Anno 117 Pax Romana hands-on: Gorgeous, deep, and tricky to learn

Ubisoft provided flights from Chicago to Rome and accommodation so that Ars could participate in the preview opportunity for Anno 117: Pax Romana. Ars does not accept paid editorial content. There aren't any games quite like the Anno series, and based on some hands-on time at a recent press junket, I can say that the latest entry has the potential to be an appealing on-ramp for history buffs and strategy game fans who haven't explored the franchise before—provided players approach it with a lot of patience. The previous entry in the series, 2019's Anno 1800, was seen as something of a return to form by longtime franchise fans, who weren't as thrilled with the futuristic entries that preceded it. It reportedly reached 5 million players, which is quite a lot for a PC-focused strategy title, so 1800 was a popularization moment for the franchise, too. Anno 117: Pax Romana, due later this year, aims to build on that momentum and turn the franchise into a crossover hit. While the Anno gam ... Read full article.