This summer has prepared a pleasant surprise for all fans of Ubisoft classics – a collection of the first four parts of the cult Anno series, released between 1998 and 2009, has gone on sale. A logical question arises: is it worth returning to these time-tested strategies during the summer gaming lull? Let’s find out in our review.

Anno History Collection Free Steam Account

The success of Anno 1800 inspired Ubisoft to travel back in time: the company decided to refresh its memory of the classics and present updated versions of the oldest games in the series in one collection. This is how Anno History Collection was born. The Anno series is rightfully considered a bright representative of the so-called German school of economic strategies – those where you need to not just build cities, but build complex logistics chains from dozens of resources. Everything here is tied to planning, production balance and fine-tuning of trade.

The spirit of discovery is at the heart of the gameplay. Settlers set off to explore new lands, usually represented by archipelagos with many islands. Each of them is a separate piece of the economic mosaic, which must be connected with others through trade routes in order to establish the prosperity of the colony. The maritime atmosphere is a separate hero of these games. The horns of ships, the cries of seagulls, the sound of the surf – all this creates a cozy, almost meditative environment, where even tense moments are perceived with warmth.

The reason for the collection’s appearance is quite clear: the first parts of Anno were popular mainly in Germany and the surrounding area, and the global success came only with Anno 2070, after which the series began to be noticed at international exhibitions like E3. Ubisoft, not wanting to remain on the sidelines of the remaster wave, decided to bring the classics back into action. The games in the collection received a modern interface, technical updates and now work perfectly on new computers – everything so that both old fans and newcomers can enjoy this strategic pearl without unnecessary hassle.

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Anno 1602: The Beginning of History

The first game of the famous Anno series was released back in 1998 and immediately captivated players with its cozy atmosphere and unexpectedly deep gameplay. Even then, it contained key elements that would become the hallmark of the entire franchise for many years to come.

According to the plot, we play as a representative of a powerful state, who is tasked with developing new lands. At the beginning of the journey, we are asked to choose a banner and a surname, after which the adventure begins: you need to settle on the first island and build a life from scratch.

If you have not played Anno 1602 before, then be prepared – the interface may seem extremely inconvenient and archaic. Yes, it has been updated a little externally, but the logic has remained the same since the late nineties. Here is what a beginner most often encounters:

• Unintuitive button layout
• No modern hints or tutorials
• Confusing building and economy management
• Almost no convenient hotkeys
• No easy way to exit to the main menu (yes, Alt+F4 is your ticket)

To be honest, I felt frustrated already when trying to get to the main menu — and this is not the first day I’ve been playing. I couldn’t find the button, so I had to use the magic of the ancients: Alt+F4 saved the situation. And so it is in almost everything. Any, even the simplest action requires a bunch of clicks, guesses and patience. This is a real greeting from the past — for those who like to pick through gameplay mechanics for the sake of historical interest.

Visually, Anno 1602 is still charming: tube 2D graphics, a pleasant color palette… But compared to later games in the series, everything looks static and, alas, lifeless. Forests and seas are empty, cities do not breathe, and the surrounding world seems to have frozen. To sum it up — this is certainly an important milestone in the history of strategy and one of the foundations of the genre. But playing it today is not a challenge for everyone. If you’re drawn to retro, perhaps you’d be better off checking out Anno 1503 – it looks more lively and is much easier to perceive.

Anno 1503: Bigger, Richer, Cozier

The sequel to Anno 1602 was released a little later than planned — by the time strategies began to move en masse to 3D. But this did not prevent the game from saving face — and even more: looking quite confident against the background of “fashionable” three-dimensional competitors.

At that time, late 2D graphics could easily compete with early 3D projects — where the world often seemed dead and empty. But in Anno 1503, life was literally in full swing: the islands were filled with animals, birds, new flora — as if the game had breathed something real into the world. Wolves, deer, bears, birds rustling in the bushes — it would seem like details. But it is precisely such trifles that add magic to an economic strategy. Anno 1503 has become even more cozy, atmospheric — this is exactly why players will fall in love with the series in the future. The musical accompaniment also did not disappoint – the soundtrack became richer and more voluminous, and perfectly supported the mood of the game.

As for the gameplay, it became noticeably deeper and more interesting. Moving away from the idea of ​​”taxes are the only source of income” turned out to be a good decision. Now you can build an economy by trading with NPCs, selling them your goods – this added flexibility and opened up new development strategies. The interface remained recognizable – fans of Anno 1602 will find it native. But at the same time, some things still became simpler and more logical. Even the exit button to the menu, I remember, this time I found it right away – and not after 10 minutes of chaotic clicking

Of course, if you came from more modern parts of the series, some mechanics will seem strange. For example, in Anno 1503, a settlement can be founded not only on the coast, but also somewhere in the depths of the island – with the help of a land settler. Unexpected, right? A special gift for fans is a working multiplayer. Yes, after years it was finally brought to mind and integrated into Uplay. Let me remind you that in the original version the promised online never appeared on time.

Overall, Anno 1503 turned out to be friendlier and richer than the original. Although it is not the easiest for beginners, especially at first, it is easy to get lost in time with it. Once you get the hang of it, you risk getting stuck for hours.

