Pax Augusta review: A serene, authentic city-builder as dysfunctional as the Late Republic

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The Steam page for Pax Augusta asserts that it is the most genuine ancient city-building simulation. A past student of ancient history, however, was skeptical and prepared to refute this statement promptly. Yet, I was proven wrong. If you appreciate Roman history or possess some understanding of its society and architecture, you’ll discover in this game an exceptional playground, seemingly created by a fellow enthusiast. Intriguingly, the game is developed by just one person.

One commonality between Pax Augusta and Manor Lords is that they started as solo projects, even though the team behind Manor Lords has since expanded. Both games emerged from a shared enthusiasm for city-building games and history. Swiss developer Roger Gassmann chose to take action instead of waiting for established series like Caesar or Imperium Romanum to potentially resume – he decided to create a potential competitor for Ubisoft’s upcoming Anno 117 on his own.

Beyond these aspects, it’s clear that Pax Augusta has some significant shortcomings, particularly in its technical performance. At present, the main issue seems to be the game’s poor optimization. Even though there aren’t many bugs, the game runs poorly on my high-end system. It causes quite a ruckus when I run it, with cooling fans spinning rapidly and forcefully, while the loading times are excessive given the game’s appearance and genre.

I’m fortunate that the game functions smoothly for me, unlike many others who experience frequent crashes. These crashes combined with rare auto-saves often lead to lost progress and growing annoyance. The game isn’t visually stunning or packed with intricate systems and mechanics, so it’s frustrating when such issues occur.

The Pax Augusta is essentially straightforward, devoid of battles and grand conquests. Instead, it focuses primarily on city-building, where you construct incredibly realistic urban settlements. The more these cities cater to their inhabitants’ needs, the more people move in, paying taxes which you can utilize for further construction, or even to advance your career back in Rome, opening up additional building opportunities. There are not complex production chains to manage; instead, you mainly purchase resources as needed, allowing you to focus primarily on construction projects.

Building, in essence, is the most engaging aspect of the game since it offers a chance for anyone who has marveled at Roman city reconstructions or sketched urban plans to unleash their creativity here. It boasts an array of diverse construction choices, all meticulously detailed and historically accurate. This ranges from compact cottages to the colossal insulae that made Rome a fire risk (and yes, you can ignite a city at any moment using a dedicated button for starting fires… perhaps for amusement?). On top of this, there’s a wealth of modularity, with options like parks, gardens, outhouses, and more, available to personalize your structures.

In this game, the less wealthy characters reside in modest homes and cultivate gardens for additional sustenance, while those living in grander insulae engage in workplaces like arcades and bakeries. This setup will feel reminiscent to players of Manor Lords. Wealthy Senators, on the other hand, have no such concerns, allowing them to adorn their homes with fountains and other luxuries.

Just like Pharaoh and Anno, the wealthier citizens in Pax Augusta grow accustomed to increasingly complex desires compared to their less affluent peers. As time goes by, you’ll find that establishments such as brothels, theaters, bathhouses become necessary additions. Eventually, intricate water systems like aqueducts will be required to bring fresh, flowing water into your city.

In contrast to other city-building games that incorporate various road types affecting movement pace, Pax Augusta’s developer has focused on the Roman disdain for urban noise pollution. This is reflected in the game’s roads by implementing mechanisms that could have been inspired by Caesar’s nighttime cart ban within the city. Future city builders like Anno 117 might learn something from these subtle details in Pax Augusta.

As someone who loves history, it’s hard not to feel a sense of satisfaction while exploring the cities in the game and reading its texts – the casual portrayal of patron-client dynamics without delving into elaborate explanations is remarkably authentic, serving as an effective demonstration of historical realities.

If Pax Augusta functioned as a sandbox diorama creator (since creating in sandbox mode is possible), I would conclude my review and rate it 9 out of 10. The joy and excitement that playing with my virtual Roman structures brings me is simply delightful.

Regrettably, Pax Augusta isn’t as impressive as a game as it is considered more like a playset. Although I previously highlighted that there isn’t extensive economic management, particularly in production chains, this suggests a highly simplified approach to these aspects. The existing production and trade systems are robust, yet they often fall short due to unclear or unhelpful UI and menus.

If you’ve constructed a wooden production chain with three buildings and have enough workers, but the game isn’t producing any wood, I’m at a loss as to why. Despite spending around half an hour trying various solutions and adjusting every possible setting, nothing seems to work. The game doesn’t provide any error messages or helpful tooltips explaining the problem. I even went through the tutorial again to identify any potential mistakes, but couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary.

In another playthrough, I managed to make that wooden resource roll in, but the interface is showing zilch as the output for the structure. Looks like there’s a glitch or two at work here, seems pretty chaotic and buggy indeed.

I’m genuinely disappointed, as this game seems to embody elements that could captivate players and immerse them in its world – a world rich with intriguing concepts, even sparking historical excitement. For instance, it offers a map reminiscent of Mount & Blade, allowing for exploration and interaction with theater troupes, gladiators, merchants, and more, thereby linking your cities to a broader universe akin to the Imperium Romanum, creating a sense of connection and belonging. Alas, without giving it a try, we’re missing out on these enticing possibilities.

In simpler terms, why not directly inform me about suitable locations for constructing bridges, aqueducts, or fishing huts instead of sending Vitruvius to scout? It seems like an unnecessary step that could be more straightforward.

In a somewhat inconvenient design choice, constructions are limited to being built adjacent to existing roads. Unfortunately, this means you cannot construct structures at will and then later add roads to connect them, which can be rather frustrating.

In Pax Augusta, it’s crucial for farmers to be content with their living conditions to ensure food production. If there isn’t enough food and people become hungry, resolving the issue can become quite challenging since they may choose to starve rather than work in the fields to avoid starvation. This is because the Roman Empire was a complex, interconnected economy. Just as in real life, if individuals were dissatisfied in their hometown, they could seek opportunities elsewhere. Therefore, it’s logical for your city’s population to have similar mobility, but experiencing a downward spiral due to minor mistakes can be unpleasant and potentially ruin all the effort and care you put into designing your city.

The Pax Augusta is exceptionally true-to-life and meticulously crafted, making it a captivating spectacle for those passionate about historical dioramas. However, its city-building game mechanics could use some refinement, particularly in terms of design and technical aspects.

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2025-04-28 16:17