There are five historically based campaigns, which constrict the player to specialized and story-backed conditions, as well as three additional single-player game modes multiplayer is also supported.ĭespite using the same game engine and code similar to its predecessor's, development of The Age of Kings took a year longer than expected, forcing Ensemble Studios to release Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome in 1998 instead. Players aim to gather resources, which they use to build towns, create armies, and defeat their enemies. The Age of Kings is set in the Middle Ages and contains thirteen playable civilizations. Released in 1999 for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh, it is the second game in the Age of Empires series. Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft.