Two games in one! You can buy the Return of Rome key — the most unique expansion for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. This DLC brings the original Age of Empires game content into the modern AoE II engine. Enjoy ancient battles (Egypt, Greece, Babylon) with modern controls, improved pathfinding, and QoL features. As a bonus, you get the powerful Romans civilization for ranked play in the standard AoE II mode.
⚠️ WARNING: This is Downloadable Content (DLC). The base game Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is required on Steam to play.
What is included in Return of Rome?
- New Game Mode: A separate menu toggle that switches the game to "Age of Empires 1" mode. It features 16 classic civilizations (Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Hittites, Romans, Yamato, etc.).
- New Civ (Exclusive): Lac Viet — the ancient civilization of Southeast Asia, available only in Return of Rome mode.
- Civ for AoE II: Romans — added to the standard game. Unique units: Legionary and Centurion.
- 3 New Campaigns:
- Sargon of Akkad (Sumerians): Rise from cupbearer to the King of Kings.
- Pyrrhus of Epirus (Macedonians): Challenge Rome itself in an attempt to outshine Hannibal.
- Trajan (Romans): The story of the "Optimus Princeps" and the zenith of the Roman Empire.
- D3 Mode: A popular Vietnamese esports rule set (no walls/towers, limited early aggression).
Key Difference:
| Content | Where is it available? |
| 16 AoE 1 Civs + Lac Viet | Only in the special "Return of Rome" sub-mode (Antiquity). |
| "Romans" Civ (Empire) | In the standard AoE II game (Middle Ages) vs Franks, Britons, etc. |
Instruction: How to activate DLC on Steam
- Open the Steam client.
- Click "Games" in the top menu -> "Activate a Product on Steam".
- Enter the key you received.
- After downloading, a toggle button (helmet icon) will appear in the main menu to switch to Return of Rome mode.
FAQ
1. Is this a remake of Age of Empires 1?
Effectively, yes. It is AoE 1 ported to the AoE 2 engine. Now it has gates, formations, smarter villagers, and proper pathfinding.
2. Can I play Romans against Medieval Knights?
Yes! The "Romans" civilization (Late Western Roman Empire) is added specifically for the main AoE II game. You can pit Legionaries against Teutonic Knights.
3. Can I play Egyptians against Franks?
No. The "Return of Rome" civilizations (Egypt, Sumerians, etc.) are isolated in their own mode. They only fight each other due to balance differences.
4. What is D3 mode?
It's a tribute to the Vietnamese AoE community. Rules: only one unit to attack until Bronze Age, no walls or towers. A pure test of micro and tactics.
5. Is it region locked?
No. This is a Global key, it activates in any region without restrictions.
6. Do I need to buy AoE 1 DE?
No. This DLC is self-contained within AoE 2 DE. It is generally considered better than the standalone AoE 1 DE due to engine improvements.