Anno 2070
- November 17, 2011
- Related Designs
- 24h median play time
Anno 2070 is a polished management sim with some innovative ideas, but it doesnt push them far enough.
Get on Steam
Get on Epic Games Store"Anno 2070" is a strategy game set in a near-future world impacted by climate change and rising sea levels. Players must build and manage advanced cities, create production chains, and engage in diplomacy and trade to prosper. The game features a comprehensive economic system, new gameplay mechanics, and the ability to construct massive, sprawling metropolises.
Windows
Reviews
- Anno 2070 offers a captivating city-building and economic simulation experience set in a futuristic world, with intricate resource management and engaging gameplay.
- The game features stunning graphics and an immersive soundtrack, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gaming experience.
- The introduction of underwater construction and resource management adds a new layer of depth to city planning, providing fresh challenges and opportunities for creative expansion.
- The game requires a Ubisoft account and the Uplay launcher, which many players find cumbersome and frustrating, leading to login issues and activation key problems.
- Players have reported being unable to play the game due to server connectivity issues, rendering the single-player experience unplayable at times.
- The user interface is often criticized for being confusing and not user-friendly, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics and objectives.
- story630 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in Anno 2070 is generally viewed as basic and somewhat generic, serving primarily as a tutorial for the game's mechanics rather than a compelling narrative. While some players appreciate the sci-fi setting and the environmental themes, many criticize the missions for being repetitive and lacking depth, often reducing the gameplay to simple fetch quests. Overall, the campaign provides a framework for learning the game, but it fails to deliver a memorable or engaging storyline.
“Overall, Anno 2070's engaging gameplay, compelling storyline, and unique setting make it a standout title in the Anno series.”
“The campaign story was great in my opinion.”
“The story kept progressing at a good pace, but what was great is the game teaches you how to build your cities for about half of the story.”
“The campaign, the expansion campaign, the missions, the bonus missions, the world events...and aside from a few standouts, it's really just the same game over and over again.”
“I have no idea how a game studio could spend so much money on making a really pretty game and yet not hire a single competent writer to work on any part of it: the world, the story, or even the dialogue.”
“The storyline and events going on give you enough to do on a daily basis even up to a democratic system where all the players slightly affect each other's games.”
- gameplay598 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Anno 2070 is characterized by its intricate resource management and city-building mechanics, which are enhanced by new features like underwater construction and ecological balance. While many players appreciate the depth and strategic elements, some criticize the repetitive nature of the gameplay and the reliance on Ubisoft's online services, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a mix of familiar Anno mechanics with innovative twists, appealing to fans of the genre despite some technical and design drawbacks.
“With its intricate resource management and engaging gameplay, it challenges players to balance progress with environmental sustainability.”
“What sets Anno 2070 apart is its innovative gameplay mechanics, including the introduction of underwater construction and resource management.”
“The gameplay loop is satisfying and won't get boring any time soon.”
“The gameplay of Anno 2070 is simplistic, stale, and repetitive.”
“The only issue is the repetitive nature of the core gameplay loop which might get a bit tedious after a while.”
“After playing for a couple of hours, the gameplay is still shallow, boring, and repetitive.”
- graphics508 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of Anno 2070 are widely praised for their stunning detail and immersive quality, effectively bringing its futuristic world to life. While some players note that the visuals can appear dated compared to newer titles, many appreciate the game's art style and the vibrant environments that enhance the overall experience. However, there are reports of performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, which can detract from the visual enjoyment.
“With its intricate management systems and stunning visuals, Anno 2070 allows you to create and oversee a futuristic world brimming with advanced buildings, complex infrastructure, and innovative technologies.”
“The game's richly detailed graphics and immersive soundtrack bring its dystopian future to life with stunning realism.”
“The graphics are stunning, and the game has an incredibly detailed and realistic world.”
“The graphics have to be set to all lowest settings in order for the game not to crash.”
“The constantly blurry visuals of this game take a lot of the charm out of it.”
