Anno 1800 Console Edition review: Same fun presented in a compact fashion

When I heard about Anno 1800 getting a console port, my mind couldn’t have been more divided. A part of me was happy to play the same game that has given me plenty of smiles and tears since 2019 on my Xbox console. While I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a modified port, another part of me had some concerns, at least initially.

Strategy games are best played on PCs, given their need for a keyboard and a mouse. Many titles have gone overboard, trying to simplify their offerings and ending up providing a bland experience. A classic example is the Football Manager series, whose console edition is nothing like the full-blown PC version. Having Anno 1800 go down the same route would have been a big disappointment for me.

Thankfully, there are very few things that you’ll miss out on by playing Anno 1800 on a console. While this has huge merit, to begin with, developer Blue Byte has done a tremendous job at reducing the hardships of using a controller. The many hours of joy I had with the game were a result of both factors. There wasn’t a particular moment where I missed my Razer keyboard and other peripherals.

Anno 1800 Console Edition is a great example of how a console port should work

When you start your journey on the Anno 1800 island, there’s not much you’ll lose by playing on consoles. The context, the available technology, and even the start of the game are the same. If you have already played the game on PC, expect no big difference (for the most part).

This is a big merit because, as I said before, you don’t want to have a streamlined experience with Anno 1800 just because you have a different platform. There’s a lot of fun to be had with the challenges you’ll soon start facing once your settlement increases in size and population.

Story and gameplay

So, what’s the story supposed to do in a colony-building sim? A lot, to answer in two words. Don’t get me wrong; you can go with Anno 1800’s sandbox mode if you’re an expert on PC. However, I found the campaign perfect despite having played the game previously on my PC.

There are two big benefits you’ll get from doing so. For one, it’s the perfect expanded tutorial you’ll need to learn the ropes of the game. I have played several colony-sims in the last five years, and Anno 1800 is easily at the top of the list when it comes to complexity. A part of me loves the game simply because of the challenges that go behind every decision.

After playing for a few hours on my console, I was so glad that the experience hadn’t been overtly simplified. While a few things occur in a more arcade fashion here and there compared to the full version on the PC, this is again largely due to how the controls work on consoles. Even though some of you might find the change too simple for your liking, the console controls of Anno 1800 are completely on point.

You start small but expand fast (Image via Ubisoft)

In fact, Blue Byte has shown that you don’t have to sacrifice anything significant to develop a console port. Nothing will have disappointed me more than realizing that the game I'm playing is nothing like the one I played in 2019.

In Anno 1800, you’ll start on a lonely island, and as an entrepreneur, it’s your job to set up a successful colony and help it reach its potential. You start slow and easy as the first settlements, markets, and warehouses are built.

This is a great area to demonstrate how well the console edition works. In the game, every place of productivity and residence must be connected to a road. Doing that on a PC is easy, and I thought it would be much more difficult on my Xbox. However, it was surprisingly even easier, and all I had to decide was the length of the road to most parts.

The core gameplay is still the same: you start by building your settlement, which quickly increases from 100 settlers to over a thousand. As you prosper, you unlock more social classes, each with its own unlockables.

As your colony flourishes, you’ll soon have to take the tact of diplomacy or war with your neighboring islands. If you play single-player, the AI will take charge of the surrounding islands. Trading is one of the most important aspects of the game, and the same can be said about its console edition.

You will soon realize that satisfying everyone isn’t as easy as you think. The situation gets harder as you unlock different classes, and your settlement gets bigger.

On the one hand, you’ll have to ensure that your colony has enough resources to survive all contingencies. On the other hand, keeping everyone happy is one of the key activities you must undertake.

Optimization

Coming from a PC setup with greater performance capabilities, I was expecting some toning down in graphical fidelity when I launched Anno 1800 on my Xbox Series S. Yet, the title was the same. It’s the same glamorous ocean surrounding your island, where your settlers do their daily jobs.

The console edition hasn't made many sacrifices in terms of graphics (Image via Ubisoft)

Rotating the camera angles and zooming in/out is very simple, thanks to the control system. This is where the console version feels so polished. There’s no tradeoff in the controls as such, although you’ll need a bit of practice. However, as mentioned before, many tasks have been beautifully converted to console controls that should suit most players.

In terms of overall gameplay, there weren’t any major performance issues. Even when my settlement grew and became significantly bigger, there was no lag or throttle worth noting. I was very satisfied with the consistent performances offered by Anno 1800 on my console.

In conclusion

Anno 1800's console edition is almost the same game PC players have enjoyed over the last four years. Blue Byte’s excellent work has ensured that console users don’t miss out on the authentic experience that’s been enjoyed by their PC counterparts. There’s the same emphasis on every little detail, and the console edition doesn’t ease the sense of challenge to any degree.

Getting used to the new control scheme will require a bit of practice, but the layout has been implemented very well. It allows you to do all the important tasks quickly without requiring them to scratch their heads.

However, it’s worth noting that Anno 1800 is one of the harder colony builders to play, with multiple aspects to concentrate on. Getting the buildings properly is just one aspect of the game. Generating resources, keeping your town folk happy, and ensuring their survival will be some of the hardest tasks that you will have to look after. With the potential to play in either campaign or sandbox, you can enjoy Anno 1800 at your own pace.