Anno Online

Game overview

Anno online is a browser game released by Ubisoft in 2013. This game has evoked such mixed reactions, no single review can reflect its true value. It's necessary for each player to test drive it themselves and form their own opinions on the quality of this title.

On one side, there are fans of the Anno series who, in general, have said that this game isn't that great compared to past installments but on the other side, there's the amateur browser RTS fans who love this game based on its own merits. As far as we're concerned, a little bit of both sides is right; Anno Online can be a pleasure to play for gamers who are looking for a way to amuse themselves in their free time, however, the excessive costs of the cashshop may discourage gamers who plan on investing themselves in the game. With its excellent graphics and gameplay, the game still has a lot going for it, even if it is a little bit on the expensive side for a browser game.

Anno Online breathes a breath of fresh air into the internet, especially to games of its genre. Put simply, it's exactly what one would expect from the Anno series (similar to Anno 1701 and Anno 1404) and in its browser form, Anno is a small revolution for RTS browser games.

Full review

More or Less Innovative Gameplay

For fans of Anno 1404, the gameplay is almost exactly the same, just adapted for internet browsers. Your initial goal in the game is to build a marketplace which allows the inhabitants to spend their gold on your goods. Obviously, each inhabitant of your town has their own needs which are your responsibility to meet.

After you've built the marketplace, you need to construct other buildings which are essential in the progression of your empire. In building fishing huts, animals farms and other compounds, you provide money and resources for your empire, either in the form of goods to be sold or the creation of raw materials necessary in order to manufacture other objects.

A key aspect of this game is providing for your empire, which the game possible thanks to nutrition sources,such as fish, various farm animals, wheat fields, bakeries and mills. You must also gather resources through logging and mining, another essential duty of your job as emperor. Next, you must construct housing for your population in the forms of hostels, barracks and churches, in order to responds to the needs of your subjects and offer them them the best quality of life possible.
Through the progression of increasingly difficult levels, the game allows you to unlock over 120 different buildings to aid in the proliferation and defense of your empire. The buildings spring up instantly, a huge departure from the typical RTS formula. Unfortunately, this advantage comes with its own problems.

Conquest Isn't Cheap

The nadir of the game by far is the costs associated with expanding your empire. The amount of resources needed in order to create buildings becomes unreasonable. For example, in order to create a bakery it requires three hours worth of harvesting. Another costly endeavor in Anno is exploration.

It can take several weeks worth of time and resource gathering in order to explore the seven sections of the main island. Colonizing these sections is another costly factor to the game. In order to do this, you need to create a boat but first you must gather all the necessary components: a sail, lumber, ropes and then you must also find (or create, rather) and hire sailors. You must also make sure to pack enough resources in order to construct new buildings overseas. Once all this is finished, you can finally embark.

New players won't find this too perturbing but previous fans of the series will see the painstaking efforts into simple resource gathering as a huge hindrance to gameplay. You can still trade real money for the in game currency, rubies. But they really aren't worth it for their price. It costs nearly 70 dollars for 13,000 rubies and it takes 10,000 to colonize just one island! Case rested.

Technical Qualities

The graphics are done pretty well, taking into consideration the game is constrained by browser specifications. The graphics utilize Adobe Flash Player, making the game rather pleasant to watch unfold. The HUD is simple to understand and well realized as well.

The game doesn't feature a soundtrack in its own right and the noises that accompany you throughout the entirety of your adventure soon become painful to the ear.

Considering its lack of social aspects, its shortcomings on the audible side and its numerous bugs, the game seems a little bit rushed and could have used a few improvements before release. Being that the game can be complicated at times, it isn't easy to understand if the game is glitching or if you've simply done something wrong.

Conclusion

Despite its obvious weaknesses in several areas, overall the game isn't bad; it's still well thought out, innovative, and a good way to kill some free time. Minus the bugs here and there, it' still possible to create an empire in your own image with Anno.

Ready to enter the world of Anno Online? Click here to play now!

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Review summary

1. More or Less Innovative Gameplay
2. Conquest Isn't Cheap
3. Technical Qualities
4. Conclusion