Age of Empires
"Age of Empires", released on October 26, 1997, was the first game in the series, as well as the first major release from Ensemble Studios. It was one of the first history-based real-time strategy games made, utilizing the Genie game engine. GameSpot described it as a mix of "Civilization" and "". The game gives players a choice of 12 civilizations to develop from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. The expansion pack, "The Rise of Rome", published by Microsoft on October 31, 1998, introduced new features and four new civilizations, including the Romans. Although the two games had contained many software bugs, patches resolved many of the problems.
Age of Empires
The games in the series focus on historical events throughout time. "Age of Empires" covers the events between the Stone Age and the Classical period, in Europe and Asia. Its expansion, "", follows the formation and rise of the Roman Empire. "" and its follow Europe and Asia through the Middle Ages. "The Age of Kings" expansion pack, "", is set during the same period, but also includes scenarios about the Spanish conquest of Mexico, El Cid, and Attila the Hun. "Age of Empires III" and its first expansion, "", take place during the European colonization of the Americas. Its second expansion, "", follows the rise of Asia in the same period. Age of Empires Online focuses on the Greek and Egyptian civilizations. The series' spin-off, "Age of Mythology", and its expansion pack, "", are set during the Bronze Age, but focus on mythology as their themes, rather than history.