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Anno 117 Rewards Patience and Strategy
The city-building genre has always been a niche space, demanding long-term planning and attention to detail. Instead of the immediate gratification of action-heavy titles, these games reward players who can balance resources, satisfy populations, and think several steps ahead. At Gamescom 2025, Ubisoft Mainz unveiled its most ambitious take on this formula yet with Anno 117: Pax Romana.
The series has explored both the past and the future, but setting the next entry during the height of the Roman Empire feels like a natural progression. As a newly appointed governor, players are tasked with carrying out the Emperor’s will and expanding Rome’s influence. My demo placed me in the swamplands of Albion, far from the familiar comfort of Latium, where the challenges came thick and fast.
“We wanted to do something strikingly different,” explained game director Jan Dugel. “And it’s not just about different climate and conditions, but about different people, like the Celts. Do you try to Romanise them, or preserve their traditions? That tension was very interesting for us.”
Building an Empire, One Decision at a Time
Early progress in Albion meant grappling with fundamental questions: How many residences do I need? Should I drain swamplands or integrate them into my settlement? Do I focus on exploration and new islands, or consolidate resources at home?
What makes Anno 117 compelling is the absence of right or wrong answers. The game presents scenarios where every choice has trade-offs. In my case, I leaned heavily into appeasing the Celts, providing food, clothing, and shelter for the Waders while helping them progress towards higher social classes. This won their loyalty, but it left my coffers depleted and my Roman objectives neglected.
“Every part has some advantages,” Dugel noted. “But you can also let them coexist, with Celts and Romans living alongside each other. That might be a golden middle path, though it may bring challenges with happiness, as they don’t always get along.”
Unfortunately, I never reached that balance. My finances faltered, and only an intervention from the Emperor kept me afloat. It was a reminder that expansion in Anno 117 must be carefully calculated.
Long-Term Play and Endless Possibilities
Dugel stressed that Anno 117 is built to reward patience. “You can enjoy a lot of the game in 40 hours,” he said, “but if you want everything, it could require hundreds. There is no end. You can build a Colosseum, settle on other islands, grow populations, or devote cities to different religions and gods.”
The promise of hundreds of hours of gameplay rests on interlocking systems: resource management, cultural integration, religion, and trade. Each contributes to an ever-expanding ecosystem that reflects the challenges of ruling under Rome.
Diplomacy, Factions, and Conflict
The world of Anno 117 is populated with dynamic factions and characters, each shaping how players manage diplomacy. Voada, a Celtic raider, may start as a threat by plundering ships and invading settlements, but she can become an ally through careful choices. Neutral figures like Manx provide opportunities for trade. Every interaction is an opportunity to build alliances or court danger.
Conflict plays a larger role than in previous entries, with both ground and naval battles reimagined for depth. Combat emphasises composition over numbers. “Every unit is good against another, but weak against others,” Dugel explained. Success depends on strategy, not brute force.
The morale system also introduces nuance. Battles do not always need to end in total destruction; forcing enemies to surrender or paying off aggressors are valid routes to victory.
A Compelling Step for the Series
From the swamplands of Albion to the plains of Latium, Anno 117: Pax Romana offers players a chance to shape the future of an empire while contending with the realities of governance. Its blend of city-building, diplomacy, and combat systems promises both depth and replayability.
Leading people was never meant to be easy, and Ubisoft Mainz makes that point abundantly clear. But in doing so, it has created a city builder that feels fresh, challenging, and distinctly Roman. For fans of the genre, Anno 117 could be a defining release, and for newcomers, it may just be the invitation to embrace the joys of city-building.
Anno 117: Pax Romana arrives this November 13 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