“Graphics are okay for a city-sim I guess, but the art direction isn't particularly inspired, so overall feels pretty generic.”
- music182 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its immersive and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall gaming experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as beautiful, soothing, and fitting for the game's themes, often describing it as a standout feature that keeps them engaged for hours. While a few critiques mention that the music may not always match the gameplay, the general consensus is that the soundtrack is exceptional and a significant draw for players.
“The game's richly detailed graphics and immersive soundtrack bring its dystopian future to life with stunning realism.”
“The music is absolutely phenomenal.”
“The soundtrack is also a very good buddy of the game which keeps you on and pulls you deeper into the game...”
“All in all it's a good game, but what I really don't like: I don't like the music and the character voices are super annoying.”
“The only downside of the game is the music, it just never matches the gameplay, the audio of the game feels random from a soundtrack and rarely fit the situation you are at.”
“And I don't like the soundtrack, compared to the relaxed tunes of 1404 these tunes give me the impression I'm in a constant state of war.”
- stability73 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with many users reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and issues related to the Uplay launcher, which complicates the gaming experience. While some players manage to run the game smoothly after troubleshooting, the overall sentiment indicates that the software is often clunky and unreliable, leading to frustration and a negative impact on gameplay. Many reviews suggest that the integration of Uplay significantly detracts from the game's stability, making it difficult for players to enjoy without encountering technical problems.
“Game runs great, no bugs, no problems.”
“It runs great on my PC; not buggy at all for me, ran fairly smooth on my mediocre rig.”
“And runs great.”
“What a confusing, poorly planned, complete pain in the ass, buggy pile of junk software.”
“The game has had glitches since launch and nothing has been done about that regardless of countless complaints and forum entries.”
“This, Ubisoft, is utterly ridiculous, and you should never have released such a buggy piece of software to your customers.”
- replayability71 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits high replayability, with many players praising its depth, varied scenarios, and customizable gameplay options that encourage multiple playthroughs. While some users noted issues with online features affecting replay value, the single-player experience remains engaging due to diverse factions, skill trees, and random map setups. However, a few reviews pointed out limitations in long-term replayability, particularly due to repetitive elements or technical issues.
“Great replayability for single-player with the different map setups and AI.”
“The game offers incredible replayability through obtained features near the end of playthrough, allowing for significant investment in a single save by improving conditions for citizens on your various islands.”
“The open-ended random scenario maps make for endless replayability, and the core management gameplay is simple but satisfying, gradually building in complexity until you feel like you're really overseeing a massive, living, breathing nation.”
“The environmentalist theme hurts its replay value due to its repetition throughout the 1990s.”
“An interesting and engaging twist on the city building genre, but the linear path of development and awkward military gameplay makes replayability difficult.”
“Anno 2070 is worth trying but has limited long-term replay value.”
- grinding66 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The reviews consistently highlight that grinding in the game is excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring players to invest significant effort for minimal rewards. Many users express frustration with repetitive gameplay loops, micromanagement, and the burdensome nature of resource management, which detracts from overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the game's complexity and strategic elements, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding aspect can become a chore rather than a fun challenge.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The only issue is the repetitive nature of the core gameplay loop which might get a bit tedious after a while.”
“The trading and transport that is the heart of the game simply becomes tedious in my experience.”
“You will love it for an hour, and then struggle to find enjoyment the next 8 or so before you finally realize this game has nothing to offer beyond tedious resource grinding for ever-decreasing gains.”
- optimization35 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant performance issues even on modern hardware, leading to frame drops and stuttering. While the transition to a 64-bit architecture and modern server infrastructure has improved performance for some, many still find it poorly optimized, particularly in terms of resource management and graphical fidelity. Despite these challenges, some users report smooth gameplay after initial setup and adjustments, indicating that experiences may vary widely based on individual system configurations.
“They basically migrated the whole online part to a more modern server architecture and the game was also ported from 32-bit to 64-bit, which should give it another bump in performance and future-proofing.”
“Everything was going so smoothly as I optimized my logistic network, positively shifted my population's skill demographic, increased my tax revenue, and improved relations with my AI neighbors.”
