Anno 117: Pax Romana

Anno 117: Pax Romana Makes Rome Feel Alive Even When Its Story Is Safer Than Its Cities

Anno 117: Pax Romana has a tremendous sense of historical presence without pretending to be a strict reconstruction. The campaign around Marcus or Marcia, Lucius, Calidus and Julia gives faces to the economic decisions that traditionally define the series, while Albion raises an interesting cultural question: impose Roman structures or adapt to local traditions. Critics disagree on how well the narrative works. GameSpew responds strongly to its intrigue and twists, whereas GamesRadar sees it primarily as an elaborate tutorial. That reservation is understandable because several difficult aspects of Roman imperial life are treated cautiously. The world itself compensates. Crowded plazas, temples filled with worshippers, prosperous streets and Albion's fog give these cities a personality rarely matched by the genre.