While the debate between PC and console gamers is one that is always going to continue, there is no denying that console controllers are more ergonomically designed. As such, they offer more freedom and comfort for gamers. Many find that this makes console ports of PC games a lot more accessible to a wider audience. Of course, one of the biggest examples of this is Age of Empires 4.
Many thought that a large, sprawling RTS with many moving components would not work on a console. However, when Age of Empires 4 was released on consoles after its initial PC release, many players found that it was just as playable and easy to control as ever. When time is of the essence in a game like Age of Empires 4, it is always useful to have a few controller tips on hand.
7 Start With The English
Although the game does have a tutorial mode, new players are likely to forget something when it comes to a video game as intricate as Age of Empires 4. The only way to get used to all the action is with practice, and players are more likely to return to a game if they are successful. The best way to learn how to play Age of Empires 4 on a console is by playing the English.
While they may not be the most exciting civilization in Age of Empires 4, the English are certainly the most well-rounded. This means that players are given a few margins of error when playing as this faction. If gamers want to pick up and play Age of Empires 4 on a console and get good at it, there is no better way to start than with the English as their go-to civilization.
6 Fire Is Your Friend
A military unit that is attacking a building or structure is vulnerable to attacks from the enemy. That is why players do not want to waste time reducing a building to rubble unless they must.
In previous Age of Empires games, a building would only count as demolished once its health reached zero. However, Age of Empires 4 includes a new mechanic that sets buildings on fire once they have 25% of their health left. These buildings are useless in this state until they are repaired. This means that players can continue to conquer the enemy by triggering the fire icon and moving on, meaning that the entire civilization can now be wiped out much faster with this knowledge.
5 Command Menu Shortcuts
As with other Age of Empire games on the Xbox, the developers have made use of command shortcuts. This is something that adept players will make use of as they hone their skills in the game, although there is no harm in knowing about it early.
In Age of Empires 4, players can use the Y button to quickly open up a command menu. The player will need to select a group of the same unit type first, but pressing Y afterward means that they can quickly allocate that group to a building or task without having to manually find each unit type and assign them that way.
4 Site Commands
Not everything in Age of Empires 4 requires the player to engage in some way. That is why the right trigger is an Xbox player's best friend.
When nothing is selected, the player can hold the right trigger to bring up a wheel menu of everything in the area. This allows them to use the analog stick to select a building or unit type to manage from the single menu without having to select each unit or manage several menus at once. It might not seem important, but speed is necessary when an enemy begins its assault.
3 Creating Units On Command
Since the maps in Age of Empires 4 are so large, players will often find that they have to scroll around a lot between the action to produce more units or manage their resources. On a keyboard and mouse, this is quite easy to do. However, many console gamers aren’t used to having to move this quickly. What’s more, keeping an eye on the battle at hand is sometimes essential.
Therefore, players will want to learn how to create extra troops without having to scroll back to the barracks. On Xbox, this is easily achieved by holding X to select military buildings. Next, players can use the right trigger to open up the context menu. From here, it's easy to make more troops without having to pull focus from a battle.
2 Naval Warfare
The rivers and oceans in Age of Empires 4 might not seem useful to every civilization, but gamers should not rule them out completely. Every faction can make use of the water, both for resources and warfare.
Since the docks are quite an early building in the game, players who make use of this tend to do well. Although players may only want a few fishing ships in the dark age, console gamers should continue to use this resource so long as it is there. It's also important to note that fishing ships can be used to fix warships in certain civilizations.
1 Give Military Units Something To Do
Once a player has created a military unit, they may notice that the unit stands around for a while, doing nothing until provoked. While the tutorial will teach new players how to set up a gathering point for the military, there is more that they can do.
On the army menu, holding the right trigger will display a list of actions the military can perform. These can range from patrol to guard duty. This allows the military to be prepared in the event of an attack instead of idly waiting until the player is ready to wage war on the enemy.
Age of Empires 4
- Released
- October 28, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Relic Entertainment, World's Edge
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Real-Time Strategy