“I have spent a few hundred hours just building cities and messing about with logistics and resource usage optimizations.”
“The graphic is not so bad, but it is badly optimized. Even with current-gen hardware (as of 2021), it's still choking without using the full potential of my rig. Still playable, still enjoyable.”
“It's decent looking, but even at 1080p, it's so poorly optimized that 6-core i7s with GTX 2060s actually struggle not to drop frames at times.”
“The main detriment to this game is the optimization.”
- atmosphere31 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive soundtracks, and thematic depth, creating a captivating experience that draws players into its dystopian and post-apocalyptic settings. While some players note a lack of the charm found in earlier titles like Anno 1404, the overall ambiance, enhanced by detailed graphics and sound design, is considered top-notch and contributes significantly to the enjoyment of the gameplay. The combination of tranquil music and diverse environments—from industrial to serene—further enriches the atmosphere, making it a standout feature of the game.
“Furthermore, the game's sleek visuals and atmospheric soundtrack contribute to its immersive experience, drawing players into its dystopian future world.”
“The atmospheres this game creates are priceless, from heavy industry to peaceful and harmonic cities, plus a great soundtrack to fit the moods.”
“The soundtracks are one of the best in the video game business, and the atmosphere of the game sucks you in as you find yourself fighting for existence in a flooded world...”
“It lacks the atmosphere of Anno 1404, but it is a lot more fun in the long run.”
“Anno 2070 is set in the near future and therefore lacks the atmosphere Anno 1404 had, I think.”
“However... it won't have the nice cute atmosphere anymore as it had before.”
- humor28 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as a mix of dark comedy and social commentary, with players finding amusement in the absurdity of environmental destruction and the game's mechanics. Many reviews highlight the funny scenarios and buildings, as well as the ironic frustrations with the Uplay launcher, which adds a layer of humor to the overall experience. However, some players feel that the humor can become repetitive and overshadowed by technical issues, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
“Allows you to ruin the environment so that your friends get a tornado to ruin their city while you just stand there laughing.”
“Good sense of humor in the scenarios.”
“The climate change near future setting is swag, city building is pretty dank, and natural disasters are hilarious as fuck.”
- monetization10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- -10 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been heavily criticized, with players expressing frustration over mandatory online registration and persistent advertising from Uplay, even after purchasing the game. The presence of numerous microtransactions, including trivial purchases for cosmetic items, alongside frequent crashes and intrusive surveys, suggests a focus on profit over player experience, leading many to view it as a cash grab. Overall, the monetization approach detracts significantly from the enjoyment of the game.
“The game offers a variety of microtransactions, including fun options like purchasing new titles for your leader.”
“I appreciate that the monetization system is transparent, allowing players to understand what they're spending their money on.”
“The in-game purchases are optional and don't feel necessary to enjoy the game fully.”
“They force you to receive their advertisements to play after paying retail for it.”
“Game is filled with microtransactions, the silly kind like paying money to get a new title for your leader.”
“When the game finally launches you will be pestered with surveys and pop-up advertisements.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express mixed emotions regarding the game, highlighting a sense of disappointment due to the lack of emotional investment compared to previous titles like Anno 1404. Frustration is prevalent, particularly with the Uplay launcher, which has led to feelings of betrayal and anger towards Ubisoft's practices, overshadowing any potential enjoyment of the game. Overall, the emotional response is largely negative, driven by technical issues and unmet expectations.
“If that's not wholesome dedication, I don't know what is.”
“It lacks the historic charm of 1404 (or Dawn of Discovery for us folks in the US), so it's harder to invest emotionally or mentally in your little islands.”
“Buying Anno 1404 with the promise of a multiplayer patch, while it actually was released as a multiplayer DLC, made me feel cheated.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features strong character development that enhances the strategic gameplay, complemented by dynamic events that maintain player engagement throughout missions.
“An excellent strategy game, with good character development and dynamic events to keep the missions interesting and the player on their toes!”
