In Which I have some thoughts on Anno 2070

Good morning everyone, this post is gonna be one of those ranty ones... I don't know if you'll like what I have to say, but I wanted to say it anyway, as Margaret Thatcher portrays and says "If your goal is to be liked by others, you'll always compromise and will achieve nothing", she doesn't say it like that, but the message is clear, I want to be free, and there is a price to be paid to be who I am, as Marie Antoinette discovered, as Alexandra of Russia discovered, as many have. Well, let's jump into my controversial take on Anno 2070.

The city presented in the image is with the aesthetic of the green faction, read this piece further and return here to see my points.

Anno 2070 is one of the two Annos (so far, who knows what is next for the Anno franchise) set in the future, the other one being 2205, and those two compete for the title of most forgettable edition on the series. It is based on the more charming and successful Anno 1404, but it has some twists, some even annoying ones. The energy stuff added is fine, the eco-balance is a nice annoyance, and a major role on the whole narrative of the game, but the new feature of settling down underwater is, for me, insufferable. The aestethic of the game is a downgrade from the Gothic-Arabic Renaissance explendor of 1404, set in the future, it is bleak and boring, specially for those, such as I, that don't like the whole sci-fi thing, and it's not even that sci-fi, in comparison to 2205, and others. The narration of the other Annos I'm familiarized with (1800, 1404, 2205) have its flaws, they can be preachy in many moments, subtle as an elephant (though 2205 is so bland it doesn't even have it much), but things reach a whole new level in the eco-boring stuff in 2070. The look of the Tycoon buildings are unimaginative and designed for you to look more for the pastel tones of the Eden Initiative, the green faction. The whole narration of the game can be resumed in "green is ideal, sustainability is the future (even if the Eden Initiative died out pretty fast after 2070 and is not to be seen much in 2205), and even if the (poorly designed) tycoons are more efficient, we are the moral standard". It is too much for me, and I dont think I'm the only one.  This whole framing is wrong, even if it tends to be the mainstream nowadays. See, this is what the game do, it puts people who are pro-human life, pro-convenience, pro-technological progress, that don't just put aside fossil fuels (that are unprecedented for the development of any advanced civilization) in the defensive, and if we are not careful or very well read on energy/climate stuff, we buy into the "eco is good, we are bad" and make us add a "but we are efficient". Put us as cowards and lazy, which we are not. Names of people such as Bjorn Lomborg and Alex Epstein, that are on the position that I share on the themes that this game touches, are ignored, and the more radical green approach is painted as "reasonable" and put like "consensus of the balanced folk". It is infuriating, for me, any other issues that the game possesses are overshadowed by this main dangerous anti-human approach of 2070. And, take this off the game, there is really not much to see at all, it is not a good representation of the 21st century, and the other city building games in Anno are better. In short, 2070 deserves to be forgotten and cast aside, as much as 2205 is terrible, as much as the other Annos are always left-leaning in different ways, Anno 2070 has this toxic miasma around it. I can revisit it sometimes, but honestly, I can't look past this.

I could add some more stuff on Anno 2070 and its issues, mostly the underwater stuff, the confusing factions, the lack of color and charm in the aesthetics of it. But well, I don't even think the game is worth the trouble, and I shouldn't aknowledge, shouldn't give space for the stuff I don't like or appreciate, not on this blog, where I share my thoughts and want to cultivate what I like. Don't have to give it publicity. Well, anyway, thank you, dear reader, for being here, wish you the best this new week, and I hope your days be nice, and I hope to see you again real soon in the next days! Love and appreciate you, my friend.