Anno 1800

Anno 1800 is a great city builder, but its production chains and careful planning make it a bad fit for a treadmill or bike. You’ll want your hands and attention free to manage your growing empire.

Gameplay

Building up your island and balancing complex production chains gives you plenty to think about. The strategy is engaging, but planning and adjusting your economy can slow the pace and pull your focus away from exercise. This is a game where you’ll want to stop and study what’s going wrong before you make your next move.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Treadmill and Bike Compatibility

Managing cities and production takes precise input and frequent attention, which is awkward while you’re moving. Even without fast action or twitch aiming, the careful mouse and keyboard work makes playing during a workout a poor fit. You’ll get more from the game when you can focus on the details.

Category Score: 0 out of 3

Computer Requirements

The minimum specs call for 8 GB of RAM and a dedicated graphics card such as a GeForce GTX 670 or Radeon R9 285. That is an older dedicated card, so a basic gaming PC should be enough, but integrated graphics are not the target.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Conclusion and Score

Anno 1800 makes managing an industrial empire satisfying, but its detailed planning is a workout distraction in the wrong direction. Play it at your desk.

Overall Score: 1.33 out of 3