Anno 2070 Demo

Anno is by far one of the most successful economical simulation series out there, especially since it also features a set of strong city-building mechanics as well. However, the progress between the episodes has been slow and steady, with plenty of gameplay and graphics improvements, but pretty much the same core idea as in the beginning.

Anno 2070 takes matters into a whole new direction and replaces the small villages with huge cities of the future, complete with sky scrapers and various other incredible buildings that rise high above the ground. On the other hand, the underlying mechanics are basically the same this time around as well, since the main idea still revolves around your ability to make the city prosper, by providing the citizens with everything they need in order to settle down.

To accommodate the futuristic architecture, the events take place somewhere in the future, although not that far out, as you can probably tell from the title. Hence, 2070 may not be that distant, but that doesn't mean the technology featured in the game is far-fetched or unrealistic. The main campaign challenges you to colonize island after island, in order to expand the reach of your civilization and take full advantage of all the resources available on Earth.

Trading is yet another important aspect of the gameplay, since it can sometimes be the only way one can acquire specific goods. However, unlike in the previous episodes, you trade building modules and machinery, rather than grain, bricks and various other simple materials. The trading chapter should not be underestimated, though, since you can really run into trouble if you do not invest enough time in making sure that your ships are always transporting goods to and from your city.

Speaking of which, transportation is also vital for the humans of the future, as well as one of the most basic needs. Thus, the cities must be extremely well arranged and thought out, in order to allow the citizens to easily reach any part of the island as quickly as possible. Lastly, the graphics engine received a major uplift as well, although it is pretty difficult to tell, given the fact that almost everything about the game has changed in the progress.

Although Anno 2070 may not be everyone's cup of tea, the developers are worthy of praise for the courage they have shown, by changing the entire theme of the game. However, the game still feels like Anno, regardless of the shiny tall buildings and the lack of Victorian architecture.