Games: Age of War 2

Since my cheap-ass Western Digital hard drive won't currently let me bring you Part Eleven of my honest-to-God-it's-ending-before-too-long playthrough of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, here's one of my favorite current Flash games.

In this game, as in the first Age of War, you and your AI opponent field armies and equip your respective headquarters with defenses as you both advance through the ages from caveman times to the far future (and, no, not back to caveman times).

This version features improved animation, all-new warriors, additional ages, and upgrades for your different warrior types, as well as defense.

One thing I like about Flash games is that most programmers seem to realize that you're not going to spend endless hours working your way through the thing, and so, by and large, they tend to be easier to complete than console games.  I've done all the levels on Age of War 2, and I hardly have the maddest skillz on the block.

Actually, I wish console games were like that.  I got through, I dunno, maybe half of God of War for the PS2 about three years ago, but there was one part I just could not beat.  After dying underwater a couple dozen times, I just gave the thing up, and never touched it again.

That's one of the reasons Star Wars: Rogue Squadron for the Nintendo 64 is one of my all-time favorites: you don't have to master a level in order to go on to the next one.  In fact, with many levels, you have to have upgrades and unlocked ships to master the earlier levels, and that requires that you gain those upgrades and awards by doing reasonably well on multiple levels.  You could see that as grunt work, but I see it as a game that rewards replay.

Uh, now where was I...?  Oh, yeah, Age of War 2.  I've found that the Easy level is, in fact, easy enough that you can get away without building any soldiers until you reach the Modern Age.  I'll tell you how after the jump.

(click here to go to the game)



You may not have to do them in this specific order, but it works for me.  Note that you save money and time by buying upgrades for only one type of soldier, plus defense.

1) Build first tower and Egg Rifle right away.

Then do these as you accumulate enough gold:

2) Buy second tower and Egg Rifle.

3) Buy Income Level 1.

4) Buy Income Level 2.

5) Buy third tower and Egg Rifle.

6) Buy Income Level 3.

7) Buy final tower and Egg Rifle.

8) Buy all available upgrades to turrets.

9) Buy all available upgrades to infantry.

10) When you hit 45000 Xp, evolve all the way to the Modern Age. Your opponent will still be in the Renaissance Age.

11) Build Infantry Soldiers.  I usually start with six, and build new ones as the ones at the front die (or as soldiers get destroyed by a special attack).