Don't believe the haters about 2025's most divisive strategy game
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I've fallen down the Anno 117: Pax Romana rabbit hole this year, despite the negative buzz around it. Steam reviews and the Reddit consensus hold that 117 is empty, dull, and generally just less than its predecessor, Anno 1800. I can sort of see why. Quite a few elements seem like they're waiting for future add-ons to come alive and wake them up. But I've enjoyed myself thoroughly, so when I saw the "mostly negative" reviews for Anno 117's first big DLC, Prophecies of Ash, I figured I'd give it a try, despite the haters. I'm glad I did. An inaugural bit of DLC can't fix every problem. But it solves some pretty big ones, and throws a welcome wrench into the usual flow of city building.
Ah, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known by many as Summer Game Fes-, wait, sorry, guess I've already moved on! Better known as E3, of course, the first of its kind showcase dedicated entirely to video games that died because it simply couldn't figure out how to live in the modern world (they probably should have asked Geoff). The whole thing ended with much more of a whimper than a bang, but once upon a time it was the place to have your game. And now, the Video Game History Foundation have revealed a new collection all about the event "like you've never seen it before," covering many years worth of a range of materials.
BLAINE, MINNESOTA - JULY 27: Kurt Kitayama of the United States poses with the Elemental Swing trophy after putting in to win on the 18th green during the final round of the 3M Open 2025 at TPC Twin Cities on July 27, 2025 in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
There are two kinds of drivers: those who admit that they've drifted above the speed limit, and those who lie about it. After all, in a recent survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report, 88% of drivers say they speed on purpose. Yet Oklahoma says speeding is never okay. Don't believe it? The Sooner State has, printed in plain English, the words "no tolerance" or "zero tolerance" on its speed limit signs. Oooh, ominous.
As Chinese open-weight AI models grow in capability and popularity, arguments about what should be done about them have once again reached a fever pitch.
There’s talk that the Trump administration might try to ban them (though it hasn’t yet acted on the idea). Meanwhile, proprietary model makers, particularly OpenAI and Anthropic, appear increasingly concerned about them.
Image: Ubisoft Mainz/Ubisoft
