Industrial-era city-building game Anno 1800, seventh in a series whose franchise titles always add up to the number 9, makes a big impact thanks to a free weekend open beta ahead of its April 16 launch, after which an Epic Games Store deal kicks in.

After spending almost a decade in future settings, where players sought out high-tech, low-energy solutions to ensure their cities flourished, the Anno series explores the dawn of the Anthropocene in this week's Anno 1800.