Exploring Anno 2205’s Polarizing Design
Blue Byte’s approach to an “idle game” is a novel experiment with notable pros and cons
The Anno series has been around now for over 20 years. The series’ shift from its old-world roots to a focus on the distant future (with Anno 2070 and 2205) became something of a catalyst for fan polarization. I’ve been stuck inside over the last few months like everyone else, and so, I thought this would provide a good opportunity to go back and explore Anno 2205. I’ve played every single Anno game from Dawn of Discovery to 1800, so I am very much approaching this title from the perspective of a player that has a long history with the franchise.
Anno 2205 takes place in the distant future, at the point where humanity has survived a world-ending disaster. You are the CEO of a corporation that has been brought into assist with rebuilding the world by creating limitless free energy for the masses. No big deal, right? This might sound stressful — perhaps impossible — but thankfully, Anno 2205 streamlines much of the difficulty present in the previous games (and some of the depth along with it, which I’ll discuss shortly). Streamlining…
