Age of Empires is one of the most legendary RTS series of all time, with all of its games being celebrated by the masses as some of the very best in the genre. The first two games are quite famous, with the third game having its fair share of fans too. After what felt like eons of waiting, the fourth game was released to positive reviews too, even if some people felt like it was trying to emulate the success of Age of Empires 2 a bit too much for its own liking.

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Regardless, Age of Empires 4 is a must-play for RTS fans, with its campaign taking on the form of a documentary as players waged historic battles and achieved landmark successes that were huge for their time. Players who want to make this game more enjoyable can do so with a wealth of great mods that this title has been graced with. These fan-made pieces of content cover numerous verticals and will go a long way in ensuring that most people aren't fatigued after playing this game for too long.

Updated March 28, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Age of Empires 4 is a game a long time in the making, with most people wondering if this series would ever receive a new game. The regular updates for Age of Empires 2 were pretty impressive in their own right, letting longtime fans of the series enjoy new maps, civilizations, and campaigns to get lost in. However, these fans always wanted Age of Empires to evolve instead of sticking to what worked. While some people can argue that Age of Empires 4 emulated the second game to a fault, the sheer wealth of improvements it brings to the table can't be ignored.

Players who want to enhance the fun they can have in this game can check out a wealth of Age of Empires 4 mods to make things interesting for themselves, adding everything from new gameplay loops to brand-new maps for players to experience.

1 The Lord Of The Rings Middle Earth Map

Subscribers: 76,770

• Creator: DoMiGod
• Download Link

The Lord of the Rings is one of the most famous IPs around, and it's easy to see why so many people love the adventures of Sam, Frodo, and the others as they strive to throw the One Ring into Mordor and end Sauron's reign of tyranny once and for all. While Age of Empires 4 may not have the fantasy gameplay people would expect from a Lord of the Rings game, this doesn't mean that players can't pay homage to this beloved fantasy series in their own way.

There are many great Age of Empires fan-made maps that allow players to have a fun time setting up skirmishes and trying their hardest to develop their economy and take out their enemies in no time. One such mad replicates the environment of Lord of the Rings, making for a great time as players try their hardest to establish dominance on a map that will invoke some great memories.

2 AoE Battlegrounds

Subscribers: 49,105

• Creator: heart&move
• Download Link

Some people may feel that Age of Empires 4 features gameplay that can be a bit too rigid for their liking. While the reasoning behind this sentiment is understandable, there are still some ways these people can enable fresh and unique gameplay loops for their titles. One great way for players to enjoy Age of Empires 4 in a different way is to check out the AoE Battlegrounds mod.

This mod is inspired by Hearthstone's Battlegrounds and StarCraft's Tavern Battle Mode, making it the perfect mod for players who want to check out something different and engaging. Age of Empires 4 wears its inspirations a bit too much on its sleeve at times, so any mod that helps take both the game and players out of this comfort zone is much appreciated.

3 Battleground

Subscribers: 41,458

• Creator: Tobi
• Download Link

Some of the custom maps players can download for Age of Empires 4 can feel rather uninspired, and players would only want to subscribe to such maps that help them make the most of the title's gameplay. One such mod that is perfect for players looking for unique environments to mess around in is Battleground.

Featuring an area with plentiful resources and a mountain pass that's extremely hard to navigate, Battleground is a great map for players to check out if they want to enjoy fun 1v1 and 2v2 gameplay sessions. Navigating troops is easier said than done on this map, and players must employ every strategy in their arsenal to come out victorious.

4 Gulch

Subscribers: 53,495

• Creator: AoE Official
• Download Link

The fact that the developers themselves release mods for players to check out in the game is a testament to how well they understand the title's passionate community. Most of these mods may be custom maps, but fans won't have any issues with that.

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Players will need to gather food to help their Empire grow.

The Gulch is a tactical map that requires players to be smart about how they go about with their plans for conquest. The river in the center is what makes or breaks the game, and any player who establishes control on th map will almost guarantee their win.

5 Indian Subcontinent

Subscribers: 40,781

• Creator: AoE Official
• Download Link

Playing on a miniaturized version of the Indian subcontinent certainly sounds like a great time, and the developers have added a custom map that players can download to facilitate the same. It may not be the most realistic map around, but most players won't take too much of an issue with this.

