8 multiplayer tips for Age of Empires 2 (2024)

If you've been playing Age of Empires 2 against the computer for a while now and are looking for a way to level up and join ranked matches, look no further. Maybe you joined an Age of Empires 2 multiplayer game out of curiosity and got your butt handed to you. Maybe you're hesitant to join in case you get your butt handed to you. Fear not, this handy guide will push you in the right direction, giving you the most important tips and tricks used by esports pros, and cutting out all the filler. Let's get started.

Rehearsal and practice is key in any competitive game and Age of Empires 2 is no exception. Take the time to watch competitive tournaments and follow your favourite esports stars. 1v1 tournaments like Red Bull Wololo will be invaluable, as shoutcasters and fans will use terminology and concepts that you'll be expected to know and respond to in-game.

You'll also be able to study techniques and gameplay styles that you might not otherwise have considered and will find it easier to hold ground in competitive spaces when you're familiar with the culture of the game.

Don't run before you can walk. To be a strong contender, you might need to swallow your pride and go back to basics. The jump from playing alone to playing against another person can be daunting and it pays to be prepared. Start as you mean to go on with your Dark Age build orders. Keep things simple and refine your strategy over-and-over before you move on to the next stage. Something the biggest esports professionals share in common is their dedication to playing the same strategy repeatedly, ironing out any creases and keeping play as tight as possible.

It sounds a little melodramatic, but the first 10 minutes of a game can make or break it. This is where you do the mental gymnastics of combining your desired strategy with the way the other player moves. You'll need to be flexible, yet remain unshakable. Get your town centre pumping out value around the clock, create villagers constantly, invest wisely and plan ahead. Sounds obvious, but always assume your opponent is an expert at their chosen civ and act accordingly. Most pro Age of Empires 2 players will spend the least amount of time in the Feudal Age, as the Dark and Castle Ages have far more influence over the progression of the game.

It's always good to be enthusiastic and have insider knowledge of your opponents' civ choice, but far more important is your ability to master your own chosen civs. Don't spend too much time playing random civs, focus on the ones you like and watch others excel in their campaigns. Learn how to construct a tight foundation in the early game, a quick expansion in the mid game and a follow-up final blow in the late action. If you want to be a serious multiplayer contender, you'll pick a civ and stick with it. There's no shame in repeating the solo campaign to pick up tips on counter values.

If you want to become a competitor at the higher levels, toxicity is out. Not only is it strongly monitored in many tournaments, but part of the skill of esports competition is networking and having respect for your opponents. Being rude to – or about – your fellow competitors is bad form for many reasons, not least because you're more likely to underestimate them if you don't give them the respect they're due, leading to obvious and embarrassing mistakes. Losing a game is a chance to learn, don't waste it.

A good rule of thumb is to have 50 percent citizens and 50 percent military toward the end of your game, giving you something to aim for ahead of your final push. Keep your resources balanced and your gold reserves in check, because it's always the least common resource. Plan ahead for resource cause and effect. You'll need plenty of wood stored before the Castle Age to invest in farms, for example, so always be prepared for the next development in advance. You wouldn't be playing Age of Empires if you didn't want to micromanage, so embrace it as part of the art.

Pretty much all esports stars swear by recording their own games and watching them back, especially from the enemy's point of view. Age of Empires 2 has an in-built recording system, just make sure it's toggled 'on' in the lobby before you start. Third party software like CaptureAge is a common addition, using the recorded files and presenting them with an informative and interactive UI. Watch yourself back and make notes, find the moment you went wrong and track backwards from it. Watch the enemy's movements and see how you could have counteracted them. You'll soon start to see a pattern, enabling you to move reflexively in future games.

Once you're confident in your strategy, the next thing to improve is your speed. Hotkeys are vital to a fast win or an effective rush and can become second nature to experienced players, buying them valuable seconds with each move. Initially, you'll only need a few basics: a town centre lock-on, one to make villagers, one to build houses and one to build farms.

As the game and your playstyle move forward, you'll notice the most commonly used commands and can adapt your hotkeys accordingly. Be sure to think about speed above all else. For example, common sense aside, the DEL key is a poor choice for erasing, as you'll have to move your hand across the keyboard to hit it – and you'll probably be hitting it a lot.