This was my favorite RTS before AoM. I guess I liked the Greek/Roman, Egyptian, and Norse mythology more than the Middle Ages. Now that I read more about the game, I realize how much I played it; playing the different civilizations was so much fun.
Age of Mythology was good as well, but I feel like after the expansion Ensemble just careened downhill uncontrollably. I wouldn't go so far as to call it
better than Age of Empires II though.
I used to love building beautiful thought out cities with way more houses than I needed, and the background music is essentially the ground zero to where I can trace all of my musical tastes.