Anno 117: Pax Romana Review: A Fresh Take on Empire Building

For fans of city-building strategy games like Civilisation or the Frostpunk series, Anno 117: Pax Romana is a journey worth taking. As a newcomer to the Anno franchise, I entered this with a clean slate, free from past judgments and expectations, and found an experience that is both profound and surprisingly approachable.

Table of Contents

A Forgiving Economy

While Anno 117 is a city builder at its core, it distinguishes itself by not letting the numbers and economics become too daunting. This is a welcome relief, especially for players new to the series. You can play the game and make mistakes; my city certainly suffered from a few poor choices on my part, but the game provides enough leeway to correct your wrongdoings without forcing a complete restart. Between the warfare, city politics, and economics, there is enough variety here to keep the gameplay engaging throughout the playthrough without becoming overwhelming.

City Design: The “Vegas” Effect

The game’s flow naturally encourages you to divide your city into distinct segments, creating a fascinating social dynamic. You will find yourself building high streets and exclusive areas for the elite, while the labour force and working class reside closer to their places of work. It felt a lot like Las Vegas: you have the prime locations where the people are close to the “Strip,” enjoying the luxury, while the rest of the population lives in parts of the city that most visitors don’t even know exist.

Expanding Horizons and Trade

As part of the story, you eventually venture into a different land, an aspect of the game I won’t spoil here. However, this expansion introduces a compelling layer to resource management. The trade system is quite interesting, focusing on acquiring resources you cannot produce yourself to keep your economy floating. Considering the massive scale of the map, managing your trade and trade routes feels like an entirely separate mini-game, adding a satisfying layer of complexity to the experience.

Combat and Strategy

Combat in Anno 117 is interesting. It may not have the depth of a dedicated RTS like Age of Empires, but it doesn’t need to. It serves to spice things up, breaking the rhythm of pure building. Once you get the hang of it, you will quickly develop favourite strategies that work in your favour.

However, a word of caution: as your empire grows, you need to be careful. One wrong move can trigger a domino effect, and recovering from a cascade of failures can be a time-consuming process. Paying attention to your decisions is crucial once you reach the later stages of the game.

Visuals and Performance

Visually, the game is stunning. The ability to zoom in allows you to see incredible details in the structures, with iconic monuments looking almost photorealistic. Conversely, zooming out gives you a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of the empire you’ve built. On a 55-inch OLED TV, the visuals truly shine, making the act of simply watching your city function a joy in itself.

Story and Endless Mode

There is a narrative here, but it largely serves to guide you through the game’s main mechanics. Once you have completed the story, you can enjoy your empire in Endless Mode. Both modes feel much more approachable than the gruelling survival focus of Frostpunk. The Endless mode, in particular, ensures you can play at a challenge level you are comfortable with, extending the game’s longevity significantly.

Verdict

Anno 117: Pax Romana is a fantastic choice for anyone looking for a fresh city builder to dive into. The visuals are stunning, the controls are well-adapted even for console players, and the gameplay loop strikes a great balance between depth and forgiveness. If you enjoy games like Civilisation and Frostpunk, this is definitely one for you. As such, it gets a high recommendation from me.

Editor’s Rating: 8 / 10

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