Anno 117: Pax Romana will once again feature a gameplay feature that may make longtime fans of the city-building franchise wary. Reimagined with modern mechanics, the Hall of Fame will turn in-game achievements into permanent rewards that carry over between playthroughs, providing a powerful incentive for new campaigns and sandbox sessions. In a recent blog post, developers Ubisoft Mainz went into detail about this progression system, dispelling any misconceptions or concerns about monetizing the upcoming city-building project.
Hall of Fame: Increasing replay value in various saved games
If you're always dreaming of the glory of Ancient Rome, Anno 117: Pax Romana may already be on your radar. As we described in our preview of the seventh part of the Anno seriesPax Romana transports players back to a peaceful time of prosperity, innovation and exploration.
In the game, governors are responsible for building and overseeing the expansion of a number of cities in two starting regions: the sun-drenched land of Latium and the wild province of Albion. In the latter case, players can promote Roman culture among the population or remain true to the Celtic way of life.
And for awards and achievements received in campaigns or sandbox runs, you can receive huge rewards in the Hall of Fame. By earning Fame Points, players can gain access to permanent bonuses such as items, decorations, music tracks or player emblems. Once the entire update level is cleared, the next one becomes available. While these bonuses are tied to an individual Ubisoft Connect account, they can be used in multiplayer as long as they are enabled by the lead player.
A return to Anno's roots in a modern form
Despite its new name, the Hall of Fame in Anno 117 may not be as new as it seems. As detailed in the Anno Union blog, the feature combines various mechanics previously seen in past games, from Anno 1404's achievement rewards to Anno 1800's Golden Tickets, which allowed players to purchase exclusive items such as skins and portraits from a special Grand Gallery menu.
Likewise, players will spend Fame Points to unlock rewards in Anno 117, which they can use in the starting region of their choice, be it Latium or Albion. While rejecting the idea that this system would introduce microtransactions into the game, the developers emphasized that fame will remain a currency that players can only earn through gameplay.
Manuel Reinher, creative director of Anno 117, brought to life the idea that the Hall of Fame was designed to celebrate dedication without resorting to pay-based progression systems or forcing players to work hard for rewards. What's more, additional content will be added to the Hall of Fame upon launch, further enhancing the ability to personalize each save.
Anno 117: a new milestone for Roman city planners?
The huge success of Anno 1800, which remains the best-selling Anno game to date, was a major milestone for the long-running franchise. After disappointing sales of futuristic games Anno 2070 and Anno 2205, the series' return to its historical setting has paid off both critically and commercially.
With immediate continuation one of the greatest city plannersDevelopers Ubisoft Mainz hope to recapture the magic of its Victorian-era predecessor and set a new gold standard for real-time strategy games set in Ancient Rome, despite stiff competition. From city-building staples like Grand Ages: Rome to cult classics like Rome: Total War, the Roman Empire has long captured the imagination of game designers and gamers. Even the iGaming industry has jumped on the bandwagon with creative slots like Arena of Rome and Glorious Rome.
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The long wait for Anno 117 comes to an end on November 13th. In the meantime, eager players will be able to take a look at some new features and buildings as several content creators have been given early access to the game. By the way, Anno YouTubers like Taka have delved deeper into the inner workings of the Hall of Fame, revealing the many bonuses and customization options that can be unlocked in the upcoming Roman city builder.
