Info about Anno 117: Pax Romana:

Official game description:
Comparative Grid
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Gold Edition
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In the Gold Edition, gain access to the Anno 117: Pax Romana base adventure and expand your reach to new provinces with the Year 1 Pass – containing 3 DLCs and 5 cosmetic bonuses!
PC Specs
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About the Game
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As governor, how you build and govern will shape your story, your citizens’ destiny, and your provinces’ future. Will you cooperate with other governors or prove your military prowess by challenging your rivals? The cost of peace is yours to decide.
EXPERIENCE THE PREMIER BUILDER
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Build your provinces with unmatched detail, flexibility, and scale. Watch kids chase dogs through the streets or thousands cheer in the arena. Build upon the land that you see, from the beautiful heartland of Latium to the mysterious Celtic wetlands of Albion… where no civilized Roman wants to be.
BECOME A ROMAN GOVERNOR
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Design the cities of your dreams at the peak of the Roman Empire as you balance your people's needs with the relentless demands of the emperor. Forge alliances across the empire or showcase your might with strategic land battles and naval combat. You may even defy the emperor himself – but not without consequences.
CHOOSE THE FATE OF YOUR PROVINCES
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Every decision you make as governor matters. Will you honor local Celtic culture or enforce Roman traditions? Grow your provinces through diplomacy and commerce or conquer through military strength. Your choices will shape not only the future of your citizens and your provinces, but your own story as well.

Release date: Nov 12, 2025

Categories: City Builder, Resource Management, Strategy, Simulation, Ship Customization, Combat Mechanics, Religion System, Research System

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 90; verdict: Predatory Monetization; summary: The game is criticized for its aggressive monetization strategies, including the release of day-1 DLCs, overpriced content, and an incomplete base game that requires additional purchases to feel complete. Many users feel that the game is a cash grab, leveraging the success of previous titles to push sales of DLCs and season passes.
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement; summary: The primary user complaints revolve around the lack of in-game guidance, unclear quest progression, and the complexity of managing resources through external spreadsheets. These issues significantly impact the user experience, leading to frustration and a reliance on external resources.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Needs Significant Improvement; summary: The analysis of user feedback for the Steam Deck experience of the game reveals several critical issues. Ubisoft Connect is a major pain point, causing login problems, game crashes, and synchronization issues. Performance and optimization are also significant concerns, with users reporting high power draw, low FPS, and poor optimization. Gameplay mechanics, controls, and overall content have been criticized for being unintuitive and clunky. Technical bugs and glitches, including game-breaking issues and desync problems, further detract from the experience. Lastly, the user interface and controls are often described as unintuitive and difficult to use, adding to player frustration.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Enjoyable gameplay and aesthetics (weight 0.54): Players find the game fun and visually appealing, with enjoyable gameplay mechanics and beautiful graphics. The Roman aesthetic and detailed city-building elements are particularly appreciated.
- Improvements over previous versions (weight 0.48): Players note that the game is an improvement over previous versions, particularly Anno 1800. The game is seen as more user-friendly and enjoyable.
- Mod support and community (weight 0.46): The game benefits from mod support, which enhances the gameplay experience. The mod community is active and contributes to the game's potential to surpass older titles.
- Future updates and DLCs (weight 0.44): Players are looking forward to future updates and DLCs, which are expected to bring new content and enhancements to the game.
- Complex yet accessible gameplay (weight 0.44): The game is complex but not overcomplicated, offering a deep and satisfying experience. Players appreciate the intricate details and the ability to customize their gameplay.
- Positive reception of new content (weight 0.42): New content such as the swamp draining option in Albion and the ship customization system are well-received. These additions provide new possibilities and enhance the gameplay experience.
- Stable performance and few issues (weight 0.41): The game runs well with very little lag and no serious issues reported. The performance is praised, and the multiplayer experience is noted to be fluid when it works.
- Enjoyable campaign and storyline (weight 0.39): The campaign mode is fun and introduces gameplay mechanics effectively. The initial storyline is engaging and sets the stage for the rest of the game.
- Positive reception of specific features (weight 0.35): Specific features like the Colosseum games and the detailed customization settings are appreciated. These elements add to the overall enjoyment and depth of the game.
- New mechanics and features (weight 0.12): The game introduces several new mechanics such as diagonal building grids, religion/patron systems, and new building effect zones. These additions are well-received and add depth to the gameplay.
- Ground combat and troop system (weight 0.07): The new ground combat system and the addition of infantry are exciting features. Players appreciate the potential and the new dynamics these elements bring to the game.

