Anno 117: Pax Romana is Doing Something the Series Has Never Done Before

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Like most successful strategy game series, Anno consistently updates its core gameplay with each new release. Players can generally expect new features, improved graphics, a better user interface, and innovative ideas to keep the series feeling fresh. Anno 117: Pax Romana appears to be continuing that tradition.

Launching on November 13th, Anno 117: Pax Romana arrives six years after Anno 1800. While the new game builds on the established Anno formula, it’s also breaking with one long-standing tradition.

Anno 117: Pax Romana Is Breaking a 27-Year-Long Series Tradition

Over the past 27 years, seven main Anno games have been released. Each one is set in a different time period – some, like Anno 1800 and Anno 1404, are rooted in real history, while others, such as Anno 2070 and Anno 2205, take place in imagined futures. However, every Anno game (when played in Continuous Mode) starts the same way: players begin by building the foundations of their colony on a randomly generated island, often with limited choice over its characteristics, and sometimes within a larger, predefined region.

  • Anno 1602 – Players start on a ship near a randomized island
  • Anno 1503 – Players start on a randomized island
  • Anno 1701 – Players start on a randomized island settled in the Queen’s name
  • Anno 1404 – Players start on a ship near Lord Northburgh’s Warehouse
  • Anno 2070 – Players start on a floating base called The Ark
  • Anno 2205 – Players start in the Temperate Regions
  • Anno 1800 – Players start in The Old World

Many Anno games eventually allow you to discover new areas, build colonies, and create trade routes to gain access to unique items found only in those regions. For example, Anno 1800 lets you explore the New World and its jungles later in the game, while Anno 2205 takes you to the Arctic and eventually the Moon. However, even though you can expand to these different regions, all Anno games – including 1800 and 2205 – require you to begin in a randomly chosen spot within a specific region.

So, after the game came out, Anno 2205 let you pick different starting areas when you began a new game, which was cool. Each sector has a unique map and gives you a little boost in gameplay, but honestly, they’re all pretty similar. They’re all in the same climate – temperate regions – and you can build everything and research all the same tech no matter where you start.

Anno 117: Pax Romana Lets Players Choose Between Two Starting Provinces

In a first for the Anno 117: Pax Romana series, players can now choose between two starting regions: Latium and Albion. Each region offers a distinct experience with unique challenges, opportunities, and different areas to focus on for development and religious beliefs.

The Differences Between Anno 117’s Latium and Albion Provinces Explained

If you’re a longtime Anno fan like me and prefer a classic experience, Latium in Anno 117: Pax Romana is probably the way to go. It’s set in the heart of the Roman Empire – basically, modern-day western Italy where Rome is still the main city. When you start in Latium, your only mission is to build an amazing Roman city. And you’ll have everything you need to do it! You get access to all the best Roman tech and buildings, plus you can even get help from the Roman gods. For example, Mars, the god of war, can lower the cost of keeping your army going – which is awesome!

Starting a game of Anno 117: Pax Romana as Albion presents a fresh take on the classic Anno experience. Instead of simply building an empire, you’ll constantly need to balance the needs of two distinct cultures. You can choose to support Albion’s existing Celtic traditions, unlocking special buildings, technologies, and gods. Alternatively, you can introduce Roman culture and architecture from your homeland, shaping Albion in a new way.

The core difference between starting in Latium or Albion in Anno 117: Pax Romana lies in their initial beliefs, and this is shaping up to be one of the most interesting new features of the game.

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2025-11-07 00:04