Compare Anno 117: Pax Romana vs Tales of Xillia Remastered

Mouse-and-keyboard support works smoothly where tested, giving console or hybrid players a more precise option for dense strategy controls.

Platform parity is a weak point. Switch and Switch 2 users do not receive the same frame-rate and visual experience available on PS5 and PC, and reviewers wanted a more capable native Switch 2 version.

Cloud-save reliability can be frustrating across devices, with one player needing workarounds before a campaign file synced correctly.

Autosave is one of the most consistently appreciated additions, reducing the risk of lost progress and making long stretches between manual saves far less stressful.

Post-launch DLC is a weak point so far: Prophecies of Ash drew mixed-to-negative reactions, and the current lineup was described as unremarkable.

Bundled costumes and legacy DLC are viewed as a welcome bonus, especially when included without extra cost, although some licensed items could not return.

The amount of content can make the price feel reasonable, while later pricing and DLC timing may make waiting for a deeper discount more attractive.

Value is positive for many reviewers who see a strong JRPG and useful upgrades at a mid-range price. Others think the package asks too much for such a conservative remaster, and premium-edition value draws additional criticism.

Different regions, research paths, sandbox settings, and building strategies create strong replayability, though long-term depth may not match Anno 1800 for everyone.

Two protagonists, New Game+, and Grade Shop modifiers give the game real replay potential. The tradeoff is that several reviewers feel Jude and Milla's routes overlap too heavily to justify another full-length run.

Active pause is singled out as an excellent quality-of-life improvement, making large-scale management easier without sacrificing control.

Pausing cutscenes has a specific technical flaw in one review: resuming can cause the voice audio to drop out.

Latium and Albion can feel like substantially different games, with distinct needs, resources, cultures, and visual identities that keep repeat play fresh.

The remaster loses some original crossover or licensed content, which contributes to the feeling that the package is less complete than it could have been.

Cities are packed with small visual touches, lively streets, changing weather, and richly modeled architecture that reward zooming in and watching daily life.

Environmental detail is a recurring weakness: fields, caves, ports, and connecting areas are often described as bare, repetitive, or low-detail. Strong color and occasional attractive locations soften the criticism but do not erase it.

Tutorial quality is inconsistent: some players found the campaign helpful, while others complained about skipped steps, missing explanations, and insufficient recovery guidance.

Tutorials are consistently regarded as helpful, making layered combat mechanics understandable as they are introduced.

AI governors can be easy to manipulate in some situations, which helps trade-focused play but may soften the challenge.

One reviewer finds enemy AI too passive, reducing the pressure and tactical demand of some fights.

Important status information is not always easy to read at a glance, with missing overlays and confusing notifications making diagnosis harder than it should be.

Clearer directional and objective information makes navigation easier to understand at a glance.

Fast relocation, upgrading, and neighborhood redesign make it painless to correct early layout mistakes as the city evolves.

Upgrade systems are mixed: character and replay modifiers can be useful and flexible, but immediate Grade Shop access can undermine the intended progression and sense of earning upgrades.

Writing quality is mixed: some campaign material is engaging and well written, while the main story can lack weight or a satisfying conclusion.

Character-focused writing is a major strength, with reviewers praising expressive interactions, themes, and emotional arcs. Even more critical takes usually reserve their complaints for familiar tropes or underdeveloped larger ideas rather than the cast writing.

The learning experience is mixed: many find this the most approachable Anno yet, while others still face a steep, punishing wall once systems begin stacking up.

Combat has a learning curve, but reviewers repeatedly say it becomes intuitive with practice and rewards players who keep experimenting.

Building supply chains, balancing citizens, trading across islands, and constantly refining layouts creates an engrossing loop that repeatedly makes hours disappear.

The main loop can be engaging when combat and progression are clicking, but repetition becomes noticeable over longer sessions.

Dialogue is uneven: the comedic tone can be enjoyable, but delivery and story conversations sometimes feel poorly edited or awkward.

