Anno 117: Pax Romana

The story in this city-building game is generally seen as underdeveloped, abruptly ending without resolution or clear progression, leaving many plot threads unfinished. While the campaign serves as a functional tutorial and introduces core mechanics, it is short, with some critics noting poor writing, bugs, and a lack of depth compared to previous entries like Anno 1800. Players primarily enjoy the game for its gameplay and sandbox elements rather than its narrative.

The graphics of Anno 117: Pax Romana are widely praised for their stunning visuals, detailed environments, and immersive Roman-era atmosphere that surpasses previous entries like Anno 1800. While some users report performance issues and criticize the use of AI-generated artwork leading to a lack of artistic cohesion, most agree the game delivers beautiful, richly detailed graphics that enhance the city-building experience. However, a few note that despite improvements, certain aesthetic elements and optimizations could be better to fully realize the game's potential.

Optimization for Anno 117 is widely seen as poor, with frequent reports of performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, especially in late-game with large populations, even on high-end PCs. While some users with top-tier hardware experience smooth gameplay, many criticize the game’s heavy demands, inefficient engine use, and reliance on DLSS to maintain acceptable performance. Overall, optimization remains a significant concern that hampers enjoyment and warrants improvements.

The game is widely reported to suffer from numerous bugs, freezes, crashes, and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer and late-game scenarios, which significantly impact stability and playability. While some players experience smooth gameplay and minor glitches, many find the game buggy, unfinished, and frustrating nearly six months after release, with ongoing issues in UI, quests, and cooperative modes. Despite patches improving stability somewhat, overall the game remains a rough, unstable experience requiring frequent troubleshooting.

The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful, atmospheric, and immersive Mediterranean and Roman-inspired orchestral soundtrack that enhances the relaxing and captivating gameplay experience. However, many users note the limited number of tracks leads to repetition and some find the music less expressive or engaging compared to previous entries like Anno 1800. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a key strength though it could benefit from greater variety and depth.

The atmosphere in Anno 117: Pax Romana is widely praised for its rich, immersive Roman setting, detailed visuals, and captivating soundtrack that together create a relaxing and convincing ambiance. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke the classic Anno vibe with vibrant city life, architectural authenticity, and a warm, engaging tone, though a few note occasional dips in immersion due to modern elements or repetitive weather effects. Overall, the game excels in atmosphere, making it a deeply appealing historical city-builder.

Grinding in the game is widely described as tedious, slow, and repetitive, particularly in late-game research, production chains, and managing multiple islands. While initial gameplay feels engaging, many players find the core mechanics, such as farming, trading, and combat micromanagement, become monotonous and unrewarding over time. Despite depth and complexity, the pacing and frequent tedious tasks can detract from the overall experience.

Replayability varies notably across entries, with some praising multiple playstyles, expansive sandbox modes, and strategic depth offering hours of engaging gameplay, while others criticize limited content, lack of updates, and removed mechanics that reduce variety. The game’s replay value is strongest in sandbox and endless modes, enhanced by different factions and production choices, but some versions feel unfinished or less dynamic, impacting long-term appeal. Future updates and DLCs are expected to improve replayability and extend longevity.

The humor in the game receives mixed reactions: some players appreciate its charming voice lines, playful character interactions, and funny easter eggs, while others find the writing inconsistent, forced, or not fitting the game's tone. Several reviews highlight moments of clever or subtle humor, especially in character commentary and social class satire, but many criticize the humor as outdated, awkward, or poorly executed compared to previous entries. Overall, humor is seen as a divisive aspect that adds charm for some but falls flat or feels mismatched for others.

The monetization of Anno 117 is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, characterized by excessive DLCs, expensive season passes, and fragmented content releases that prioritize profit over creativity and quality. Many users feel the game offers less content and functionality than previous titles while aggressively pushing paid extras and cosmetic packs. Overall, the monetization model is seen as exploitative, detracting significantly from the player experience.

The emotional experience in the game is deeply polarizing, with some players feeling crushed by frustrating setbacks and emotional detachment, while others find genuine connection and responsibility toward their in-game world. The campaign's story and character portrayal receive mixed reactions, ranging from heartfelt and immersive to shallow, irritating, or poorly executed. Overall, the game struggles to consistently deliver emotional depth, leaving players either emotionally engaged or completely disconnected.

The character development was generally seen as lacking, with little emotional depth or intrigue. Some users also criticized the designs as being overly "woke" without meaningful growth.