Anno 117 Pax Romana's Hidden Gem Reveals Itself as a Breathtaking First-Person View.
Hold on — were you aware it's possible to experience Anno 117: Pax Romana in first-person? If that’s your reaction, your surprise matches as my own reaction when I discovered this hidden feature. Allow me to briefly leave my empire’s management, leave it in a reliable subordinate, take a wagon, and enjoy a ride across the Roman world.
Activating the First-Person Mode
In its role as a city-builder, Anno 117: Pax Romana is typically played using a top-down camera. Yet, when you input a hidden code — including “Ctrl,” “Shift,” and “R” on keyboard or “Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B/Circle, A/X” on console — you can explore your domain as a common citizen. Given a comparable hidden feature appeared in the previous Anno title, I looked forward to try it out in the new release, though I was uncertain it would function prior to being submerged in a structural glitch (likely not meant to happen — this mode tends to be somewhat unstable occasionally).
Exploring the Streets of Rome
Upon freeing myself, I strolled the bustling streets of my city and visited stalls, alehouses, floral patches, and shellfish gatherers — the experience was splendid to witness the fruits of my labor through a fresh lens. I observed all kinds of details that would escape notice when viewing from overhead: Front door decorations, a donkey carrying a flower bucket, chickens running loose, citizens lounging on their terraces… Even just observing the form of a ledge and the paint layers on a column becomes engaging for those not residing in classical times.
Beyond Simple Strolling
But there’s more to Anno 117’s first-person mode beyond simply walking the paths. I felt particularly pleased when I found out that not only could I look upon agricultural plots, but also step into them. And despite my expectation structures would be inaccessible, I was able to enter clay pits, investigate a respected schoolhouse as teaching was underway, and even trespass into people’s gardens. Avoid attempting to open doors (not even the creators allocated resources for that), however, you can definitely meander across a cereal plantation, observe people digging and transporting bags, and look within any modest shelter when there's no doorway obstructing.
Visual Quality and Atmosphere
While I was completely ready to see my metropolis represented with outdated visual quality, besides some crude animations and periodic inhabitants sitting in a bench rather than on a bench, the immersive perspective seems considerably improved over predictions. The meticulously crafted materials (notably masonry elements) really have no business being this good within a game that's fundamentally a city-builder. You won't necessarily notice specific hair details, yet you will notice wall inscriptions, sparks flying from torches, brick decoloration, eye details, and pine tree leaves. Evening, with glowing light sources and celestial bodies twinkling afar, generates a uniquely immersive environment, and feels much less frightening compared to Anno 1800, especially since the inhabitants no longer resemble terrifying apparitions now.
Experimentation and Customization
Given the covert first-person feature lacks official documentation, I opted to try different commands, and immediately located the options to jump, sprint, and zoom in or out — with the latter allowing me to switch between first and third-person views and revert. I then experimented with certain numeric keys and found I could alter my character’s appearance. Yellow toga? Ruby clothing? Sapphire and amethyst dress? Or — maybe superior — complete battle gear? You might hold a weapon and defense, or, personally chosen, equip a shooter's costume; if you hit the interaction button, you launch incendiary bolts heavenward. In case you’re wondering, eliminating citizens cannot be done (not that I’ve tried, of course).
Comedy and Population Encounters
But I wouldn’t wish to harm my citizens anyway, since they're incredibly amusing. Moments after I entered first-person mode, I overheard a father telling his child that “Owning a fox is prohibited and if you offer additional fowl, your gran will have your head.” Appropriate response, paternal figure. One lovely local Celt then began complimenting my outstanding integration methods by labeling it “Perfect fusion,” meanwhile a grumpy senior female decided to threaten me: “Repeat that statement, and your disappearance will be permanent.”
The Fun of Vehicle Use
Just as I assumed I uncovered all possible content in the title's first-person feature, I experienced the pleasure of driving through classical settlements. Completely unexpectedly, I interacted with a cart and quickly occupied the transport. Bovines, equines, even human-pulled carts; you can control each one as desired. The donkey cart, in particular, moves quite quickly, but don't anticipate any GTA-like shenanigans — impacting citizens or additional vehicles cannot occur (once more, not admitting any attempts).
Battle Constraints
The sole aspect that let me down regarding the first-person view was finding out I couldn’t partake in battle encounters. Equipped in warrior attire, I ran up to the enemy in the midst of battle and endeavored to damage them, only to be ignored completely. The close-up view remained quite impressive, and observing foes flee, their appendages thrashing around, felt highly gratifying, though it might have been amazing to successfully impact objects using my fiery projectiles.
