Anno 117's Pax Romana's Best-Kept Secret Is a Stunning First-Person View.
Hold on — were you aware it's possible to experience Anno 117 Pax Romana in first-person? If you're thinking that, you feel equally astonished compared to my initial response the moment I learned this hidden feature. Excuse me while temporarily abandon my empire’s management, entrust it to a reliable subordinate, commandere a carriage, and go for a joyride across the Roman world.
How to Access the First-Person Feature
As a city-building game, Anno 117: Pax Romana is normally experienced from an overhead perspective. Yet, when you input a hidden code — including “Ctrl,” “Shift,” and “R” on keyboard or else “Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B/Circle, A/X” on a controller — it becomes possible to roam the realm as a regular inhabitant. Since a similar easter egg was part of the previous Anno title, I was eager to test it in the latest installment, yet I had doubts it would function prior to being submerged in a structural glitch (which probably wasn’t intended — this feature is prone to glitches now and then).
Discovering the Streets of Rome
After extracting myself, I wandered the busy roads across my settlement and explored markets, breweries, floral patches, and seafood collectors — the experience was splendid to see my diligent efforts using an entirely new viewpoint. I noticed numerous fine points that would escape notice from above: Entryway ornaments, a donkey carrying a flower bucket, chickens running loose, citizens lounging on their terraces… Simply noticing the form of a ledge and the coating on a pillar is quite interesting for those not residing in classical times.
Beyond Simple Strolling
Yet, the experience extends to the first-person feature in Anno 117 aside from meandering through streets. I became extraordinarily excited the moment I learned that besides being able to view farming fields, but also enter them. And even though I thought structures would be inaccessible, I managed to access mud extraction sites, investigate a respected schoolhouse during active classes, and intrude into private gardens. Don't bother with door access (not even the developers planned for that functionality), yet it's completely feasible stroll around a barley farm, see citizens working with tools and burdens, and take a peek inside any small shack provided the entrance is missing.
Appearance and Mood
Although I was fully prepared to observe my settlement depicted in PlayStation 1 graphics, excluding a few unpolished motions and the occasional civilian resting within a bench instead of on a bench, the immersive perspective seems considerably improved over predictions. The intricately designed surfaces (notably masonry elements) are unexpectedly excellent for a title that remains primarily overhead. You may not see any individual strands of hair, yet you will notice wall inscriptions, fiery particles from lamps, fading on bricks, pupils, and evergreen foliage. Evening, with glowing light sources and celestial bodies twinkling afar, is especially atmospheric, and also a lot less scary versus the earlier title, especially since the inhabitants no longer resemble terrifying apparitions now.
Discovery and Modification
Given the covert first-person feature lacks official documentation, I opted to try different commands, and immediately located the abilities to leap, run, and adjusting the view — with the latter allowing me to change from first-person to third-person mode and return. I then decided to hit certain numeric keys and found I could alter my character’s appearance. Yellow toga? Crimson attire? Sapphire and amethyst dress? Or — perhaps even better — full armor? You may carry a sword and shield, or, my favorite, don a marksman outfit; if you hit the interaction button, you’ll fire burning arrows into the sky. In case you’re wondering, it’s not possible to kill civilians (though I didn't test this, obviously).
Comedy and Population Encounters
But I wouldn’t wish to harm my citizens anyway, as they're remarkably entertaining. Moments after I entered the immersive perspective, I heard a parent advising their offspring that he “Can’t have a pet fox and if you offer additional fowl, your gran will have your head.” Rightly so, Roman dad. A pleasant regional Celt then proceeded to praise my brilliant Romano-Celtic policies by describing it as “Ideal combination,” meanwhile a grumpy senior female decided to threaten me: “Utter those words again, and your fate will be sealed.”
The Thrill of Transportation
Just when I thought I uncovered all possible content in the title's first-person feature, I experienced the pleasure of driving in Ancient Rome. Entirely by accident, I interacted with a cart and immediately found myself in the driver's position. Cattle, asses, even people-powered transports; you may operate any of them freely. The donkey cart, in particular, travels rather rapidly, although you shouldn't expect any GTA-like shenanigans — you can’t drive into people or other wagons (again, not saying I’ve tried).
Battle Constraints
The single feature that frustrated me regarding the first-person view was finding out I couldn’t partake in combat situations. Sporting my soldier fit, I approached opposing forces during active combat and attempted to attack them, only to be ignored completely. The front-row seat was still rather spectacular, and seeing opponents retreat, their limbs waving wildly, proved very satisfying, yet it would have been exciting to successfully impact objects with my burning arrows.