Common complaints:
- Campaign is weak and unfinished (weight 0.93): The campaign mode is described as boring, unengaging, and abruptly ending without a clear narrative. It feels incomplete and lacks depth compared to previous installments.
- Game is unfinished and buggy (weight 0.93): The game is perceived as unfinished and riddled with bugs, including fatal bugs, crashes, and various technical issues that hinder gameplay. Many features are reported as not working properly, and the game often feels incomplete.
- Poor performance and optimization (weight 0.79): Players experience significant performance issues, including lagging, stuttering, and long loading times. The game's optimization is criticized, leading to a poor gaming experience.
- Connection and access issues (weight 0.13): Players face connection issues, including problems with Ubisoft Connect, cloud saves, and accessing the game despite purchasing it. These issues prevent smooth gameplay and cause frustration.
- Game balance and mechanics (weight 0.11): The game's balance and mechanics are reported as flawed, with issues in late-game balance, land combat, and production chains. Players find the gameplay tedious and unbalanced.
- AI and opponent issues (weight 0.08): The AI in the game is criticized for being passive, poorly designed, and causing imbalances. AI opponents and their behaviors are seen as flawed and annoying.
- Disappointment compared to Anno 1800 (weight 0.08): Players express disappointment with the game, stating it lacks the polish, content, and depth of Anno 1800. It is seen as a downgrade with recycled assets and less content.
- Repetitive and lacking content (weight 0.07): The game is seen as repetitive with similar island arrangements and lacking in content. Players feel there is not enough variety or depth to justify the price.
- Use of AI-generated art (weight 0.04): The use of AI-generated art in the game is criticized for being of lower quality compared to unique art in previous games. This is seen as a negative aspect affecting the game's visual appeal.

Gameplay feedback:
- Campaign mode improvements (weight 0.44): The campaign mode introduces new gameplay mechanics and has immense potential, though it ends abruptly. It includes a variety of quests and achievements, enhancing the single-player experience.
- Combat mechanics (weight 0.44): The game introduces land and sea combat mechanics, including troop coordination and pathfinding. Naval combat and ground combat are exciting but differ from Total War mechanics.
- Religion and research systems (weight 0.4): The game features a religion and patron system, along with a research tree that has conditional branches, adding depth to the gameplay.
- Comparison with Anno 1800 (weight 0.39): The game is compared to Anno 1800, with some players finding it simpler and less polished, while others appreciate the new mechanics and upgrades.
- Story and quests (weight 0.37): The story and quests are a significant part of the game, though some fetch quests are considered boring and not meaningful.
- Building mechanics and features (weight 0.11): Building mechanics include effect zones, interactions, and detailed placement options like diagonal grids. However, there are issues with building highlights turning off.
- Resource and production management (weight 0.1): Resource management includes mechanics for tree planting, road placement, and supply chains. Production chains have been simplified and include new goods like oil and cotton.
- Ship customization and management (weight 0.07): The game features a detailed ship customization system and modular ships concept, allowing for extensive ship management and shipping routes.
- New gameplay mechanics (weight 0.05): The game introduces new mechanics such as the aqueduct implementation, public gardens, and the gods concept, adding variety to the gameplay.
- Gameplay depth and satisfaction (weight 0.04): The gameplay is described as deep and satisfying, with a focus on building and longevity. However, some players find the max tier unsatisfying.
- Relaxation-focused gameplay (weight 0.01): The game offers a relaxation-focused gameplay experience, allowing players to enjoy building and managing their cities at a leisurely pace.

Performance notes:
- Frequent crashes and technical issues (weight 0.1): The game is reported to crash frequently, especially during main menu actions or after adjusting settings. Compatibility issues with Linux and other technical problems are also noted.
- Ubisoft Connect and connectivity issues (weight 0.07): Players experience various connectivity issues with Ubisoft Connect, including problems with synchronization between Uplay and Steam, and multiplayer connectivity issues. These problems often prevent the game from starting or cause disruptions during gameplay.
- FPS instability and settings impact (weight 0.05): Players observe significant FPS differences between high and medium settings, with struggles to maintain stable FPS even with DLSS enabled. Nvidia auto-configuration is noted to help stabilize FPS.
- Graphical and rendering issues (weight 0.05): Several graphical issues are reported, including black screens during startup or loading, and the game causing computers to shut down. GPU-related errors and crashes are also mentioned.
- High hardware demand (weight 0.03): The game is demanding on high-end hardware such as the RTX 4070 Ti Super and experiences frame drops on systems like the RTX 3070 TI with Ryzen 9 5900X.
- Desync errors in multiplayer (weight 0.03): Players encounter desync errors in multiplayer mode, which occur frequently and disrupt the gameplay experience.
- Gameplay mechanics and visual bugs (weight 0.03): Various bugs related to gameplay mechanics and visuals are reported, such as aqueducts claiming water can't flow uphill and missing or broken radius visuals for marble roads.
- Quest and campaign loading issues (weight 0.03): Issues with quest ship spam after loading a game and the endless campaign getting stuck on loading are noted by players.
- Click recognition issues (weight 0.02): Some players report issues with the game recognizing clicks, which can hinder gameplay and navigation.
- Building range display problems (weight 0.02): Players experience problems with building ranges randomly stopping to show, which can affect gameplay and strategy.
- Visual glitches and disappearing elements (weight 0.02): Visual glitches such as firefighting visuals disappearing are reported, impacting the overall visual experience of the game.
- Server activation problems (weight 0.01): Players encounter issues with server activation, which can prevent access to certain game features or multiplayer modes.

