Anno 117: Pax Romana review: Roman setting brings evolution the Anno series needed

I was thrilled, but also a little hesitant, when I learned the new Anno game would be set in ancient Rome. After spending so much time enjoying the immersive world of Anno 1800, I wondered if Rome could measure up. Now, having played Anno 117: Pax Romana extensively, I can confidently say it does. This game is exactly the fresh direction the series needed.

I’ve always loved the Anno series – it’s where I’d return whenever other games didn’t quite satisfy. While I found Anno 1800 a little too complex, this new installment, with its Roman setting and innovative gameplay, has rekindled that excitement of city building. This time, I’m not just building – I’m a politician with personal goals who has to balance those with the emperor’s demands. And that makes all the difference.

From the first villas to monumental buildings…

Honestly, playing as a Roman governor has been a total game-changer. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s flipped how I look at everything. Before, I was just building for the fun of it, doing whatever I wanted, whenever. Now, I actually have to think about politics! Every decision I make feels like it has real weight, and it’s not just about my little empire anymore – people are actually affected by what I do.

When I finally decided to challenge the emperor in my game, it felt incredibly exciting—a feeling I hadn’t had in a strategy game for years. The emperor isn’t just a set of rules; he’s a powerful enemy with his own armies and goals, and he genuinely feels like a threat. The game shifted from simply building things to being about power, the decisions you make, and what happens as a result.

The game centers around building and expanding your city, starting with small villas and gradually investing in things like water systems and public services. Eventually, you’ll be able to construct beautiful, grand buildings with amazing detail. The game is visually striking – the lighting and shadows are incredibly realistic, and the architecture is so detailed it really draws you in. I meant to play for just an hour, but I ended up playing for five without even realizing it! It’s been a long time since a game has captivated me like that.

Loyalist or rebel? You can choose your path

Anno 117 is unique because it lets you shape your own experience. The game features two distinct ways to progress, each offering a completely different gameplay style.

I started my first game by choosing the loyal path. I focused on developing my territory and maintaining good relations with Rome, dutifully following the emperor’s commands and completing his tasks to earn his favor. It was a peaceful and secure way to play, but after a while, it felt less like a game and more like a routine job.

For my second campaign, I chose to defy the empire, and it was quite a ride! The imperial forces immediately responded with an attack. I spent a lot of time getting ready, constructing defenses along the coast, reinforcing my ships, and raising an army. The atmosphere was incredibly tense – it felt like I was a local leader facing a potentially fatal decision. Successfully defending against the empire felt amazing, and even the emperor had to admit I was a force to be reckoned with. I appreciate that the game focuses on political strategy within a historical context, as it allows players to truly feel influential while staying true to the period.

That’s exactly what I felt was missing from past games in the series. I didn’t just want to focus on building things; I wanted to feel like a character within a compelling story. And Anno 117 delivers on that front. The choices you make, whether you play by the rules or rebel against them, genuinely impact the way your game’s story progresses.

Battles return, but it’s not the end of the world

Let’s talk about battles, which are back in a big way. As a longtime fan, I was eager to see how Ubisoft would handle land combat again. While I primarily concentrated on building up my economy and using diplomacy in Anno 1800, Anno 117 really changes things up. It not only brings back land battles, but also features a surprisingly good system for customizing and fighting with naval fleets.

To be honest, I felt pretty lost when I first started playing. I had to figure out how to build a fleet and equip my ships with the best parts, and also learn how to plan battles and control my units. It was challenging at first, but the game had helpful tutorials that guided me through everything.

Okay, so here’s the deal: you can actually play through the game without getting into tons of combat, which is cool if you’re like me and prefer focusing on building up your economy and making deals with other players. I did a whole playthrough ignoring most of the fighting! However, you still need some kind of defense – you can’t just leave yourself open to attack. As someone who really loves the chill, relaxing city-building in games like Anno 1800, all the military stuff felt a little intense at first. But honestly? I don’t think that’s a bad thing. A game needs to push you a little, otherwise it gets stale. It’s good to have that challenge!

Streets at a 45-degree angle

Okay, let me tell you about something I really loved – the roads! In Anno 117: Pax Romana, they’ve totally revamped the road system, which is new for this series. You can now lay roads at 45-degree angles, and honestly, it sounds small, but it’s a game-changer for how you build your cities. It makes everything so much more flexible!

The cities in this game felt truly alive, a big improvement over the rigid, square layouts of previous Anno titles. I had so much more freedom to design them with curves, rounded intersections, and winding streets that looked realistic. It made city planning feel incredibly natural and immersive. I specifically remember spending hours carefully designing the streets and intersections of my first city, and the satisfaction of finally creating something that didn’t feel like a cold, calculated grid.

It was amazing! I was really excited as I built each new part of the city, and I loved seeing the streets come together so naturally. Suddenly, the way ancient Rome was built didn’t feel like a rigid plan, but something that grew and lived. I could design a central forum with buildings around it, connect important areas with simple roads, or even create districts with completely different looks. This is exactly what I’ve always wanted in a city-building game.

