I’m blown away by Anno 117’s Rome—but Ubisoft’s login requirements killed my vibe

Anno 117 nails Rome, but the login friction is real

Anno 117: Pax Romana is the kind of Roman city-builder I’ve wanted for years: stunning vistas, layered systems, and monuments that actually feel monumental. It pushes the series forward with deeper building, a smarter military model, and a gods-and-belief layer that meaningfully shapes your economy. But there’s a catch-and it’s not a barbarian invasion. Ubisoft Connect and Denuvo are mandatory, and that’s already souring the vibe for a chunk of the community. Early Steam reviews hover around the low-70s positive, with many negative posts citing account linking headaches and “constant multiplayer connection errors.” If you’re installing tonight, know what you’re walking into.

Key takeaways

• Rome looks incredible, and multi-stage monuments (hello, Colosseum) finally feel like true city-defining projects.
• Patron deities and the belief stat add strategic identity-Neptune boosts shipyards and fishing, Mars feeds the legions.
• Combat’s no longer an afterthought: ground and naval battles matter, with AI governors and diplomacy shaping your sandbox.
• Mandatory Ubisoft Connect (plus Denuvo) is the headache: login issues and multiplayer instability are a common complaint.

Breaking down the good stuff

I’ve sunk a frankly embarrassing number of hours into Anno 1800, and Anno 117 hits that same “one more production chain” rhythm. The Roman flavor is more than a reskin: Latium is your lush heartland for a classic start, while Albion’s “mysterious Celtic wetlands” push you into a harsher frontier challenge. Zoom in and it’s pure Anno joy-citizens milling through little forums, apartments clustering along paved roads, shipyards gnawing through lumber as triremes slide into the water. Zoom out and you’ve sculpted a postcard of the Republic-turned-Empire.

Monuments are where 117 really flexes. The amphitheater/Colosseum chain unfolds across four construction stages that demand planning, stockpiles, and logistics. Finish a phase and the city reacts; finish the whole thing and you can host festivals that give your citizens a cultural sugar rush. The best detail? You get to stage events—from bread-and-circuses gladiator bouts to full-blown naumachiae, those ridiculous mock naval battles. It’s not just cosmetic; these celebrations ripple into your economy and citizen morale, incentivizing you to orchestrate production around big civic moments.

Religion is more than a passive bonus. Choosing a patron deity nudges your entire build philosophy. Neptune turns coastal towns into maritime machines, Mars juices troop strength and militarization, and belief can snowball into global effects across your regions. It’s the kind of identity switch Anno needed—now your empire feels distinct based on strategic preferences rather than just layout.

Combat finally gets proper respect. Roman legions aren’t just decoration, and naval power matters. You’ll still spend most of your hours optimizing supply chains—this is Anno, not Total War—but rival governors come with personalities and negotiation quirks. That adds texture to diplomacy, treaties, and those inevitable border “misunderstandings.” The loop of produce-trade-expand-defend is richer than ever.

Why this matters now

City-builders are having a moment. Cities: Skylines II stumbled, Manor Lords captured imaginations, and management sims keep pushing into mainstream. Anno 1800 was already a modern high bar; 117 looks poised to top it. It’s not just prettier—it’s broader in the ways that count, giving veterans more levers to pull without drowning newcomers. If you’ve been waiting for a flagship builder with both aesthetic swagger and systems depth, this is it.

The Roman setting also solves a long-standing genre problem: theme fatigue. We’ve done medieval cloth and beer loops to death. Marble, mosaics, amphorae, and amphitheaters feel fresh, and the design team clearly enjoyed adapting Roman logistics. Roads matter, coastlines matter, religion matters—Anno 117 doesn’t just wear a toga; it thinks like Rome.

The catch: Ubisoft Connect and Denuvo

Now the mood killer. Anno 117 requires a Ubisoft Connect account (and client) as well as Denuvo anti-tamper. For some players, that’s an immediate no; for others, it’s a tolerable speed bump. At launch, it’s clearly more than a bump. Reports cite trouble creating or linking accounts and frequent disconnects in multiplayer. Even if you’re playing solo, the extra launcher friction can turn a cozy city-builder session into a support ticket.

We’ve been here before with Ubisoft. The company loves a centralized ecosystem, and sometimes it’s fine. But when service hiccups block access or frag multiplayer stability, it’s hard not to feel like DRM is getting between you and your town’s next pottery shipment. Denuvo’s long-term impact on performance is often overstated, but the preservation and ownership concerns are real. I’d love to see Ubisoft loosen the grip over time—especially for a series that thrives on longevity and chill replay sessions years later.

What gamers need to know before you buy

• Price is $59.99 / £49.99 on Steam—but you’ll still need a Ubisoft Connect account and to link it. Set that up beforehand.
• Early multiplayer reports mention disconnects. If co-op/sessions with friends are your thing, test short runs before committing to a mega-campaign.
• New systems change priorities: pick a patron deity to match your plan (Neptune for sea trade, Mars for military), and plan your Colosseum in phases to avoid resource bottlenecks.
• If Ubisoft follows the Anno 1800 playbook, expect a steady DLC drip of expansions and cosmetics. Budget accordingly.
• For newcomers: start in Latium to learn the ropes; Albion’s wetlands are a spikier, logistics-heavy challenge.

TL;DR

Anno 117 is the most confident, characterful Anno yet—Rome’s grandeur meets crunchy city-building in a way that actually elevates both. If Ubisoft smooths out the account and connectivity drama, this could be the city-builder to beat. Until then, it’s a gorgeous empire with an annoying passport control at the border.