Securing valuable resources and taking over the map will take a while, but patient players who assemble a massive attacking force can certainly turn the tide of battle in a flash. It's a fun map inspired by real-world geography that fans will appreciate.

6 1.5x All Resources

Subscribers: 39,582

• Creator: Kotri
• Download Link

The act of collecting resources, setting up structures, forming a strong base, and amassing a force of powerful warriors is a tried-and-tested gameplay loop in Age of Empires that fans can't get enough of. However, after numerous games, some players may get bored with the more methodical aspects of this strategy game.

With this mod, players can hasten the process of acquiring resources in the game. This makes it easier to get into the more action-packed aspects of Age of Empires 4 in no time at all!

7 Nomad

Subscribers: 127,652

• Creator: Jackelpobelope
• Download Link

One of the most legendary mods in past Age of Empires games that never made it to the newest title, fans who loved being aimless nomads who had to find a common point for their villagers to gather before forming a base will love the Nomad mod.

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The sheer amount of chaos that can be enjoyed in this game mode is truly amazing and goes to show just how entertaining Age of Empires can be with such a simple change. Of course, this mod's novelty only lasts early on in the game, with players settling into the usual gameplay loop after a few minutes of roaming around aimlessly.

8 Thick Woods

Subscribers: 94,062

• Creator: AoE Official
• Download Link

Gathering resources to form a self-sustaining economy is the meat and bones of Age of Empires 4's gameplay. However, gathering resources in a new game over and over again can get tiring after a point. This is where the Thick Woods mod comes into the picture.

It allows players to collect double the wood from trees, reducing the headache they may experience if the forests nearby run out of resources. It's a simple yet great mod that veterans will love, especially if the early game gets a bit too grating after a point.

9 Britain And Ireland

Subscribers: 67,209

• Creator: AoE Official
• Download Link

The conflict between Britain and Ireland is the stuff of legends. Players who want to engineer this conflict in a game of Age of Empires 4 can do the same with a mod that adds a rather unique yet familiar-looking map to the game.

Players can build their bases on the lands of Britain and Ireland, making for a tantalizing round as players try their hardest to take out their enemies and build a strong army that can deal with the toughest enemies without too many problems.

10 Double Villagers

Subscribers: 61,220

• Creator: AoE Official
• Download Link

Players are always encouraged to train as many villages as possible to make the economy as smooth and engaging as possible. This is important for players who want to progress through the ages in record time and decimate their opposition without any problems whatsoever.

So, it can be rather annoying when players have to start from scratch in every multiplayer session and amass a horde of villages in record time. Thankfully, with this mod, the resources required to add more villagers to the population are reduced significantly, allowing players to form a huge army in no time at all.

11 Advanced Game Settings

Subscribers: 201,820

• Creator: Zlaty Bludistak
• Download Link

Players always want a greater degree of control over the rounds they play in any game, and Age of Empires 4 is no exception to this golden rule. While players can customize a lot of things whenever they want to play a match in the game, having more options would always be welcome.

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This is why the Advanced Game Settings mod is one of the most popular ones for Age of Empires 4 that players have downloaded time and time again. Different starts, new win conditions, and a wealth of other options are integrated into the game with this mod, making it a must-have for fans of this glorious RTS title.

12 Royal Rumble

Subscribers: 85,856

• Creator: AoE Official
• Download Link

Regicide was one of the more popular modes in the older Age of Empires games, and fans weren't all that stoked to see that this fun game mode had been completely removed in Age of Empires 4. However, with the help of mods, this isn't a huge problem anymore.

Players can now enjoy the Regicide mode, but the AI has not been programmed to handle this mode correctly. As a result, they end up bringing their kings in a normal battle, which can take the fun out of this mode somewhat.

13 1000 Population

Subscribers: 65,794

• Creator: Filaipus
• Download Link

The population limit is the bane of anyone's existence who plays Age of Empires. They hate having to conform to these restrictions, leading to a smaller army count that makes it rather challenging to emulate the massive battles that occurred in the past.

While the population limit is mainly there for balancing purposes, some players don't want to deal with these restrictions at all. This is where the 1000 Population mod comes into the picture, allowing players to do precisely what is stated in the mod's title and wreck their enemies with massive armies that can truly boggle the imagination.

Age of Empires 4

Platform(s)

PC , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

October 28, 2021

Developer(s)

Relic Entertainment , World's Edge

Genre(s)

Real-Time Strategy