Age of Empires 4: Anniversary Edition is another excellent real-time strategy game from the now venerable series that popularised the subgenre back in the late 90s and early 2000s (with 'popular' being a relative term).

Developed by Relic Entertainment and initially published by Xbox Game Studios in 2021, it's now the turn of PS5 players to delve into a high-quality, polished game packed with content from subsequent DLC releases.

AoE 4 features dozens of missions spread across multiple campaigns inspired by the lives of real historical figures and cultures, from William the Conqueror and the Normans, to the Mongols and Genghis Khan.

Documentary-style introductions for each mission blend real-world footage of historical sites with in-engine action, reminiscent of the History Channel.

Unlockable video clips called "Hands on History" await victorious players, featuring interviews with historians and experts on topics such as castle building and incendiary arrows, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

The UI has been redesigned with the controller in mind, featuring the same simplified command inputs and time-saving automation for villager management and the economy we praised in Age of Mythology: Retold. However, it still takes some getting used to.

In addition to the campaign, players can engage in well-rounded medieval battle on randomly generated Skirmish maps against the AI, or wage war online against others to struggle for leaderboard bragging rights.

Different civilisations offer unique playstyles and gameplay quirks; the Germanic Holy Roman Empire employs powerful Landsknechte infantry capable of AOE attacks and Prelate support units that use inspiring holy relics to boost nearby villagers' gathering rates.

The French, meanwhile, enjoy having the most powerful cavalry in an era dominated by armoured horsemen, backed up by unique early cannons, in addition to some nice trade advantages.

One of the prettier strategy games out there, AoE4 looks and runs great on PS5 Pro, and its high production values shine through.

Keeping one foot firmly in its own past, Age of Empires 4: Anniversary Edition is an exciting step forward for the series and a satisfyingly deep game in its own right; you'll likely learn something new each time you play.