Anno 117: Pax Romana's Top Secret Reveals Itself as a Stunning First-Person Mode.
Wait — did you know you can play Anno 117 Pax Romana in first-person? Should that be your response, your surprise matches as my own reaction the moment I learned this secret option. Excuse me while briefly leave my empire’s management, delegate it to a trusted assistant, commandere a carriage, and enjoy a ride around the classical city.
Unlocking the First-Person View
In its role as a city-builder, Anno 117: Pax Romana usually operates from an overhead perspective. However, if you input a hidden code — including “Ctrl,” “Shift,” and “R” using PC controls alternatively “Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B/Circle, A/X” on a controller — you can explore the realm as a regular inhabitant. Since a similar easter egg was included in the earlier game Anno 1800, I looked forward to test it in the latest installment, yet I had doubts it would operate before I discovered myself submerged in a structural glitch (possibly an unexpected bug — this mode is somewhat unstable occasionally).
Roaming the Roman Cityscape
After extracting myself, I walked the lively avenues through my metropolis and visited markets, breweries, floral patches, and seafood collectors — the experience was splendid to see my diligent efforts through a fresh lens. I noticed a variety of intricacies that would escape notice from the top-down view: Entryway ornaments, a beast of burden holding a blossom container, chickens running loose, citizens lounging on their terraces… Merely examining the design of a windowsill and the paint layers on a column is quite interesting to modern individuals unfamiliar with ancient life.
More Than Just Walking
Yet, the experience extends to the first-person feature in Anno 117 than strolling along the road. I was especially delighted when I found out that I could not just look upon farming fields, but also step into them. And although I’d assumed interiors would be restricted, I could walk onto clay pits, tour an esteemed educational structure during active classes, and invade personal courtyards. Avoid attempting to open doors (not even the developers have the budget for that), however, you can definitely wander through a grain field, observe people digging and transporting bags, and take a peek inside any small shack as long as the door is absent.
Graphics and Ambiance
Although I was fully prepared to see my metropolis represented in PlayStation 1 graphics, besides some crude animations and sometimes citizens positioned inside seating rather than on a bench, the first-person view appears far superior to anticipations. The meticulously crafted materials (especially stone surfaces) really have no business being this good for a title that remains primarily overhead. You won't necessarily notice specific hair details, however, you can observe writings on surfaces, fiery particles from lamps, discoloration of masonry, pupils, and pine tree leaves. The night, featuring dancing flames and celestial bodies twinkling afar, generates a uniquely immersive environment, and feels much less frightening versus the earlier title, now that the citizens don’t look like sleep paralysis demons these days.
Testing and Personalization
Since Anno 117’s super-secret first-person mode lacks official documentation, I decided to experiment a bit, and immediately located the functions for jumping, dashing, and zoom in or out — the last option enabling me to switch between first and third-person views and revert. I then experimented with certain numeric keys and learned I could modify my avatar's look. Golden robe? Crimson attire? Azure and violet outfit? Or — perhaps even better — full armor? You can wield a blade and protection, or, preferably, wear an archer's uniform; when you press the action key, you shoot flaming projectiles upward. Should you be curious, harming inhabitants is impossible (not that I’ve tried, of course).
Amusement and Inhabitant Dialogues
But I wouldn’t wish to harm my citizens anyway, because they’re way too funny. Shortly after I activated 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 elder will punish you.” Rightly so, Roman dad. A friendly native Celtic person then began complimenting my outstanding integration methods by calling it the “Best of both worlds,” while some cranky old lady decided to threaten me: “Say that one more time, and they’ll never find your body.”
The Thrill of Transportation
Just as I assumed I’d discovered all there is to discover in the title's first-person feature, I experienced the pleasure of driving across historical settings. Entirely by accident, I clicked on a wagon and was promptly seated on the box. Cattle, asses, even human-pulled carts; you can control each one as desired. The donkey cart, in particular, travels rather rapidly, but don't anticipate any GTA-like shenanigans — colliding with pedestrians or other carts is impossible (again, not saying I’ve tried).
Combat Limitations
The single feature that frustrated me regarding the first-person view was discovering my inability to participate in combat situations. Equipped in warrior attire, I ran up to the enemy during active combat and attempted to attack them, but was entirely disregarded. The close-up view was nonetheless magnificent, and watching the enemy run, their appendages thrashing around, proved very satisfying, though it might have been amazing to successfully impact objects via my incendiary bolts.