14 DAY TRIAL // Anno 1800 entered the Season 2 of content earlier this year and is finishing 2020 with style. Land of Lions is the biggest DLC of the game and, unlike any of the previous DLCs, it features a deep storyline with a new main questline and three other major story islands.
But it's not just the rich story that makes Land of Lions a must-play title for owners of Anno 1800. A new session inspired by Eastern African culture is included as well, so once your expedition reaches rank three, you can head to Enbesa.
Enbesa is a large water world peppered with a few small islands and a much bigger one in the middle. Learning about your achievements in the other worlds, Emperor Ketema summons you to help turn the Southern continent into a power to be reckoned with.
Make no mistake, you're not going to witness the birth of a new civilization in Land of Lions. Instead, you'll shape up the future of the people living on the continent. Thanks to a deep narrative, the new DLC is a bit unusual compared with the previous ones, and even with the original game.
You're not just going to build your city and help turn Enbesa into a jewel, but you're going to actively participate in the politics that could make or break a nation. It might sound a bit dramatic, but you're going to have to make some choices throughout the campaign, which will have consequences.
Emperor Ketema will make requests that you have to fulfill to advance the story. These requests aren't limited to just building stuff or making sure that your people have access to certain goods. You'll have to unite the different factions living on the continent, preferably peacefully.
To make your life easier in Enbesa, developers added several new gameplay mechanics. First off, we have two new residential tiers: Shepherds, who are focused on the agricultural production of new goods, and Elders, who do all the complex crafting tasks in Enbesa. To help you turn the barren landscapes into a fertile savannah, you'll be able to build irrigation canals. It's the only way to grow fields on Enbesa's dry and infertile land.
One of the most important parts of Land of Lions is the new Research Institute building that will allow you to research and craft almost every item in the game. Once you erect this impressive new building, you'll be able to turn research points into so-called Major Discoveries, a helpful way to do various tasks across your city that would otherwise be impossible to achieve (i.e. relocating buildings).
Conclusion
I absolutely loved the cozy atmosphere sprinkled with brief moments of tensions, as well as the new setting. I'll have to point out that I'm not a fan of puzzles in city-builders, but some may find the addition of such gameplay elements refreshing. Anno 1800: Land of Lions DLC launches on October 22, and I can't recommend it enough for those who don't own Season Pass 2 yet.
