While the debate betweenPC and consolegamers 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 isAge of Empires 4.
RELATED:Pro Tips For Age Of Empires 4 You Need To Know
Many thought that a large, sprawling RTS with many moving components would not work on a console. However, whenAge of Empires 4was 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 likeAge of Empires 4, it is always useful to have a fewcontroller tipson hand.
7Start 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 asAge 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 playAge of Empires 4on a console is by playing the English.
RELATED:Age Of Empires 4: Everything You Need To Know About Playing As The English
While they may not be the most exciting civilization inAge of Empires 4, the English are certainly the most well-rounded. This means that players are given a fewmargins of errorwhen playing as this faction. If gamers want to pick up and playAge of Empires 4on a console and get good at it, there is no better way to start than with the English as their go-to civilization.
6Fire 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 previousAge of Empiresgames, a building would only count as demolished once its health reached zero. However,Age of Empires 4includes 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.
5Command Menu Shortcuts
As with otherAge of Empiregames 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.
InAge 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.
4Site Commands
Not everything inAge of Empires 4requires 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 orunit type to managefrom 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.
3Creating Units On Command
Since the maps inAge of Empires 4are so large, players will often find that they have to scroll around a lot between the action to produce more units ormanage 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.
2Naval Warfare
The rivers and oceans inAge of Empires 4might 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.
RELATED:Age Of Empires 2 Definitive Edition: Best Naval Civilizations, Ranked
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 touse this resourceso long as it is there. It’s also important to note that fishing ships can be used to fix warships in certain civilizations.
1Give 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.
MORE:Games To Play If You Like Age Of Empires