Anno 1701: Birth of a New Era in 3D

With the release of Anno 1701, the series finally took an important step forward – a full transition to 3D graphics. But this step had to be paid for: the development was transferred to another studio, since the original creators simply could not cope with the technological leap. The publisher decided not to take risks and entrusted the project to a new team. Interestingly, many of those who worked on Anno 1701 back then are still on the team – they, for example, had a hand in creating Anno 1800. And some of the mechanics that first appeared here still form the basis of the gameplay of modern games in the series.

This is felt in literally everything – from the profile creation screen to the interface and the familiar way of building. Those who played later parts will immediately feel a familiar atmosphere and, perhaps, even a little nostalgia. From a visual point of view, the game still looks decent today. Yes, when zoomed in too much, the models may look angular, but overall the picture is still pleasing to the eye. The re-release in the History Collection mainly improves support for high resolutions and makes the interface more convenient on modern screens.

With the arrival of the new team, the gameplay has been seriously updated. Some of the key changes:

• a reworked construction system with more flexible placement of buildings;
• new logic for population needs, requiring more thoughtful planning;
• the appearance of sea quests for ships – an idea that became a classic in subsequent games.

As for the version from the History Collection, it makes almost no changes to the game itself, but it does add some nice improvements. For example, you can now build houses by simply stretching the mouse – a small thing, but nice. Of course, like in other re-releases of the series, multiplayer works again here – now it is integrated into Uplay. The package also includes The Sunken Dragon add-on with a separate story campaign.

All in all, Anno 1701 is a solid, confident step forward, laying the foundation for the future successes of the series. Yes, some things may seem outdated, angular or naive, but the game still gives pleasure and is worth returning to.

Anno 1404: A Classic That Never Gets Old

It’s funny, but the “youngest” game from the Anno: History Collection probably has the least to say. Anno 1404 was the last part of the series before the developers changed course from history to futurism. And even after all these years, it remains a real gem. More than ten years have passed since the release, but the game still feels surprisingly fresh. The user-friendly interface, well-thought-out construction system and, of course, the visual style – all this still looks great and is enjoyable.

For this reason, Anno 1404 has received almost no serious changes within the History Collection. The main improvements are support for modern resolutions and reworked code that can work with a large amount of RAM. Otherwise, it is the same classic for which we fell in love with it. The main novelty of the gameplay at the time was the appearance of the Eastern civilization and new desert biomes. The player was given the opportunity to manage both western and eastern settlements, establishing trade between them – and this added depth to the strategy.

In addition, the developers seriously expanded the mechanics, adding:

• improved diplomacy, giving more options for interaction with AI and allies,
• sea quests with interesting tasks,
• a full-fledged trading system,
• dynamic battles between ships.

All these elements found their final form in Anno 1404. The updated multiplayer works via Uplay and is fully integrated into the service. And the Venice add-on is included in the package, so everything that was previously sold separately is now “in one bottle”.

Anno 1404 is a great choice for those who have already played enough Anno 1800, but want something no less exciting. By the way, this is the only game in the collection with an official Russian localization – a small thing, but nice.

This part of the series still knows how to charm: magnificent landscapes, a peaceful atmosphere, subtle musical work – all this makes the game special. And age is not a hindrance at all.

Is Anno History Collection Worth Playing in 2025?

Anno History Collection is a real gift for fans of the series and connoisseurs of atmospheric economic strategies. The developers approached the reissue with love and attention to detail: everything works stably, and you can play these classic projects for many years to come – at least a decade.

But how interesting will the collection be for those who are encountering Anno for the first time? Here, things are not so clear. The earliest parts look outdated and can scare off newcomers. On the other hand, the more recent games from the set still look decent and are played with pleasure. In any case, whether the purchase is worth your money – everyone decides for themselves.

What I liked:

• great compatibility with modern computers
• many minor bugs fixed
• full Uplay support
• you can buy games separately

What I might not like:

• the interface of the first parts seems heavy
• system requirements have increased a little
• the graphics have not been improved – they have remained the same
• Russian localization is only available in Anno 1404

Anno History Collection System Requirements

How to play Anno History Collection for free on Steam via VpeSports

Have you ever dreamed of building your own empire, where every brick on the pavement and every nail in the warehouse is the result of your decisions? In Anno History Collection, you get exactly this opportunity: develop cities, lay trade routes, explore new lands and lead civilization through the ages. And the best part is that you can start all this absolutely free.

We know how difficult it is to decide to buy a new game, especially if you just want to try it, feel the atmosphere, understand whether it is for you. That is why on the VpeSports website you can get access to Anno without any investment. Just log in, create an account, go to the section with free steam account – and that’s it, you are already on your way to creating your first settlement.

On the game page, you will be greeted by detailed instructions – no complications, everything is intuitive and clear. Click the download button, follow the steps, and now you are already setting up production chains, balancing taxes and watching your first town hall appear on an empty island. A real treat for those who love well-thought-out strategies where every action matters.

If you have any thoughts or impressions after a couple of hours of play, be sure to share them. You can leave a comment on the review page, and this is really important: your experience can help someone else decide whether they should enter this world. Don’t worry if the review doesn’t appear right away – sometimes a slight edit is needed according to our recommendations, and after moderation you will receive an email with login details.

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