Gaming

Anno 117: Pax Romana had me questioning my strategic skills

In the best way possible

Published

August 24, 2025

Citybuilder aficionados will have something new to chew into with Anno 117: Pax Romana. The game is set to release on November 13, 2025. It’ll be available on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, Amazon Luna, and Windows PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Connect.

Ubisoft was kind enough to give us the opportunity to play the game for one hour and it’s one that most definitely deserves your attention. That’s especially true if you have any interest at all in the Roman Empire.

What is Anno 117?

Anno 117: Pax Romana, as mentioned earlier, is a citybuilder, real-time strategy game. Some shades of the Civilization franchise for those most familiar with the series. Here, you manage the economy of a budding city as the Roman Empire enlarges its territory.

You play as a newly appointed governor, sent by the Emperor to build and lead several provinces across the Empire. You’re tasked to build cities from the ground up: from the beautiful heartlands of Latium to the mysterious Celtic wetlands of Albion, where no civilized Roman wants to be.

Real-time strategy builder

So, confession: It’s been ages since I played anything remotely like Anno 117. That said, the concept of building a city from the ground-up to expand an empire did tickle my fancy.

The demo starts with you choosing which faction to build from. The first one is a people that would be more accepting of the Roman ways. The other – The Albion – would be more resistant and challenging.

The Albion is an experience that’s first showcased at gamescom 2025 so I figured I’d go with that. In hindsight, perhaps I should have chosen the easier path first, especially for someone who hasn’t played this type of game in a while.

The game does hold your hand a little bit to start. There are plenty of bits and pieces of tutorials to guide you through. The game tells you which buildings to build first, shows you what resources you need, and constantly prompts you to decide whether to increase your population.

Despite that, it never felt like I was being told exactly how to play. The decision on where to place your residents, resource structures, storage facilities, and more still fall on your lap.

Managing multiple things at once

As the governor, you’re tasked with what seems to be an impossible balancing act. You have to make sure that you’re growing the population and meeting their needs at the same time. These needs start off as just food. But as the city grows, so do their needs.

Other than this, you have to make sure the city is running smoothly. To do that, you need to be efficient in managing where the funds go, and ensuring all manufacturing structures function efficiently.

It can be a tall order, but it’s a level of challenge that pushes you to want to do well instead of quitting outright.

Mercury is one of the Roman deities your city can choose to worship.

I didn’t get to this part but in the briefing before the start of the demo, we were also told that part of the things the community of your city will need is some sort of religious system. Who they deem as their deity also determines the abilities and attributes of your citizens.

A game for aspiring public servants?

I ended the playthrough nearly burning through all my resources and being unable to fix the issue on a few of my manufacturing facilities. It really had me questioning my strategic abilities. But I’m gonna chalk this one up to having zero experience with the Anno franchise.

One interesting thought I had as I was fleshing out this article is how Anno 117: Pax Romana is the perfect simulation game for aspiring public servants. As I write this, there’s a growing issue in my home country. It’s about how flood control funds were mismanaged by public officials and their contractors.

I just had a brain fart of how this game simulates governance work. Perhaps more people will gain appreciation for real governance, its pitfalls and challenges, if they played a game like this. I digress.

Anno 117: Pax Romana was hailed as the Best PC game at gamescom 2025 – and for good reason. It’s a unique challenge with fantastic presentation. From my demo experience, it feels like it can be a bit of a timesink – one that might just sharpen the way you strategize.

Gaming

The hunt begins: The Witcher in Concert hits Manila with surprises in tow

The Continent comes alive

Published

March 19, 2026

GadgetMatch

If you’ve ever heard a haunting chant echo through a battlefield or felt the weight of a choice that isn’t as simple as good or evil, then you already know—the Path has a way of calling you back.

And if you haven’t stepped into that world just yet, consider this your invitation.

With less than two weeks to go, The Witcher in Concert is set to take over Manila for a one-night-only performance. It’s happening on March 28, 2026 at The Theatre at Solaire—bringing with it not just the music of a beloved RPG, but a full-on return to the Continent.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the concert transforms one of gaming’s most iconic soundtracks into a live experience. Expect performances from selected musicians of the Filharmonika Orchestra alongside Percival Schuttenbach—the Polish folk-metal band whose distinct sound helped define the game’s identity. Paired with in-game visuals, it’s a show designed to feel both nostalgic and entirely new.

