A whole new world!
Anno 1602 is a fine piece of real time strategy that sends players into a well realized and detailed version of the past and charges them with exploring the world, setting up colonies, trading and engaging in diplomacy with your rivals. The game mostly avoids combat, making it one for more considered armchair strategists, and makes for a nice addition to any strategy collection, alongside the Caesar and Pharaoh games. This one here is an add-on pack for the base game, so you will need that in order to run this, and if you are looking for a way to expand the original, then this is a great way to do it. The essential gameplay remains the same as ever, but with the addition of forty scenarios across six campaigns, each with their own self-contained stories, you've got a lot of new content to sink your teeth into. The new missions are pretty challenging, making them excellent for series veterans and include some nice new elements such as buildings and hazards which mix the formula up a bit. The visuals remain as good as ever, with the familiar isometric viewpoint used to good effect, and with some nicely detailed and atmospheric environments which really bring the period to life. The interface is also slick and intuitive, so old hands will be able to slip right into things without too much bother. The new additions are varied and generally interesting, adding much to the game's appeal, while the amount of content is sufficient to keep you going for some time. All in all, this is a good example of how to do an expansion pack.
