Sure thing, here goes nothing:
Okay, so here’s the thing—this whole obsession with the Roman Empire, right? It’s like, where did that even start? Anyway, suddenly everybody’s just thinking about them Romans, all. The whole “How Often Do You Think About the Roman Empire?” meme hit back in 2023, and it was a simple laugh, like, maybe two months tops. But no, turns out folks actually can’t stop thinking about it. Ubisoft Mainz must’ve caught wind of this because BAM, they’re dropping Anno 117: Pax Romana. Think about it: you obsess over Rome, and now—you get to build it. Wild.
You know who’s thrilled? Manuel Reihner, the game’s creative brain. I read somewhere—maybe it was IGN? He said that Rome was a big wish-list item. Fans wanted it. The team wanted it. Pretty much because, well, Rome. It’s everywhere. Not sure why, but Rome just sticks, huh?
Anyway, they had this fancy show-and-tell of the game in Rome itself. Imagine trotting around the Gardens of Sallust, which, side note, used to be Caesar’s spot. That’s where they flaunted the game. Must’ve been surreal, right? People taking in the vibe, and meanwhile, they’re playing this city-builder game.
Looks like Anno 117: Pax Romana’s gonna be a game-changer for the series—kind of ironic since it’s going back in time, literally. The previous hit, Anno 1800, did well because of its blast to the past vibes. But the other ones—those future-y ones like Anno 2070 and Anno 2205, not so much. Seems like history is their winning formula. Funny how going back can be moving forward. Oh, I hope that makes sense.
Here’s a twist: You can now build diagonally! I mean, the grids were all 90-degree angles before. But now? 45 degrees, people. Streets that actually feel like real streets, not just some planned-out grid. You get these rustic, winding roads, and places that look like they belong there, crammed into corners like they’ve always meant to be. I don’t know—maybe I’m overthinking a video game.
And there’s a new twist—each building affects its surroundings. It’s like, every part’s affecting each other, buffing and debuffing. It’s more complicated now but in a good way. Different tech trees, citizen upgrades, combat, diplomacy—it’s like the works. Makes the whole thing feel like, I don’t know—a deep dive into empire simulation.
So yeah, expect Anno 117: Pax Romana to be out later this year on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. You get to be some Roman honcho and scratch that ancient itch we all apparently have. Until then… well, I guess we’ll just keep dreaming about, you know, Rome.
