I just tried Anno 117 and it passed 1800—here’s why

Anno 117 just beat the series’ GOAT — here’s the real story for players

When I booted up Anno 117: Pax Romana late one night, I expected the usual polished city-builder with a sprinkle of new visuals. Instead, I found Ubisoft Blue Byte flipping the script: branching narratives that actually matter, cultural systems deep enough to feel alive, and quality-of-life upgrades that finally make me want to automate every wagon route. Hitting an 85 on Metacritic from 39 reviews—and edging past Anno 1800’s benchmark—is more than a numerical win. It signals that this Roman-era chapter isn’t just a reskin; it’s a genuine evolution of the formula we’ve spent 100+ hours loving. There are a few yellow flags to watch, but right now, the world of Anno feels more vibrant than ever.

Key takeaways

• Anno 117 is the highest-rated entry in the series at 85 on Metacritic, surpassing fan-favorites like 1800 and 2070.
• Branching narratives and deeper systems around Roman and Celtic cultures give real mechanical weight to diplomacy, faith, and festivals.
• PC is the “definitive” platform again—mouse-and-keyboard precision, mod tools, and UI flexibility seal the deal.
• Console versions work, but expect slower placement and more menu-tabbing with a controller.
• The big question: will DLC and balance patches expand these systems or chop them into nickel-and-dime extras?

Breaking down the win: what’s actually new (and good)

This installment caught my attention because Anno games usually nail logistics and resource loops first, then tack on story beats. Anno 117 flips that order. Here, narrative threads and cultural tensions aren’t window dressing; they actively steer your empire choices. Managing Roman authority while respecting local Celtic rites—complete with festivals that boost happiness and unique resource bonuses—makes every settlement decision feel meaningful. It’s not just another economy game; it’s a political stage where your trade routes carry more than stone and grain.

On the mechanics side, reviewers praise the redesigned UI. The built-in search filter lets you locate any resource or building in seconds, while new map overlays highlight production bottlenecks and happiness levels at a glance. Warehouses auto-stack by default, and you can queue up district construction in a single click—small tweaks that trim the repetitive micro without flattening depth. My favorite quality-of-life change? A dynamic supply-chain tracker that shows exactly which warehouse or trade ship is holding you back, so you’re never guessing where your olives are hiding.

The research tree also deserves a shout-out. Rather than bland “+5% output” perks, each branch shapes your identity: choose the Civic path to unlock grand forums that boost loyalty, or the Military branch for fortified watchtowers that deter rebellion. A commercial focus introduces caravan hubs to speed up long-distance trade, while the Cultural branch expands festivals and enables cross-cultural marriages that unlock unique bonuses. It’s strategic diversity that feels systemic, not like a checkbox you tick and forget.

Why branching narratives matter

We’ve all sat through cutscenes that sound cool but don’t change gameplay. Anno 117’s narrative choices are different: pick how harshly you impose Roman taxes or whether you fund a Celtic druid ceremony, and you’ll see tangible shifts in population happiness, unit loyalty, or resource yields. Critics mention multiple endings based on these decisions, and I noticed one playthrough where refusing a local chief’s request plunged my northern provinces into unrest until I sent festival wreaths their way. That kind of push-and-pull adds stakes to your supply chain in a way even Anno 2070’s eco vs. corporate feud never quite achieved.

Why this matters now

City-builders are booming again. Indie hits like Cozy Grove and large-scale sims like Surviving Mars have carved out niches, but there’s been a gap at the AAA end where you can lose yourself for hundreds of hours without wrestling with janky menus. Anno 117’s strong launch reception suggests it’s the big-budget, big-depth option of the year—the one your Discord strategy group will rally around. If you were waiting for a “true” sequel that marries story, culture, and economy, this is it.

Beyond just being fun, it raises the bar for AAA strategy games. Nobody needs another prettier spreadsheet; we need meaningful friction that tells a story. If branching narratives actually alter build paths—rather than just swapping cutscenes—then Ubisoft Blue Byte could have cracked the code on drawing in new players without alienating veteran number-crunchers.

PC vs. console: the eternal Anno question

I’ve lost many 2 a.m. hours untangling production chains on PC, and let me tell you, mouse-and-keyboard is king when every tile matters. Early critic chatter confirms PC is the “definitive” way to play—interface mods, map filters, potential Steam Workshop support, and the performance headroom to run huge empires smoothly. If you’re an Anno purist or love customizing your UI, don’t hesitate: this is where you’ll get the deepest, most flexible experience.

On PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, the devs put in serious work on controller navigation. Radial menus and context-sensitive shortcuts make placing buildings and routing shipments feel surprisingly intuitive. But you will feel the genre’s PC DNA in your thumbs: building placement is slower, cycling through menus takes longer, and rapid reassignments can be clumsy. If you’re new to city-builders, dive in; if you’re already juggling warehouses and ship fleets every week, you might want to wait for a UI patch or two.

The catch: DLC, balance, and long-term support

Here’s where my cautious side kicks in. Anno 1800 grew into a masterpiece over years of updates—and a mountain of paid DLC that sometimes felt like slicing the core experience into a season pass. If Anno 117 follows that pattern, the launch reviews won’t tell the whole story on value. We need to see how Ubisoft structures expansions—will we get generous story-driven packs that deepen the Roman vs. Celtic arc, or will cultural festivals get locked behind extra purchases?

I’ll also be watching balance patches. Anno shines when your supply chain feels like a living organism that pushes back just enough. If diplomacy, faith, and culture tie into trade routes and population tiers in flexible, emergent ways, 117 could match 1800’s “one more hour” pull. If not, all the narrative sheen in the world won’t save it from midgame drift.

Mod support on PC will be the real acid test for longevity. The built-in editor and Steam Workshop pipeline made Anno 1800 a perpetual platform. Aspiring modders will want easy export options and transparency on data files—those small but crucial details will show whether 117 becomes a forever game or just a polished single playthrough. Console players, keep your eyes on patch notes: even minor menu tweaks can transform the experience when you’re scrolling through 300 icons with a thumbstick.

What gamers should do next

• PC builders: Jump in at launch. If you live for complex economies, the critic consensus says it’s stable and deep out of the box—plus you’ll get early access to mod tools and filters.
• Console players: Consider waiting a few weeks. Patch impressions on UI and performance will flow in fast, and you’ll avoid any initial hiccups on controller navigation.
• Everyone: Watch the first DLC roadmap. It’ll reveal whether Ubisoft plans generous expansions—like new regions, narrative arcs, and mechanics—or if they’ll nickel-and-dime key features.

TL;DR

Anno 117: Pax Romana topping the series with an 85 from 39 reviews is a legit win, not just hype. Its culture, faith, and politics layers feel like real systems, and the UI polish trims the fiddly bits without killing depth. I’m in—but I’m keeping one eye on DLC plans and console patches to see if this one truly stands the test of time.

Conclusion

Anno 117 delivers on its promise to push the series forward, blending meaningful narrative choices with refined city-building mechanics. The polish and new systems make for a compelling empire sim that outpaces 1800 in both depth and storytelling. While DLC and balance updates will shape the long-term experience, the core game already feels like a new gold standard for AAA strategy. Whether you dive in on PC or wait for console refinements, Pax Romana is a flashing green light for the genre.