Developer Interview: Dr. Ben Angell - AOE2: Chronicles Series (Ep.58)

In this episode of Critical Moves, we sit down with Ben Angel, narrative lead and designer on the Age of Empires 2: Chronicles DLC campaigns. Ben shares fascinating insights into creating compelling narratives within the constraints of RTS gameplay, where players experience stories from a distant, zoomed-out perspective.

We discuss how Chronicles tackles the inherent challenges of storytelling in strategy games—turning abstract barracks and identical units into specific, memorable moments through careful writing and design. Ben explains how dialogue can function like a "radio play" running in the background while players manage their armies, and how writers must give specificity to generic gameplay elements.

The conversation explores how the team designed varied campaign scenarios that break away from the repetitive "build base, creat ...