Anno: Build An Empire

Anno: Build an Empire, released on AND and iOS, is a mobile version of the popular economic series released in 1998 by the German company Max Design. The game was prepared by the independent Mi'pu'mi Games studio, founded by former Rockstar employees. Support in the production process was provided by developers from Blue Byte Software, which in addition to the competitive series The Settlers also worked on an expansion to Anno 2070 and the browser game Anno Online.

Mechanics

The action of Anno: Build an Empire takes place in turbulent times of colonial conquests, and the task of players is to build from scratch a well-functioning colony in a new region of the world. The key to success is to combine organizational abilities with tactical thinking to create the most efficient production chains possible. In addition to the construction of new buildings and the acquisition and processing of resources, we also have to satisfy the current needs of residents. We can do that by building houses, inns and churches. At a later stage of the game, trade and diplomacy options appear, as well as the need to ensure the safety of our colony.

The mechanics of the game are inspired by the earlier versions of the Anno series. We start the game with a small supply of materials, developing our empire on one of the several islands to unlock access to the next one. Each of the islands has a slightly different specificity and availability of different raw materials. In order to transport goods efficiently, we will have to create a suitable fleet. We can produce a total of more than 60 raw materials and goods and construct about 150 different buildings for different purposes.

Technical aspects

In terms of graphics, Anno: Build An Empire resembles quite clearly the browser versions of the Anno and The Settlers series, offering detailed models of buildings, made in the characteristic 17th-century style. The game is available in a freemium model, which in practice means a number of limitations encouraging the use of the microtransactions system. Like any typical social game, Anno offers us the opportunity to challenge our friends and invite them to conquer the world together.

Last updated on 23 January 2015