When the How Often Do You Think About the Roman Empire? meme went viral in 2023, it may have felt like a passing joke — until it became clear that people really do think about it all the time. Ubisoft Mainz has capitalized on that obsession with its next historical city builder, Anno 117: Pax Romana, finally giving fans of the franchise something they’ve longed for: a chance to turn obsessing about the Roman Empire into building an empire of your own. Manuel Reihner, creative director for the game, told IGN, “Rome has been a wish from our fans since forever. Not only our fans but also our team […] because it’s such an iconic and ever-present Empire.” Ubisoft Mainz released a gameplay showcase on Tuesday for the city-builder, along with a wave of first impressions from content creators. This extended preview session was held in style within Rome’s Gardens of Sallust (Horti Sallustiani), which were once previously owned by Julius Caesar (Horti Caesaris). Based on what’s been shown so far, Anno 117: Pax Romana is shaping up to be one of the most exciting entries in the long-running series. Anno 1800, set historically in the Industrial Revolution, fared better than the franchise’s more futuristic titles, Anno 2070 and Anno 2205. And Anno 117: Pax Romana looks to carry that historical torch forward (by going backward 1,683 years). The most immediate improvement from previous installments is the capability of building diagonally. The strict 90-degree-angled grids of past Anno games have been upgraded to allow 45-degree construction of buildings and roads. While this change makes the aesthetics of the city-builder game appear far more organic than before, with more believable winding streets and farms that now occupy every nook and cranny they can, it also opens up more dynamic strategies for constructing cities — especially when combined with Anno 117: Pax Romana’s other changes. Namely, another shake-up to the Anno formula is how production building placements affect their localized area. In Anno 117: Pax Romana, every production building has a local zone that provides buffs and debuffs to nearby residents. This makes building placements a more layered, less formulaic puzzle than before. More additions like brand-new tech trees, tiered citizen upgrade paths, expansion through combat or diplomacy, and a malleable faith system provide new challenges and a better sense of long-term progression. With a highly sought-after setting and a host of welcome changes already showcased, Anno 117: Pax Romana will hopefully scratch that ceaseless itch for those who can’t stop thinking about the Roman Empire. Anno 117: Pax Romana will give players a stab at being a Roman governor later this year, when the game is released on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. In the meantime…