Environmental problems on the planet have reached such a level that they are being discussed not only by scientists and green activists, but even by people from the entertainment world — Hollywood directors and the gamedev industry. And they do it not head-on and not naively, but creatively and powerfully. James Cameron, for example, for the sake of one simple but important idea — “People, come to your senses, take care of nature!” — literally turned the film industry upside down, launching a 3D revolution. And the German studio Related Designs dedicated a new part of its strategy series Anno to the environmental theme. They didn’t just change the setting — they moved the action from the cozy Middle Ages straight to the end of the 21st century, suggesting a gloomy but realistic scenario: if we don’t come to our senses, the Earth will be in a very bad way.

You will still have to colonize islands, lay out trade routes, establish production, provide people with food, goods, and entertainment. Only now, against the backdrop of this economic comfort, one new headache arises – ecology. The more actively you pump out resources and build up the land, the worse the ecological balance becomes. And literally everything depends on it: if the air is dirty and the water is muddy – the population will begin to suffer, the cities will wither, and your achievements will collapse like a house of cards. The game does not just say: “take care of nature” – it shows it. Built a coal power plant? Get smoking pipes and embittered citizens in respirators. Decided to install a wind turbine? Well done, the air will remain clean, but there is a cat to cry on the energy. This is the dilemma of the future: the balance between development and survival.

You can control different factions, and each offers its own path. The tycoons from the Global Trust corporation follow the path of brute force – they develop faster, but burn coal and nuclear energy, without thinking about the consequences. The environmentalists from the Eden Initiative act more cautiously: wind turbines, hydroelectric power plants, careful attitude to nature. Their progress is slower, but the ecosystem does not die before your eyes. Visually, this is also noticeable: the islands that have turned into industrial deserts look like the scenery for a dystopia, and the green settlements of Eden delight the eye with lakes and parks.

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Of course, most players will prefer the “green” faction – the ecologists. But the Global Trust corporation is usually played either out of interest in hardcore or out of sheer stubbornness. Therefore, when the game gives a choice – in story missions or free mode – almost everyone instinctively gravitates towards the “Eden” faction. The developers, of course, have foreseen this and did not let you relax: in some missions you are simply left with no choice – you have to play for the tycoons. And sometimes you even need to combine both factions, filling the islands with buildings and population from different sides of the barricades.

And you should not idealize “Eden”. They, too, although more slowly, pollute the environment, pump oil, build mines, launch factories. And disasters such as fires, oil spills or hurricanes happen to everyone – without exception. Moreover, if you try, even tycoons can contribute to the preservation of nature, for example, by building waste incineration plants. In the end, everything is not so clear-cut: the essence of the game is to find a balance between industrial power and concern for the environment.

Diplomacy also plays an important role here. The more influence points you have, the more options you have in negotiations. Someone can issue a loan, someone can open access to their docks for fleet repairs, and someone will agree to a dubious deal and sell you contraband if you approach it correctly. Additional intrigue is provided by the third faction – scientists. They promote high technologies and actively develop the seabed, collecting resources on the shelves and reefs. You can play for them only in the campaign, but in other modes you first need to befriend them – only then will you have access to their laboratories and employees. But in both modes you can dive deep into the ocean in search of lost technologies or rare oil fields.

Technology is the second pillar of the game, along with ecobalance. They can literally change the landscape: open new deposits, adapt the island to non-standard crops, increase the efficiency of buildings or improve ships. Some upgrades can even be carried over between missions, on board the Ark. This refreshes the gameplay and makes every development, albeit slow, feel important.

You can trade with each of them, negotiate, and complete tasks in exchange for rare licenses to buy technologies. However, sometimes completing missions can worsen relations with other factions, so you have to maneuver. There are also those who are hostile from the very beginning. It is better not to bring things to an open war (battles, although with submarines, are still conditional), but to negotiate, saving money and diplomacy points.

And for those who still complain about boredom, a multiplayer has been added to the game. As in Might & Magic: Heroes 6, a social component has appeared here. You can not only team up with friends and go on joint missions, but also participate in voting in the local senate. Players choose which of the faction leaders will take the chairman’s seat, and the available bonuses depend on this. For example, if a scientist is at the helm, you can take out a profitable loan for only 50 licenses. The game also hosts global events: from searches for missing employees to emergency crises. You can participate in them right during the regular gameplay — MMO elements are neatly and unobtrusively integrated here.

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