Skits and party banter are repeatedly praised for humor, chemistry, and characterization. Repeated lines and occasional slow or awkward exchanges are the main drawbacks.

Research is extremely deep, with broad economic, civic, and military branches that force meaningful specialization instead of letting one save unlock everything.

The skill-tree-style Lilium Orb offers meaningful build freedom and depth for most reviewers, although one critique finds parts of the progression less satisfying than they first appear.

Latium and Albion feel strongly differentiated through weather, lighting, sound, and architecture, creating a calm but vivid historical atmosphere.

The world's mood is split between cozy, colorful charm and criticism that repetitive spaces fail to captivate. Atmosphere depends heavily on how much the art style and cast carry the environment for the player.

Trade, production chains, workforce management, and inter-island logistics are among the game’s strongest systems, rewarding planning while still allowing cascading failures when one link breaks.

The shop-leveling economy is distinctive and can make gathering materials feel purposeful, but some reviewers think universal shop inventories and donation requirements overstreamline shopping or encourage unnecessary grind.

Cultural and political choices add flavor and replayability, though some decisions feel more cosmetic or unclear in their long-term consequences.

The dual-protagonist choice sounds more consequential than it often feels. Some reviewers enjoy the different viewpoints and replay motivation, but many say Jude and Milla share too much of the same story for the choice to transform the campaign.

The Roman era gives familiar Anno systems a fresh identity, especially through cultural choices, ancient infrastructure, and distinct regional play styles.

One retrospective view treats Xillia as an unusually distinctive step for the series, crediting it with an identity that stood out in its era.

Exploring the provinces is rewarding largely because the islands and cities are so attractive, with Roman and British landscapes giving discovery a strong visual payoff.

Exploration benefits from faster movement, marked objectives, treasure indicators, and optional detours, but repetitive fields and backtracking keep it from being a universal strength.

Camera quality ranges from very smooth zooming and panning on console to occasional difficulty controlling or taming it in dense scenes.

Camera behavior remains somewhat dated, with occasional clunky movement or obstructed views in combat, though not every reviewer finds it troublesome.

The game generally feels polished and well built, but launch-era bugs and a few rough presentation elements keep it from being uniformly clean.

The remaster adds welcome polish and refinement, but reviewers still see visible PS3-era rough edges. The overall presentation is cleaner without feeling rebuilt from the ground up.

Some repetition fits the slow-building appeal, but long research waits and slow shipments can tip the experience from relaxing into administrative busywork.

Grinding is highly context-dependent. Grade Shop modifiers can dramatically reduce repetitive leveling, while achievements, trophies, shop leveling, and some midgame progression can still demand busywork.

Anno 117 evolves rather than reinvents the series, with diagonal roads, land combat, culture choices, and streamlined progression adding meaningful new wrinkles.

The dual-protagonist structure and combat ideas are credited as meaningful innovations for the series, even though later reviewers debate how fully those ideas were realized.

Visuals are one of the clearest strengths, with gorgeous cities, excellent lighting, detailed buildings, and impressive scale across both regions.

Sharper resolution, stronger color, and cleaner presentation make the remaster look noticeably better, especially on PS5 and PC. Reviewers still see dated models, sparse assets, and notably softer image quality on Switch.

The campaign gives its central cast enough personality and growth to make the political story more engaging than a typical city-builder tutorial.

Character growth is one of the strongest narrative qualities. Reviewers repeatedly praise the way Jude, Milla, Alvin, and the wider party evolve through personal struggles and relationships.

Challenge is highly adjustable, yet newcomers can still hit punishing economic and systems spikes before the broader difficulty curve settles into place.

Several reviewers call out difficulty spikes around the middle of the game. The challenge can be managed, but the curve is not always as smooth as the otherwise approachable systems suggest.

