- 13 New Terrains (includes a new amphibious terrain, over which you can build, and both land units and ships can pass through)
- New Scenario Editor Objects
- Spectator Mode
Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas DLC will be released on December 19th, on Steam.