The historical battles, of course, all take place during the time period that Age of Empires 3 covers.
The campaigns are a fun enough way to spend some time, 30 to 40 hours depending on difficulty setting, but still aren't exactly compelling.
Castles and towers are less numerous, but those that do exist are more powerful: Fortresses bristle with guns and cannons.
I'm glad someone was paying attention to StarCraft 2's way of doing things.
It's the Age of Empires update that will be least appreciated, but most needed, a remaster that adds new single-player missions and civilizations.
All units have been improved, featuring a higher polygon count and better textures.