Age of Empires 4 for Xbox is available today on Game Pass
The fantastic RTS game has gotten a console overhaul.
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What you need to know
It’s been a few years since Age of Empires 4 released on PC in 2021, but now this award-winning real-time strategy (RTS) game is finally on Xbox — as of today! During Gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live, it was revealed that Age of Empires 4: Anniversary Edition is now onXbox Series X|S,Xbox One, and evenXbox Cloud Gaming. In order to play it, gamers can either purchase the game outright or can access it throughGames Pass.
Earlier this year,Age of Empires 2was brought to Xbox, giving the PC classic an overhaul in relation to controls and the HUD to make it play comfortably on Xbox. So it’s no surprise that the same has been done for the latest game in the series.
As you can see from my Age of Empires 4 review, this latest game on Xbox plays much like previous games in the series revolving around strategic gameplay where players command a civilization in order to become a powerful force by gathering resources, building up cities, improving their economy, and improving their military or naval might. Then it’s time to see who among those playing is the most powerful as you work to defeat your opponents.
“Everything Age fans know and love about Age of Empires IV is included: players can build cities, manage resources, and lead their troops to battle on land and at sea. All of this can be played out across four distinct campaigns with 35 missions spanning 500 years of history - from the Dark Ages up to the Renaissance – all from the comfort of your living room. Skirmish and Multiplayer features a selection of 10 diverse civilizations across the world: from the English to the Chinese to the Malians – the choice in your quest for victory is truly yours.”
Some of the changes made for Xbox include:
Age of Empires 4 for Xbox |See at Microsoft
Building upon what made the originals so good, the latest entry in the Age of Empires series once more delivers satisfying strategic combat within a historical setting. The controls have been updated to make the game work well on Xbox.
Windows Central’s take
I’ve been a huge fan of the Age of Empires series since the 90s when I was hosting LAN parties with friends. Among RTS fans, the series continues to be the king of historic strategy and a very challenging-yet-rewarding game to master. Bringing the latest game to Xbox with updated menus and controls for easier console play allows more people to join the fun based on the way they like to play.
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As you can read in myAge of Empires 4 for Xbox review, it’s clear that a lot of love went into this port with a real focus on maintaining the integrity of the PC version’s original strategic gameplay. This point was further proved to me during myAge of Empires 4 interview with creative director, Chris Rubyor. Rubyor and his team are huge fans of the RTS genre and Rubyor himself has been part of several different RTS games through the years. Their focus has repeatedly been on how to make Age feel good on Xbox and part of that convenience comes from the way the HUD and menus were updated for easy play. Seeing game mechanics that aren’t available on PC yet for Xbox shows how much the team cared to improve the experience when playing with a controller.
Of course, another indication that this game was designed for player convenience is the previously mentioned keyboard and mouse support. You can literally play the way you’d prefer and the game will adapt its HUD to the controls you utilize. It’s a phenomenal port that any RTS fan will enjoy.
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Self-professed gaming geek, Rebecca Spear, is one of Windows Central’s editors and reviewers with a focus on gaming handhelds, PC gaming, and laptops. When she isn’t checking out the latest games on Xbox Game Pass, PC, ROG Ally, or Steam Deck; she can be found digital drawing with a Wacom tablet. She’s written thousands of articles with everything from editorials, reviews, previews, features, previews, and hardware reviews over the last few years. If you need information about anything gaming-related, her articles can help you out. She also loves testing game accessories and any new tech on the market. You can follow her@rrspearon X (formerly Twitter).