Useful settings include key rebinding, UI scaling, subtitles, and font choices, though the lack of a dedicated accessibility menu is a missed opportunity.

Modern convenience and accessibility additions are broadly praised, including difficulty settings, remapping, encounter toggles, subtitles, autosave, and clearer navigation. The suite is helpful rather than exhaustive, with at least one reviewer wishing for options such as colorblind modes.

The core Anno identity remains intact while the Roman setting and quality-of-life changes refresh the formula rather than replacing it.

The remaster is praised for faithfully preserving what worked in the original while smoothing rough edges rather than rewriting the game.

The campaign can feel short in places, but sandbox and repeat play can stretch the overall experience into dozens or hundreds of hours.

A first run generally lands around the mid-30-hour range, which some find comfortable and others find daunting when considering a second protagonist playthrough.

Steam Deck-style play has meaningful compromises, including controller issues under Linux/Proton and performance drops in larger cities.

Portable play is possible, but one detailed comparison recommends Steam Deck or ROG Ally over the Switch versions because of image quality and performance compromises.

The campaign can provide a strong structured introduction, gradually exposing players to trade, culture, and production before sandbox freedom opens up.

Newcomers generally get a friendly entry point through clearer systems and quality-of-life changes, though the Grade Shop appearing immediately can be confusing or overly front-loaded.

The layered mix of city-building, logistics, trade, research, diplomacy, religion, and warfare gives the game substantial mechanical depth without abandoning accessibility.

The underlying gameplay hooked the reviewer quickly, with its systems feeling immediately engaging rather than merely functional.

Combat is generally satisfying and better integrated than in earlier entries, especially at sea, but it remains deliberately lighter and less tactical than a dedicated RTS.

Combat is the clearest strength across the reviews. Linked Artes, character swapping, fast real-time attacks, and build experimentation are repeatedly described as fluid, deep, and fun, though a few reviewers find regular encounters repetitive or simpler than other Tales entries.

Performance is often smooth, including 60-plus FPS on capable PCs and strong console frame pacing, though dense cities and handheld play can introduce stutter.

PS5 and PC are repeatedly praised for smooth, stable frame rates, often at 60 FPS or better. Switch impressions are substantially weaker, with a 30 FPS cap and dips in busier areas.

Research and progression are flexible and rewarding, with Discovery Tree choices and less rigid citizen advancement encouraging different builds across playthroughs.

The Lilium Orb progression system is widely praised for being flexible, rewarding, and constantly engaging. Reviewers like choosing stat, skill, and Arte growth instead of following a rigid path.

The political campaign is more engaging than expected for a city builder, but its pacing and abrupt or unfinished-feeling conclusion are recurring complaints.

The story is generally liked for its emotional themes, political conflict, and character focus, but opinion is not unanimous. Some reviewers find it layered and gripping, while others call parts predictable, underdeveloped, or weaker than the cast.

General animation quality is mixed: some console animation looks smooth, while character presentation can become stiff or awkward in close-up scenes.

Animation quality is mixed. Combat can look fluid and energetic, but stiff cutscenes, older facial movement, and dated character animation repeatedly reveal the game's age.

Facial presentation is a notable blemish, with lip-sync and talking-head animation sometimes looking stiff, dubbed, or poorly timed.

Facial animation still looks stiff and dated in the remaster, limiting how modern the presentation feels.

The game is consistently described as addictive, engrossing, and hard to put down, even by players who also find parts of it frustrating.

The game is widely described as enjoyable, charming, and easy to keep playing, with combat and party chemistry doing most of the work. Even more critical reviews usually still regard the core game as fun.

Loading can be impressively quick on some consoles, while other setups report longer transitions or pauses as cities and regions grow.

Loading is dramatically improved on faster platforms and often described as nearly instant. The base Switch version is the main outlier, where longer loads contribute to a slower overall feel.

The Roman and Celtic art direction is a standout, pairing strong architecture with richly detailed islands and a distinctive historical look.

