The game is astonishing ... I feel sorry for the people who rejects it simply due to DRM...
I wouldn't say this game is exactly ambitious or creative, it more or less lives on the Anno formula and sticks to what worked.
Presentation - 8/10, Intuitive interface, sharp controls, could use some work with the "expand this list to select an advanced option" button ...
Graphics - 9/10, Lives up to today's standard, texture details are excellent and the physics of the water is just astonishing. Although there are some minor issues, such as damage meter takes place only after the attack animation.
Music - 10/10
Sound - 7/10, I separated sound from music simply because the music is so good while the sound can be annoying. Certain voice acting is repetitive and some sound effects are just plain annoying.
Gameplay - 9/10, sucks you in, it has all the Anno elements in it, although with a much lower difficulty. I should say that the underwater settlements is a very interesting addition. The only annoyance is that various faction leaders constantly send you requests that are repetitive and boring.
The game itself is really enjoyable and worth the time and energy. However I do agree with everyone who's suffering from DRM protection, Ubisoft has ruined this game by DRM, they have started this since the beginning of the days and just never learn.