Recommendations:
- Game not ready for release (weight 0.27): Many players feel the game is unfinished and rushed, advising to wait for future updates, patches, or discounts before purchasing. Some recommend playing Anno 1800 instead.
- Tech tree and campaign improvements (weight 0.04): Players suggest changes to the tech tree and request a longer campaign. They also expect tech issues to be fixed with future updates.
- Recommended for city builder fans (weight 0.03): Despite its issues, the game is recommended for fans of city builders and those who enjoy Roman history. It is suggested for fans of the Anno series and building/economic simulations.
- Complete the storyline (weight 0.02): Players are looking forward to future updates that will complete the storyline and add more content.

Other player notes:
- Synchronization issues between Uplay and Steam (weight 0.03): Players frequently encounter synchronization problems between Uplay and Steam, resulting in error messages stating that the game is not unlocked for their account.
- Confusion between Latin and modern Italian (weight 0.02): The game's dialogues mix Latin with modern Italian, which can be confusing for players familiar with either language.
- Player dissatisfaction with publisher (weight 0.02): Some players have expressed dissatisfaction with the publisher, stating that this will be the last game they purchase from them.
- AI-generated art mentioned (weight 0.02): There are mentions of AI-generated art being used in the game, which could be a point of contention for some players.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.89): Players are frustrated primarily due to a multitude of technical issues, including game-breaking bugs, frequent crashes, and multiplayer connectivity problems. The game's design choices, such as an overcomplicated HUD, restrictive grid system, and unbalanced gameplay mechanics, also contribute significantly to this frustration. Additionally, issues with Ubisoft Connect, performance problems on high-end hardware, and the game's inability to launch or progress past certain points further exacerbate the situation.
- Disappointment (weight 0.8): Players express disappointment due to the game feeling incomplete and falling short of expectations set by previous titles like Anno 1800. The lack of significant improvements, shallow campaign, and repetitive music contribute to this sentiment. Additionally, the use of AI-generated art and the game's overall lack of polish and content depth further disappoint players, leading some to request refunds.
- Anger (weight 0.15): Players are angry about the game's poor quality and the price charged for it, especially given the lack of multiplayer functionality in a full-priced game. Terrible optimization, game crashes, and account suspension issues also contribute to this anger. The inability to play the game despite troubleshooting efforts further fuels this emotion.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.11): Players enjoy the Roman era setting and find the gameplay deep and engaging. Despite initial interface issues, the overall experience is fun and compelling, leading to a positive sentiment towards the game.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Players are excited about the game's future potential, including enhancements, mod support, and upcoming DLCs. The anticipation of future content and updates contributes to this excitement.
- Enttäuschung (weight 0.06): Players are disappointed with the lack of a real economy for NPCs and poorly implemented land combat mechanics. The pathfinding issues and illogical behavior of land units, as well as the hiding of cosmetic content behind Uplay points, contribute to this disappointment.
- Disappointed (weight 0.04): Players are disappointed with the gameplay mechanics not being as engaging as the previous installment. The annoying AI behavior of ships and troops further adds to this disappointment.
- Joy (weight 0.04): Players find joy in the ship customization and infantry mechanics, which they find enjoyable and well-implemented.
- Excited (weight 0.02): Players are excited about the game's historical settings, particularly the Roman and Victorian eras, which they find intriguing and well-represented.
- Ärger (weight 0.02): Players are annoyed by the simplistic ship combat mechanics, which lack depth and require excessive micromanagement due to poor unit responsiveness.
- Verärgerung (weight 0.02): Players are irritated by the presence of a profanity filter in a single-player game, which they find unnecessary and restrictive.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Players experience boredom due to the game's lack of engaging content and repetitive gameplay, which is not as compelling as other entries in the Anno series.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Players are annoyed by the connection issues and the game's reliance on third-party services, which disrupt the gaming experience.
- Happiness (weight 0.02): Players are happy that the developers patched the snow effect, which previously impeded gameplay and made the game difficult to play.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the innovations to core mechanics, which they find refreshing and well-implemented.
- Regret (weight 0.02): Players regret having paid for the game knowing that AI was used in its development, which they feel has negatively impacted the game's quality and content.}