PROS:

Beautiful graphics and atmosphere;
new road bulding system;
discovery tree and long-term strategy;
taking on the role of a provincial governor gives a real sense of power;
complex production chains;
religion system.

CONS:

Steep learning curve;
military system may be overwhelming for economic purists;
too many systems to coordinate simultaneously.

A favorable god

It’s great to see a more in-depth religious system added to the game. Now, each island – whether in Latium or Albion – can be dedicated to a specific god. Choosing a patron god can give you advantages: Mars can strengthen your armies, Ceres can improve your harvests, and Neptune can boost your trade.

Honestly, every decision you make with religion in this game actually matters. It’s not just about how things look – your chosen religion genuinely affects how you play. Leveling up your deities gives you a real sense of long-term planning, and if you expand smartly, it can completely shake up your strategy. It’s a really clever system, actually. I found myself switching the gods worshipped in my provinces depending on what I needed at the time, but sometimes I’d stick with one god for the whole game, focusing on building up their followers.

The game’s design really fits the world of ancient Rome. The Romans were famous for blending the gods of the cultures they conquered into their own beliefs. Anno 117 captures that idea – you can adapt your religion to suit your goals, but you also need to be aware that other players might worship different gods. This leads to interesting interactions, bargaining, and even clashes.

Discovery tree – strategy on a new level

What really sets Anno 117 apart is this new ‘discovery tree’ they’ve added. In past games, I just researched technologies as I went, in a pretty straightforward way. But now, I have to actually plan what I unlock first – it’s a lot more strategic! It totally changes how the game plays, and I’m really enjoying it.

I clearly remember deciding between developing my farming and investing in military technology. I chose farming, which boosted my economy quickly, but left me open to attack. This decision really impacted the rest of the game. I soon started to wish I’d made a different choice, as I struggled to defend my territory and feared losing land. It became clear that in Anno 117, you need to plan carefully and think several moves ahead, almost like playing chess.

The way we manage residents’ needs has been updated. I’m no longer forced to fulfill every request immediately. Now, I can prioritize what’s important – like providing food or boosting entertainment – and each decision affects the city’s overall happiness and productivity. This gives me genuine control over how I run my province, making the game feel much more engaging and impactful.

Our economy relies on carefully coordinating how things are made – from growing wheat, to milling it into flour, and finally baking it into bread. Each step and each business has its own unique needs and creates specific products. When everything runs smoothly, it’s incredibly rewarding. But getting there? The stress was overwhelming!

When everything falls apart – a lesson learned the hard way

Okay, so it’s not totally smooth sailing. When I first jumped into Anno 117, it felt like a lot – seriously, so many different systems to learn and keep track of. I’d played Anno 1800 before, which helped a ton, but even with that experience, it took me a few hours to really get the hang of everything new.

During one game, I really concentrated on building up my military – creating a strong fleet and army with the goal of conquering new lands. It felt like I was a governor planning a major war! But I made a common mistake: I completely ignored my province’s economy. I got so focused on the military side of things that I forgot about everything else.

Things quickly fell apart in the game. My citizens became unhappy, production slowed down, and my income plummeted, leaving me deeply in debt. Every day brought more financial problems, and I was forced to sell off ships just to survive. It felt like I was failing as a leader, making poor decisions with the resources I had. It was a difficult experience, but I realized a key lesson in Anno 117: you have to pay attention to every aspect of the game, or things will spiral out of control.

While the tutorial is useful, the game still feels overwhelming. It demands that players manage multiple complex systems at once, including the economy, politics, military, and city building. Even experienced players need time to learn everything, so it can be especially challenging for those new to the Anno series.

Graphics and atmosphere

The graphics in Anno 117 are truly exceptional and deserve special praise. It’s not an overstatement to say that Ancient Rome has never looked so beautiful in a strategy game. The buildings are historically accurate, and the level of detail is simply stunning.

The game’s lighting and shadows look incredibly realistic, and the textures are impressively detailed. Surprisingly, it doesn’t require a powerful computer to run, despite appearing like it would – which is great news for many gamers.

Sound design is just as crucial; the orchestral music and bustling city noises really immerse you in the world of Anno 117: Pax Romana. I often found myself simply listening to the sounds of the city I’d built, which is something you don’t often get in today’s strategy games.

Final thoughts

Despite the problems and difficulties, Anno 117 is far from a bad game. It’s a really ambitious title that attempts to add a lot of new features and ways to play. Having spent many hours playing Anno 117: Pax Romana, I can honestly say it’s the best game in the Anno series for years. Ubisoft Mainz has successfully built upon everything players enjoyed in Anno 1800, while also adding new elements that make the gameplay feel new, more complex, and more captivating.

2025-11-12 13:36