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Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition vs Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition both land in Strategy on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Strategy games on Steam. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019) is 2 years older than Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition (2021). Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (95.1% positive) than Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition (86.4% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.

Which should you pick?

Choose Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Choose Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition if you want the LAN PvP, LAN Co-op, and Adjustable Text Size side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 95.1% positive across 60,009 reviews.

Choose Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition

Choose Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 27,761 Steam reviews back the pick.

Both Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.

Side-by-side comparison

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition vs Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition — Steam metadata comparison
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition — Steam game coverAge of Empires II: Definitive EditionAge of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition — Steam game coverAge of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition
Released20192021
GenresStrategyStrategy
PlatformsWindows, macOSWindows
Steam DeckDeck PlayableDeck Playable
Price34.99 USD39.99 USD
Steam reviews95.1% positive (60,009 reviews)86.4% positive (27,761 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-opMulti-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op
DevelopersWorld's Edge, Forgotten Empires, CaptureAge, Tantalus Media, Wicked Witch, Feral InteractiveWorld's Edge, Relic Entertainment, Forgotten Empires, Climax Studios

Side by side

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition vs Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition — FAQ

Which is better, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition or Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition?
On Steam reviews Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition scores higher (95.1% positive) than Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition (86.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
Should I play Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition or Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition first?
If you want chronology, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019) came out before Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition (2021). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
Are Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition similar?
They overlap on Strategy on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
Do both Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition have co-op?
Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition ships Online Co-op, Co-op.