Age of Empires 2: Age of Kings for Windows

I'd heard from friends that it was going to be a good game, before it hit the shelves. Players of the original Age of Empires were anxiously awaiting the sequel and when it finally arrived the faithful were not to disappointed. The graphics were smooth and although not the best in the industry, were very well done. The gameplay is completely customizable which is important to me, an adamant replayability freak. The map randomization features come in handy. You can pick and choose your options before beginning, giving you control over just about every aspect of starting conditions and terrain. The AI itself leaves something to be desired. It is not predictable and doesn't adapt, but that isn't nearly enough ground to dismiss the game as a whole. On the higher difficulty levels the computer will present you with at least an admirable challenge and multiplayer capability leaves open the option to join up with friends who'll give you a better workout than your computer ever could.