Anno 1404: Dawn of Discovery Review - bit-tech.net Forums

Tim S · 12th Jun 2009, 09:22

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/pc/20...overy-review/1

Colourful, pleasant and surprisingly good-looking - are we talking about ourselves or Ubisoft's Anno 1404? There's only one way to find out, so read our full review and see if we think if Anno 1404 is worth picking up or whether it's a case of Error 1404: Enjoyment not found for this game.

Abhorsen · 12th Jun 2009, 09:38

I've always personally prefered the single player side of Strategy Games, All the Civ's i enjoyed, I never really took to playing any of the C&C's or AoE online, just stayed offline. So i think this may be worth a little dabble.

Greenie · 12th Jun 2009, 09:47

I might pick this up, looks like a similar sort of thing to Pharaoh, which is one of my all time favourite games.

bridgesentry · 12th Jun 2009, 11:05

Too bad, it doesnt have:
-War
-bandits
-criminals
-weather disaster
A strategy game w/o "bloody" motivation = a sim game

CardJoe · 12th Jun 2009, 11:22

It does have those elements, with bandits roaming the seas as corsairs, and tornados and such striking suddenly - but they are massively played down from what we saw and you spend a lot more time worrying about the chance that your citizens are going to riot than that a corsair will nab your latest shipment of linen.

Trefarm · 12th Jun 2009, 11:26

"We said at the beginning of all this that it’s hard to get really excited about a strategy game that doesn’t have big robots and ‘splosions."

I think I'm being a tad moody here... but isn't that betraying a massive personal bias in your review?
I'm probably reading too much into a closing paragraph, still it seems as if your running the game down for the very reasons it exist. I just think some credit should be given for a game that defiantly swims against the mainstream, especially when more 'modern' strategy games become increasingly simplistic and similar.

haddow64 · 12th Jun 2009, 11:39

I may pick it up, have still got the original (anno 1602) lying around somewhere, quite liked that.

CardJoe · 12th Jun 2009, 12:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trefarm

"We said at the beginning of all this that it’s hard to get really excited about a strategy game that doesn’t have big robots and ‘splosions."

I think I'm being a tad moody here... but isn't that betraying a massive personal bias in your review?
I'm probably reading too much into a closing paragraph, still it seems as if your running the game down for the very reasons it exist. I just think some credit should be given for a game that defiantly swims against the mainstream, especially when more 'modern' strategy games become increasingly simplistic and similar.

I think you're reading too much into that, as we definitely do like games without all that stuff - like The Sims, for instance, or Civ or Sim City or Sim Ant even. That line speaks to the majority of people who probably do hold that view and also reinforces the fact that these elements are not present in this game. The game wasn't marked down for this reason, though it was something that the Average Gamer would want to know about.

Yemerich · 12th Jun 2009, 13:00

yet another unimpressive game this year... Looks like we will have a bad gamming year (aside mwen of war)...

paisa666 · 12th Jun 2009, 17:07

I think video game developers shud make some intensive research when picking a title for their game -_-

Im from Colombia, this game is called anno 1404, and anno translates to anus in spanish.

Quite embarrasing when i get to the store asking the guy if they have "anus 1404"

:P

thehippoz · 12th Jun 2009, 17:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by paisa666

I think video game developers shud make some intensive research when picking a title for their game -_-

Im from Colombia, this game is called anno 1404, and anno translates to anus in spanish.

Quite embarrasing when i get to the store asking the guy if they have "anus 1404"

:P

lmao

the dawn of discovery.. oh man has to be a joke

Adnoctum · 12th Jun 2009, 19:08

As a long time fan of The Settlers series (since I played it on the Amiga 500), this all sounds very familiar.

It is a truism that there is nothing new under the sun.

perplekks45 · 13th Jun 2009, 01:19

Noooo... no more anal jokes please!

I used to love the first one [Anno 1602] and it might actually be a German thing. We love our slow simulation games like this one or Settlers [the old ones before it turned into a generic 3D game].

SMIFFYDUDE · 13th Jun 2009, 03:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by perplekks45

Noooo... no more anal jokes please!

I used to love the first one [Anno 1602] and it might actually be a German thing. We love our slow simulation games like this one or Settlers [the old ones before it turned into a generic 3D game].

I like these type of games too. I can only play FPS so long before my brain begins to decay.

Settlers games did go downhill after game 4.

perplekks45 · 13th Jun 2009, 03:35

Really? It was 2 for me.

Hovis · 13th Jun 2009, 03:46

I think it's sort of odd that the sequel lacks multiplayer when 1602 had it. Bit of a shame to miss it out.

Trefarm · 13th Jun 2009, 13:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardJoe

I think you're reading too much into that,

A day later I have to agree.. Sorry about that.

QuietlyConfident · 15th Jun 2009, 14:38

Good review. What is the music like in the game? I've found that the soundtrack to the entire Anno series has been absolutely superb, and really helps to set the atmosphere. Anno 1701 had a full orchestra composing the music; all of which evoked a brilliant sense of the early modern New World.

Bauul · 16th Jun 2009, 17:03

I've heard stories of this Professor Bongaminge Qub, did you know he apparently tunnelled under Everest?

impar · 26th Jun 2009, 09:30

Greetings!

Additional info:
The game has three activations (courtesy of Tages DRM).
All versions, including the Steam one, include Tages DRM with a three install activation limit.

