For the 110 individuals involved in developing Anno 117: Pax Romana, the upcoming city-building game by Ubisoft Mainz, every installment in the series has paved the way for its anticipated Winter 2025 release.
An Overview of the Anno Series
The Anno series has experienced its share of successes and setbacks. The latest title, Anno 1800, released in 2019, is widely regarded as one of the best in the collection. In contrast, the futuristic entries like Anno 2205 and Anno 2070 received a more mixed reception. However, Pax Romana aims to deliver something exceptional for a broad audience, including strategy enthusiasts, aesthetic builders, and even newcomers. This installment marks a significant development in the franchise, featuring its first simultaneous launch on both PC and console platforms, the return of land combat, a move to ancient Rome, and substantial improvements to existing game mechanics.
Many team members have dedicated a decade or more to the Anno series and possess a profound understanding of what devoted fans seek: enhanced graphics, diverse gameplay options, robust systems, and humorous gameplay disasters. Their commitment to fulfilling these expectations is clear.
I had the opportunity to visit Rome, gaining firsthand experience with Anno 117: Pax Romana while conversing with creative director Manuel Reinher and game director Jan Dungel. This experience left me both exhausted from travel and genuinely appreciative of the series and its genre.
Setting: A New Era in Rome
Anno 117: Pax Romana takes a significant historical step backward from its predecessor, diving into a period characterized by two centuries of peace and prosperity rather than the tumultuous conflicts of the Roman Empire.
“Our community has long expressed a desire for this setting,” Reinher stated during our discussion. “The allure of Rome is undeniable, but we faced challenges in meeting the established fantasies surrounding it. Pax Romana emerged as the ideal setting—it represents nearly 200 years of stability in the empire, peak growth, and a fitting backdrop, as conflict is not the heart of the Anno experience.”
In this game, you assume the role of a newly appointed Roman governor in Latium, a province close to the Empire’s epicenter, with the responsibility of maintaining peace and prosperity. Will you choose to rule through intimidation, or will you adopt a more humane approach, hoping that rival governors won’t undermine your authority?
The game also introduces players to Albion, a mystical Celtic territory shrouded in fog, where few “civilized” Romans dare venture due to the unpredictable nature of its inhabitants. You will have the option to explore and make decisions regarding this land and its people.
Enhancing Player Choices
Anno 117: Pax Romana aims to provide deeper, more meaningful choices for players than its predecessors. A comprehensive discovery tree comprises over 150 unique elements divided into three main categories: economy, civic, and military. This design intends to alleviate some of the linearity players might have encountered in earlier titles.
Exploring avenues such as advanced storage technologies can enhance your trading capabilities with neighboring provinces, while civic advancements can unlock new public buildings or religious options. Importantly, players are not confined to a single branch on the discovery tree, allowing for a flexible approach that includes researching road construction, learning Latin, or bolstering military forces.
Economic Simulation and Land Combat
In line with previous Anno titles, 117: Pax Romana will center on economic simulation while incorporating traditional city-building mechanics alongside elements of 4X strategy. It reintroduces a controversial feature that has been absent from the franchise for quite some time: land combat.
While details remain limited, the team confirmed that the game will include both land and naval combat with enhanced integration, asserting that only powerful cities can sustain a robust military. However, it is crucial to note that Anno is not primarily a war simulation series. The inclusion of combat is framed as an additional choice rather than a required focus for gameplay.
Visual Aesthetics
Aside from gameplay mechanics, the developers aspire to create “the most beautiful city-building game, period.” A new day-night cycle introduces breathtaking visuals, such as the flickering lights of lanterns as dusk falls or stunning lavender fields that accentuate urban landscapes. The game also allows for curved road designs, enhancing the creativity of city layouts. Each pixel reflects an extraordinary level of detail, from waves gently lapping around ships to crops swaying in the wind.
Ubisoft aims to showcase the multicultural essence of ancient Rome, highlighting its influences from Celtic and Egyptian cultures. The expansion of the Empire led to a rich exchange of religious ideas, technologies, and resources. “This cultural exchange contributed significantly to the stability of the Empire,” Reinher explained.
Newcomer-Friendly Gameplay
Ubisoft Mainz is keen on making the gameplay accessible to both veterans and newcomers through an improved onboarding system.
“Anno can appear complex, but it rewards gradual learning,” Dungel remarked. “New players don’t need an extensive understanding of the game universe to appreciate the experience.”
Experiencing Anno 117 for the first time amidst the ancient Roman architecture was surreal. Initially overwhelmed by the game’s systems, I focused on building my governor’s villa in a secure location to facilitate trade and connectivity.
My journey through the game involved managing resources, establishing homes for diverse worker classes, and fostering economic prosperity. I even engaged with the game’s systems enough to build a diverse city complete with various production facilities.
Conclusion
My time with Anno 117: Pax Romana concluded too swiftly, just as I began to understand the complexities of the game’s economic systems and expand my city. As a new player eager to make my mark in ancient Rome, I look forward to seeing how these mechanics refine the city-building genre.
Anno 117: Pax Romana is set for release later this year on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, promising a captivating experience for both newcomers and seasoned players alike.
