Age of Empires II: the Age of Kings, is dazzling! Just watching the opening movie was exciting. As an ardent fan of the original AOE, I was naturally looking forward to the new veriosn, but what it turned out to be was better than I had hoped. For verteran AOE players, there is plenty of new things to see and do to make the game worth the money. The campaigns (Joan of Arc, Gingus Kahn...) are graphically rich and full of great audio. Random map games are more complex, with a wide range of civilizations to choose from. The enlarged figures make the screen easier and more fun to look at, and the architechture alone is worth playing for.
For new players, there is a very helpful learning campaign (set in William Wallace's Scottish empire). The fun of just watching the villagers could entertain those who are not into more hard-core war scenarios. I personally prefer a non-militarily based game, so the strong economic aspects are appreciated.
While most of the game play is the same as the older version, which some could see as a rip-off, the strategy lover will forgive this minor flaw. Overall, this is a stunning game with endless possibilities for many types of players. You won't regret this purchase.