The colorful anime-inspired art direction has aged well and helps the game retain charm even when individual models, textures, and environments reveal their PS3 origins.

Campaign pacing is a recurring weakness, with slow stretches, abrupt transitions, and a conclusion that can arrive before the story fully lands.

Pacing is a recurring concern, especially through the middle of the game where cutscenes, formulaic progression, or repeated structure can slow momentum. A few reviewers still find the overall story flow strong.

Technical cleanliness varies by platform and version: some players saw almost no issues, while others reported disruptive bugs and even game-breaking problems around launch.

Technical issues vary by platform and reviewer. Most are minor or non-game-breaking, but reported problems include subtitle behavior, audio drops, visual glitches, high-frame-rate bugs, and severe pop-in in older-source impressions.

Sharing cities, resources, research, and workload makes co-op a natural fit for Anno 117’s sprawling management demands.

One reviewer highlights the game's co-op capability as a meaningful way to share battles with other players.

The strongest emotional payoff comes from seeing a struggling settlement become a thriving city and feeling that hard-won sense of order, growth, and mastery.

The cast and story land emotionally for many reviewers, with heartfelt character moments, sacrifice, and relationship arcs giving the adventure lasting warmth despite structural weaknesses.

Bustling citizens, detailed environments, and the ability to observe cities up close make the Roman world feel unusually alive for a strategy game.

Crisp effects and environmental audio help one reviewer feel more immersed in the world and battles.

Lighting, weather, day-night changes, and environmental effects strongly reinforce the contrast between sunny Latium and misty Albion.

Battle effects are praised for looking dramatic and lively, helping combat pop visually.

Ambient city noise, industry, crowds, and environmental effects make settlements feel busy and alive without overwhelming the player.

Sound design is uneven. Effects and music can be crisp and immersive, but English voice compression, muffled clips, and occasional mixing problems are repeated complaints.

Road tools, diagonal layouts, island networks, and attractive province maps make expansion easy to read and satisfying to plan.

New objective, event, and treasure markers are broadly useful, but the map itself can become confusing in multi-level areas where icons overlap or elevation is awkward to read.

Layout and logistics repeatedly turn into satisfying spatial puzzles, as players juggle building effects, production chains, and efficient neighborhood design.

Puzzle and dungeon interactions draw mixed reactions: some reviewers appreciate the occasional environmental tasks, while others criticize the game for lacking substantial traditional puzzles.

The Roman and Celtic regions are convincingly realized through architecture, culture, weather, politics, and everyday activity, giving the setting real identity.

One reviewer strongly praises the way political context and skits make Rieze Maxia feel lived-in rather than merely decorative.

Side quests are serviceable but not a major strength: some add flavor, while others fall back on familiar fetch tasks and are easy to ignore.

Side quests are commonly described as basic, repetitive, or fetch-heavy. A few have worthwhile narrative context, but their structure rarely matches the quality of the main cast and combat.

The interface can be clean and accessible once learned, but opinions split sharply over confusing tabs, dense screens, and console-oriented navigation.

The interface is cleaner and more usable for some reviewers, while others still find portions dated or awkward, particularly settings buried too deeply in menus.

Voice work is frequently praised for giving the campaign personality, although repetition and editing issues occasionally weaken delivery.

Voice performances are mostly well received, especially the ensemble cast, but audio quality creates a persistent caveat. Milla's English delivery and compressed or muffled voice recordings are singled out more than once.

Marcia in particular gives the campaign a more personal hook, with her struggle for authority making the governor role easier to invest in.

Jude and Milla are both regarded as compelling leads, with reviewers especially responding to Milla's unusual perspective and the contrast between the two protagonists.

Menus are often clearer than older Anno entries, but dense submenus, radial navigation, and buried information can still create friction.

One reviewer specifically praises the character menu as organized and easy to return to between fights.

