Anno 1404: Gold Edition

Ubisoft burdened the amazing Anno series with limited, on-line activations complicating game saves and Anno re-installations. This was a shame since Anno1404 has years of replay value and some achievements require hundreds of hours of play, and re-starting doesn't accomplish much. Venice reduces micro-management of your production chains to a minimum as each infocard displays the relevant recipe on it. The Baliwick building now lets you manage production from a central location without having to look for those buildings. There is even a substantial fan-made unofficial 1.10 patch that fixes typos, quest bugs and other things. The attention to detail in Anno1404 is extraordinary and nearly every possible start condition has been given as an option to the player, making scenarios specifically tailored to acquiring those quirky achievements easy. Lastly, while the slow key slows the ever flowing time down to a manageable level, not being able to pause yet continue city-building is the only game mechanic missing and would make some of those time-sensitive situations less tasking. However, clicking on any alert notification usually brings you right to the event. Anno1404 is every bit as good a city-builder as Civilization IV while having better combat and trade routes, but only two wonders..the Cathedral and Mosque.

This game was my first entry to the Anno series. It is one of my most played game ever with over 500 hours (believe it or not). For some silly reason, I own 3 different copies... and, yet I do not understand the price tag!? In every local toy-store you can pick up the game for a meager 5 bucks, and occasionally including the next iteration Anno 2070. Apparently, it still sells well. Therefore my equally nonsensical 4/5 stars. To start off: Install the game (incl. Venice) and look on the web for the 'unofficial patch', and install it. This patch removes bugs that were left by the last official patch, improves the UI, gives you some minor cheating options (like cheap water in the desert... which I really do not recommend), and it goes as far as improving thousand pieces of text. So why is this game NOT for you? - You need tons of hours, which means it will cost you the time to play several other games - It is not a war game... yes, you (can) fight a war, but it is slow and mostly by means of attrition - You are a casual gamer, in which case I recommend the new Anno 2205 And why should you play it? - You like boats or sinking boats - You like trade - You like city builders - You like puzzles (on land: layout of buildings, at sea: trade routes and balancing trade/war ships) - You like planning of conquests - You like a real-time blend of all above on a single continuous map - You cannot do without coffee

I own the game via Steam. Unlike it's sequels 2070 and 2205 you don't need Ubisofts Uplay Software (more a DRM hellhole) to install or start the game. No need for double activations or multiple accounts, no need for an internet connection to use all the game's features. And guess what: With the Venice addon included into the Gold Edition you even get a multiplayer mode with working A.I. - not like in 2070 where A.I. is a joke and requires no economy to declare war on you and have large fleets of battleships for no reason. The production chains might not be as complicated as in its sequel, but it's still the best entry in the series so far. It still looks good, runs fine on older machines aswell; e.g. my fathers no 3,2 ghz haswell i5 combined with his GTX 280 still ran the game fine - not on maxed out settings, but reasonably well for the GPUs age. Also, it's so far the latest Anno in its typical medival type timezone - no future stuff to be found.

If your new to Anno 1404: Gold Edition, it includes the base game + the expansion. Unlike the previous three Anno games featured in the New World setting and era, 1404 jumps into the renaissance era. However, that isn't all, you now have to build up your islands with two factions simultaneously, known as, the Orient and the Occident. The Orient is the faction based around the Renaissance Near East/Middle East, while the Occident is based on Renaissance Europe. Both factions need each other to progress civilization level. For the Occident, your second civilization level, citizen already requires spices to reach the third civilization level of patrician. While the Orient will need a heavy supply of tools and wood, resources that may be acquire or purchased mostly from the Occident citizen civilization level. Therefore in total, that means 1404 includes six total civilization in all, which is one more than 1701 according to wikipedia. Peasants, Citizens, Patricians, Nobles, Nomads, Envoys. Everything in this game is accommodated with its unique style of music, units, and architecture and needs. The Occident cannot settle in the desert biome, while the Orient can. Therefore, you don't have to worry about making space for the both of them on one island. As mentioned before, they also have units, but in 1404 combat is incarnated in the form of encampments. Encampments are basically its own unit with health points and the actual ability to go and leave land as they please. That's right, you don't have to transport your units ship by ship any more. To take over an area, simply move the encampment near the desired spot, the same way you move a ship. The encampment has an area of effect, and if it is in range of "at war" player's buildings you can order the encampments to take it. So your Island can be contested. Your opponent could literally be farming resources right outside your doorstep. Why haven't they ported this to Anno 2070 and beyond eludes me