12th Jun 2009, 09:22	#1
Tim S Pewlius Caesar bit-tech Staff Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ascot, Berks Posts: 18,021	Anno 1404: Dawn of Discovery Review http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/pc/20...overy-review/1 Colourful, pleasant and surprisingly good-looking - are we talking about ourselves or Ubisoft's Anno 1404? There's only one way to find out, so read our full review and see if we think if Anno 1404 is worth picking up or whether it's a case of Error 1404: Enjoyment not found for this game. __________________ Tim on Twitter \| Tim's Blog \| Tim's Flickr The bit-tech Blog \| bit-tech on Twitter \| Join the bit-tech & Custom PC folding team (#35947)

12th Jun 2009, 09:38	#2
Abhorsen Supermodder Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sheffield Posts: 254	I've always personally prefered the single player side of Strategy Games, All the Civ's i enjoyed, I never really took to playing any of the C&C's or AoE online, just stayed offline. So i think this may be worth a little dabble. __________________ Gigabyte GA-965P-S3 \| Hiper Type R 550w \| Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 \| 4GB Corsair Dominator 800Mhz \| XFX Geforce 8800GTX \| Creative Fatal1ty SoundBlaster Xtreme Gamer

12th Jun 2009, 11:22	#5
CardJoe Player Character bit-tech Staff Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 8,009	It does have those elements, with bandits roaming the seas as corsairs, and tornados and such striking suddenly - but they are massively played down from what we saw and you spend a lot more time worrying about the chance that your citizens are going to riot than that a corsair will nab your latest shipment of linen. __________________ this is joe's non-bit-tech blog

12th Jun 2009, 11:26	#6
Trefarm No matter what... It's all good Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South of the River Posts: 122	"We said at the beginning of all this that it’s hard to get really excited about a strategy game that doesn’t have big robots and ‘splosions." I think I'm being a tad moody here... but isn't that betraying a massive personal bias in your review? I'm probably reading too much into a closing paragraph, still it seems as if your running the game down for the very reasons it exist. I just think some credit should be given for a game that defiantly swims against the mainstream, especially when more 'modern' strategy games become increasingly simplistic and similar. __________________ "Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information" ... but they'll still try to shout you down...

12th Jun 2009, 13:00	#9
Yemerich What's a rebimboca da parafuseta? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sao Paulo - Brazil Posts: 714	yet another unimpressive game this year... Looks like we will have a bad gamming year (aside mwen of war)... __________________ Bit Tech is more than games and hardware - check out the mods too. Don't let modding die in Bit-Tech.net.

12th Jun 2009, 09:47	#3
Greenie Minimodder Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Sussex, England Posts: 30	I might pick this up, looks like a similar sort of thing to Pharaoh, which is one of my all time favourite games.

12th Jun 2009, 11:05	#4
bridgesentry 3verything must bee wat3rcooled Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 59	Too bad, it doesnt have: -War -bandits -criminals -weather disaster A strategy game w/o "bloody" motivation = a sim game

12th Jun 2009, 11:39	#7
haddow64 Multimodder Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 93	I may pick it up, have still got the original (anno 1602) lying around somewhere, quite liked that.

12th Jun 2009, 17:07	#10
paisa666 pewlio-cesar.elbruto.es Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 19	I think video game developers shud make some intensive research when picking a title for their game -_- Im from Colombia, this game is called anno 1404, and anno translates to anus in spanish. Quite embarrasing when i get to the store asking the guy if they have "anus 1404" :P

12th Jun 2009, 19:08	#12
Adnoctum Smeghead Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 90	As a long time fan of The Settlers series (since I played it on the Amiga 500), this all sounds very familiar. It is a truism that there is nothing new under the sun.

13th Jun 2009, 01:19	#13
perplekks45 BSc... finally Join Date: May 2004 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 3,352	Noooo... no more anal jokes please! I used to love the first one [Anno 1602] and it might actually be a German thing. We love our slow simulation games like this one or Settlers [the old ones before it turned into a generic 3D game]. __________________ "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far." Blame it on Cheaps! [now a social group]

13th Jun 2009, 03:35	#15
perplekks45 BSc... finally Join Date: May 2004 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 3,352	Really? It was 2 for me. __________________ "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far." Blame it on Cheaps! [now a social group]

13th Jun 2009, 03:46	#16
Hovis Multimodder Join Date: May 2006 Location: London Posts: 120	I think it's sort of odd that the sequel lacks multiplayer when 1602 had it. Bit of a shame to miss it out.

15th Jun 2009, 14:38	#18
QuietlyConfident What's a Dremel? Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1	Good review. What is the music like in the game? I've found that the soundtrack to the entire Anno series has been absolutely superb, and really helps to set the atmosphere. Anno 1701 had a full orchestra composing the music; all of which evoked a brilliant sense of the early modern New World.

16th Jun 2009, 17:03	#19
Bauul Sir Bongaminge Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Godalming, near Guildford Posts: 1,553	I've heard stories of this Professor Bongaminge Qub, did you know he apparently tunnelled under Everest? __________________ Pentium 4 CPU 3.4 Ghz \| 1Gb + 2x512Mb Corsair DDR2 667 Mhz Sapphire Radeon HD 4770 512Mb\| WD Raptor 36Gb, Seagate 300Gb \| Asus P5LD2 SE Ibanez RG 470 Japanese Edition \| 1991 Japanese Lo-TRS Tremolo \| V7 S1 Custom V8 HSH Pickups

26th Jun 2009, 09:30	#20
impar 2n-1 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Portugal Posts: 843	Greetings! Additional info: The game has three activations (courtesy of Tages DRM). All versions, including the Steam one, include Tages DRM with a three install activation limit. __________________ The recruitment of Militia is illegal. Militia-recruiters will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the applicable laws. Last edited by impar; 26th Jun 2009 at 09:37.