The story behind Ubisoft's latest release is well developed and can provide the extra motivation needed in the early stages, just to see how it unfolds. Particularly impressive is the way Anno 1404 succeeds in generating the impression that most of the events recreated in the narrative are real, or at least inspired by real life affairs. In fact everything is pure fiction, but thanks to a solid plot and well delivered cut scenes, players will easily be immersed into the atmosphere of the early 15^th century.

Basically you are a regular landlord who's got a small island into commission, trying to make life as good as it gets for your citizens, as well as generating high revenue. You'll be under the ever watchful eye of Lord Richard Northbrough, cousin of the ill Emperor, who's going to provide you with both the counseling and tools to get started. Some trivial quests are available in the beginning, with more demanding tasks presented to you as your small village grows into a city. Lord Richard is kind enough o assist you each step of the way, but despite his good intentions, his brief instructions are not explicit enough to compensate for the lack of an appropriate tutorial.

As quests start to pile up and more challenging errands are ahead of you, things get even more explosive when Guy Forcas steps in. Sent in by cardinal Lucius     to raise up an army for the upcoming crusade, this annoying character will add extra pressure on your schedule, demanding assistance in gathering resources and troops. You'll quickly find yourself mixed up in the high stakes game of diplomacy intrigue, travelling to the Orient and back home to rescue the Emperor and shatter Lucius's dreams of absolute power. It may not look like the best storyline for a strategy game, but the narrative is well written and compelling enough to keep players wired.

The backbone of Anno 1404 is the perpetual struggle to build a flourishing city starting from scrap, dealing with an increasingly high number of challenges dictated by progress itself. Careful planning prevents a late game collapse, but for beginners it's almost impossible to get a clear image about how the city should look like in the latter stages. Frankly it takes double digit hours just to get a better glimpse of the big picture, which is not necessarily a bad thing, since Anno 1404 has huge replayability.