Anno 117: Pax Romana's Hidden Gem Reveals Itself as a Stunning First-Person Mode.

Surprisingly — did you realize it's possible to experience Anno 117 Pax Romana from a first-person viewpoint? Should that be your response, your surprise matches as my own reaction upon finding out this secret option. Allow me to step away from overseeing my civilization, leave it in a trusted assistant, borrow a cart, and go for a joyride around the classical city.

Activating the First-Person View

In its role as a city-builder, the game Anno 117 is normally experienced from a bird's-eye view. But, should you enter a secret combination — for example “Ctrl,” “Shift,” and “R” on keyboard or “Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B/Circle, A/X” with a gamepad — you can explore the realm as a regular inhabitant. Given a comparable hidden feature appeared in the previous Anno title, I was eager to test it in Ubisoft's newest game, though I was uncertain it would operate prior to being stuck in a Celtic building (possibly an unexpected bug — this mode is prone to glitches now and then).

Roaming the Roman Cityscape

Once I crawled out, I walked the lively avenues of my city and toured markets, breweries, blossom gardens, and shellfish gatherers — it was glorious to see my diligent efforts from a brand-new perspective. I detected a variety of intricacies I wouldn’t have spotted from above: Entryway ornaments, a beast of burden holding a blossom container, chickens running loose, people relaxing on their verandas… Simply noticing the design of a windowsill and the coloration on a post proves fascinating to modern individuals unfamiliar with ancient life.

Further Than Mere Wandering

But there’s more to the first-person feature in Anno 117 than strolling along the road. I was especially delighted when I found out that besides being able to look upon farming fields, but also step into them. And even though I thought the building models would be off-limits, I was able to enter earthen quarries, explore a prestigious Grammaticus building while lessons were in session, and intrude into private gardens. Avoid attempting to open doors (not even the creators allocated resources for that), but it’s entirely possible wander through a grain field, observe people digging and transporting bags, and take a peek inside any small shack when there's no doorway obstructing.

Visual Quality and Atmosphere

Even though I expected to see my metropolis represented using primitive rendering, excluding a few unpolished motions and periodic inhabitants sitting in a bench as opposed to atop a bench, the immersive perspective seems considerably improved over predictions. The meticulously crafted materials (especially stone surfaces) really have no business being this good in what is still, essentially, a top-down game. You might not observe specific hair details, however, you can observe wall inscriptions, flames emitting from lights, fading on bricks, iris elements, and conifer needles. The night, featuring dancing flames and distant stellar illumination, creates a particularly moody setting, and feels much less frightening compared to Anno 1800, especially since the inhabitants no longer resemble sleep paralysis demons anymore.

Discovery and Modification

Because the game's hidden immersive perspective lacks official documentation, I decided to experiment a bit, and quickly discovered the functions for jumping, dashing, and adjusting the view — the last option enabling me to change from first-person to third-person mode and return. I subsequently tried pressing some number buttons and found I could alter my avatar's look. Golden robe? Crimson attire? Sapphire and amethyst dress? Or — maybe superior — complete battle gear? You may carry a sword and shield, or, personally chosen, equip a shooter's costume; if you activate the engage command, you’ll fire burning arrows into the sky. In case you’re wondering, it’s not possible to kill civilians (though I didn't test this, obviously).

Amusement and Inhabitant Dialogues

However, I had no desire to injure my people, since they're incredibly amusing. Only seconds after I landed the first-person view, I heard a parent advising their offspring that he “Can’t have a pet fox and if you offer additional fowl, your grandmother will be furious.” Understandable stance, father character. One lovely local Celt then began complimenting my brilliant Romano-Celtic policies by labeling it “Perfect fusion,” while some cranky old lady chose to intimidate me: “Utter those words again, and your fate will be sealed.”

The Fun of Vehicle Use

Just when I thought I uncovered all possible content within the game's immersive perspective, I experienced the pleasure of driving through classical settlements. Completely unexpectedly, I clicked on a wagon and immediately found myself in the driver's position. Oxen, donkeys, even human-pulled carts; you may operate any of them freely. The donkey-powered transport, notably, moves quite quickly, but don't anticipate any GTA-like shenanigans — you can’t drive into people or other wagons (reiterating, without confirming testing).

Battle Constraints

The only thing that disappointed me in Anno 117’s first-person mode was finding out I couldn’t partake in combat situations. Wearing my military outfit, I charged toward adversaries in the midst of battle and attempted to attack them, only to be ignored completely. The front-row seat was nonetheless magnificent, and observing foes flee, their limbs waving wildly, seemed enormously rewarding, yet it would have been exciting to effectively strike targets via my incendiary bolts.

{Conclusion: More to Discover|Final Thoughts: Additional Exploration