Best Games Like Age of Empires (Series) Top RTS Games & Historical Games like Age of Empires (Series)

Age of Empires is described as 'Historical real-time strategy where players guide civilizations from the Stone Age to Iron Age, manage resources, battle rivals, and explore major eras' and is a very popular RTS game in the games category. There are more than 50 games similar to Age of Empires for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and Android Tablet apps. The best Age of Empires alternative is 0 A.D., which is both free and Open Source. Other Age of Empires like games are OpenRA, StarCraft, Warzone 2100 and Age of Mythology.

More about Age of Empires
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
Age of Empires alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. 0 A.D. icon

    0 A.D.

     250 likes

    0 A.D. is a free, open-source, cross-platform real-time strategy (RTS) game of ancient warfare. In short, it is a historically-based war/economy game that allows players to relive or rewrite the history of Western civilizations, focusing on the years between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D.

    44 0 A.D. alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    0 A.D. screenshot 1
     
    |
    6
    0 A.D. vs Age of Empires Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    randomperson
    1

    It works on all platforms and it's free and open-source.

    Festo
    Positive
    0

    It's the closest comparable game to Age of Empires 2. But it's free and better graphics.

    David
    Positive
    1

    0 A.D. is arguably the closest comparable game to Age of Empires 2. The civilizations and more advanced units within them are obviously different but play-wise and strategy-wise, the two are very close. Meanwhile, 0 A.D. has visuals that eclipse the later 3D graphics of AoE 3.

    3 of 6 comments
    • 0 A.D. is Free and Open SourceAge of Empires is Paid and Proprietary
  2. OpenRA icon

    OpenRA

     49 likes

    OpenRA is an open-source reimplementation of Westwood’s Command & Conquer Red Alert game engine, updated to use the hardware acceleration of modern video cards using OpenGL.

    26 OpenRA alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • .NET Framework
    • Mono
    OpenRA screenshot 1
     
  4. StarCraft icon

    StarCraft

     122 likes

    Command the exiled Terrans, the relentless Zerg, and the abiding Protoss, in the world's most longstanding RTS. (Released in 1998.).

    32 StarCraft alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Battle.net
    StarCraft screenshot 1
     
  5. Warzone 2100 icon

    Warzone 2100

     65 likes

    Join "The Project" to restore humanity's synaptic-link technology after nuclear war has devastated Earth, rendering it a Warzone 2100.

    27 Warzone 2100 alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Steam
    Warzone 2100 screenshot 1
     
    |
    1
    Warzone 2100 vs Age of Empires Comments
    Festo
    Positive
    0

    RTS similar to AoE but with a different thematic.

    • Warzone 2100 is Free and Open SourceAge of Empires is Paid and Proprietary
  6. Age of Mythology icon

    Age of Mythology

     24 likes

    Age of Mythology is based on building towns, gathering resources, creating armies, and ultimately destroying enemy units and buildings. In this way, players are able to defeat and conquer rival towns and civilizations.

    52 Age of Mythology alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Steam
    Age of Mythology screenshot 1
     
    |
    1
    Age of Mythology vs Age of Empires Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    2

    It is kind of an update to the Age of Empires series also the AOM Titans Expansions is an expanded version of this game

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Age of Mythology is Paid and ProprietaryAge of Empires is also Paid and Proprietary
  7. Empire Earth icon

    Empire Earth

     18 likes

    Empire Earth, also known as EE, is a real-time strategy video game developed by Stainless Steel Studios and released on November 23, 2001. It is the first game in the Empire Earth series: Empire Earth, Empire Earth II, Empire Earth III.

    42 Empire Earth alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Java Mobile
    Empire Earth screenshot 1
     
  9. Widelands icon

    Widelands

     38 likes

    Widelands is a free, open source real-time strategy game with singleplayer campaigns and a multiplayer mode. The game was inspired by Settlers II™ (© Bluebyte) but has significantly more variety and depth to it. Still, it is easy to get started through playable tutorials.

    26 Widelands alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Widelands screenshot 1
     
    |
    1
    Widelands vs Age of Empires Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    different game play and concept

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Widelands is Free and Open SourceAge of Empires is Paid and Proprietary
  11. Stormgate icon

    Stormgate

     Like

    Stormgate® is a free-to-play PC real-time strategy game set hundreds of years in Earth’s future. Take command of the human resistance, the demonic invaders, or other factions yet to be revealed–solo or cooperatively.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Stormgate screenshot 1
     
  12. MegaGlest icon

    MegaGlest

     24 likes

    MegaGlest is an open source 3D-real-time strategy game, where you control the armies of one of seven different factions: Tech, Magic, Egyptians, Indians, Norsemen Persian or Romans. The game is setup in one of 14 naturally looking settings, which -like the unit models- are...

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    MegaGlest screenshot 1
     
    |
    1
    MegaGlest vs Age of Empires Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    -1

    Similar gameplay. Great graphics.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • MegaGlest is Free and Open SourceAge of Empires is Paid and Proprietary
  13. CaesarIA icon

    CaesarIA

     20 likes

    CaesarIA is an open source remake of Caesar III game released by Impressions Games in 1998, it aims to expand the possibilities of the classical city-building simulators and to add new features showing the city life. Now the game work with Windows, Linux, Mac, Haiku and Android.

    31 CaesarIA alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Wine
    • Steam
    CaesarIA screenshot 1
     
    |
    2
    CaesarIA vs Age of Empires Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    different game play and concept

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    I enjoy the city build experience

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • CaesarIA is Free and Open SourceAge of Empires is Paid and Proprietary
12 of 51 Age of Empires alternatives