As the night draws closer, here are three things fans can look forward to:

Relics from the Continent: official merchandise

For those who want to take a piece of the experience home, exclusive event merchandise will be available in limited quantities.

This includes the following:

Event Tee (PhP2,200)
Geralt Long Sleeve (PhP3,400)
Event Hoodie (PhP4,200)
Beanie (PhP1,800)
Tote bag (PhP1,800)
Key chain (PhP1,400)
Enamel pin set (PhP1,400)
Event magnet (PhP800)
Geralt gaming mouse pad (PhP2,000)

It’s the kind of loot drop fans won’t want to miss.

The path to Solaire: getting there made easier

Getting to the venue is part of the journey—and this time, it’s a little easier. Attendees can use the Grab code FCPH2026 to get 20% off rides (up to PhP75). With the condition of a minimum fare of PhP250. The promo is valid for two rides per user and applies to trips to and from Solaire Entertainment City.

A rare encounter: meet Percival Schuttenbach

For a handful of lucky fans, the experience goes beyond the stage. Ten winners will get the chance to meet Percival Schuttenbach and receive an autographed CD.

To join, ticket holders need to share any official The Witcher in Concert post on their Instagram Story. They need to write what they’re most excited to hear live and tag @filmconcerts.ph. They need to submit their entry before March 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM. Winners will be announced on March 25.

Answer the call

As the Continent arrives in Manila, fans are encouraged to lean all the way in—whether that means coming in cosplay as a monster hunter, mage, bard, or something far more dangerous.

Tickets are available via TicketWorld and participating outlets nationwide.

The Path is open. The question is—will you answer the call?

Gaming

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains launching on June 11

Introducing a team-based, cinematic twist to the classic board game

Published

March 19, 2026

GadgetMatch

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains will launch on June 11, Ubisoft has announced. It will debut on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, GeForce Now, and PC through Steam, Epic Games, and the Ubisoft Store.

The Behavior Interactive title introduces a team-based combat twist to the traditional real estate board game. It includes competitive 2v2 and 3v3 modes, available online and through couch co-op.

This transforms the classic Monopoly gameplay into an action-packed, strategic showdown where teamwork and hero combinations matter.

Every turn carries high stakes as properties change hands in an instant. Dynamic GO events also introduce game-altering twists.

The full reveal will be on April 29.

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains transports players into the Star Wars galaxy with a custom Monopoly board, packed with iconic locations from across the saga.

The gameplay is reimagined with thrilling cinematic moments, themed spaces, and dynamic elements. These make up for a refreshed experience from start to finish.

Players can choose from a wide roster of Star Wars heroes and villains. There’s plenty of options, from Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia to Darth Vader and Darth Maul.

Each character brings unique abilities to shape the team’s strategy and affect the match’s complexion with every roll of the dice.

Gaming

Switch 2 now lets you play old games in 1080p

It tricks old games into thinking that the console is docked.

Published

March 18, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Switch 2’s popularity is astonishing, to say the least. Just recently, a single game, Pokémon Pokopia, was responsible for taking the free times of over two million players on the Switch 2. Now, Nintendo has released a new feature which should make the console much more playable, especially for those who already had the original Switch.

Today, the Switch 2 received the 22.0.0 system update. Though the update is mostly a variety of smaller updates, one feature, called the Handheld Mode Boost, stands out among the rest. As per the patch notes, “Handheld Mode Boost will cause compatible Nintendo Switch software to run as if the console is being played in TV mode.” Put simply, the feature will unlock 1080p resolution for older games.

For gamers who had the original Switch, game resolution was a huge problem. The first console lived on a 720p screen, so the early games supported only lower resolutions. The only exception is when the console was docked, which allows 1080p resolution.

Now, the Switch 2 supports backwards compatibility. Players can access their older Switch games on the new console. The catch, however, is that these games are still stuck in 720p. Some titles, at least, have released an update to increase resolution on the new console.

Handheld Mode Boost tricks the console into thinking that it’s hooked up to the dock. In effect, the game will play in 1080p. The catch, however, is that it also thinks that the Joy-Cons are a single Pro controller, so players might lose some game features. It’s still a decent price to pay, though.

In other news, the update has also updated the naming of the “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea” to “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea/Southeast Asia,” potentially hinting that Southeast Asia might finally get an online store.