Anno 117: Pax Romana - Why Even Anno Fans Are Disappointed (Ep.57) — Critical Moves - Strategy Gaming

Listen in the Podli app 🎧

Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.

Does Anno 117: Pax Romana live up to the hype? Err... No. In this episode, Al (the Anno noob) got a chance to quiz Anno veteran Timothy on what the latest instalment of the franchise does right and what it does terribly wrong.

Join us as we pull apart Ubisoft Mainz' latest city builder title and discuss if the Roman setting fits the Anno brand, if it adds anything to the series and why diagonal roads are such a big deal.

We go through the core problems with Anno 117. The Roman setting sounds good on paper but doesn't translate to compelling gameplay. This feels like a step backward for the franchise.

We compare it to previous Anno games and talk about why this entry falls short. The issues aren't small fixes - they're fundamental design choices that undermine what the series does best. If you've been on the fence about buying it, this discussion will help you decide.