Console controls are workable and sometimes excellent, but radial menus and dense command layouts can feel slower and less precise than mouse and keyboard.

Controls are generally responsive and flexible once learned, especially in combat, but a few reviewers still find the older control and camera conventions clunky.

The orchestral soundtrack is widely praised for supporting long planning sessions and shifting naturally between peaceful building and conflict.

The soundtrack is one of the most dependable audiovisual strengths, with energetic battle themes, melodic town music, and orchestral pieces repeatedly singled out for praise.

Most PC and console impressions are positive, with smooth performance on a range of hardware, though very large cities can still trigger slowdowns.

Performance is strong on PS5 and PC in most reviews, with smooth play and responsive combat. Switch is the clear exception, where lower image quality, frame-rate limits, and sluggishness receive criticism.

Naval battles earn especially strong praise, while land battles are simpler; together they add welcome strategic tension without overtaking city-building.

The party is one of the most consistently praised parts of the game. Reviewers love the colorful personalities, chemistry, distinct combat roles, and character arcs, with very few complaints about the core cast.

Linked companions are usually helpful and automate partner abilities smoothly, but one reviewer reports allies wasting resources or positioning poorly against tougher enemies.

Most experiences are stable, but a few console players encountered outright crashes; stability appears better on many PC configurations.

The sandbox endgame offers long-term empire building and military expansion that can keep a successful save going well beyond the campaign.

Enemy variety receives mixed feedback: some reviewers enjoy the range of encounters and memorable foes, while others feel the regular enemy pool becomes repetitive.

Fast travel is a useful convenience that cuts down on manual backtracking once locations have been discovered.

One reviewer wanted the game's interesting ideas and lore explored more deeply, finding too much of the world-building left at a surface level.

Online matchmaking is a clear limitation: players are restricted to people already on their friends list rather than being able to find public matches.

The added dash and faster traversal noticeably improve movement, making the older world quicker and more pleasant to navigate.

Online reliability is inconsistent: cross-progression can work cleanly, but connection or access problems can also prevent multiplayer from working as intended.

Most reviewers consider this the definitive or easiest modern way to play Xillia thanks to autosave, markers, faster movement, smoother performance, and bundled extras. The central criticism is ambition: several call it barebones, conservative, or essentially an upscaled port, and the absence of Xillia 2 is repeatedly lamented.

Endless and sandbox modes are where the systems fully open up, letting players tailor difficulty, rivals, regions, and long-term building goals.

Supporting characters help round out the campaign and give political decisions more personality than a purely mechanical tutorial would.

Citizens visibly work, travel, socialize, and react around the city, making close-up observation feel rewarding rather than decorative.

The Hall of Fame progression layer drew skepticism when framed as a battle-pass-style system, especially around non-cosmetic unlocks.

Cross-play is a clear strength, letting friends play together across platforms with flexible co-op and competitive options.

Cross-save exists, but cloud-save behavior and one-file limitations caused frustration for at least one multi-device player.

Mod support is a strong addition, helping extend and customize the experience beyond the base game.

Losing Ubisoft server access could temporarily remove baseline gameplay content, making connection reliability a meaningful concern.

Bosses are often a combat highlight and can be memorable, but their quality is uneven; some rely on inflated health, stun-heavy behavior, or disruptive armor mechanics.

Level design is one of the most consistent weak points. Reviewers repeatedly call dungeons and field areas linear, samey, or visually repetitive, even when individual locations or gimmicks work well.

Cooperative and competitive modes add worthwhile variety, and the flexible structure makes shared empire-building especially appealing.

One reviewer specifically enjoyed the open map structure, side quests, and tucked-away areas, finding that they add to the sense of adventure.

City-building is the product’s strongest pillar, combining intuitive placement tools, production puzzles, regional constraints, and satisfying visual growth.

Build customization is a standout strength. The Lilium Orb, Artes, skills, equipment, and party-link choices let players shape characters into distinct roles without making the system inaccessible.