Tropico 5 is the newest entry in the city-builder series from Kalypso. In Tropico 5, you’re the ruler of a fictional Caribbean island from the 19th through into the 20th century, from colony to independence and beyond. Whether you rule benevolently or violently, you establish a dynasty that lasts as you create a functioning economy and enrich yourself.
Tropico 5 for PS4 comes a few months after the versions of PC and Xbox 360. Nevertheless, it remains a game of strategy or “city builder”, entertaining, well matched with control and good sense of humor.
The gender of the city builders , which owns this Tropico 5, has a wide and varied representation in the PC world, with such famous exponents as Sim City and all its spin-off. But console users have seen many of these titles did not give the jump to our classrooms with the excuse that the control system (vs pad keyboard and mouse) did not allow an agile management of its countless menus.
And although there are examples in earlier generations Consoleros that prove otherwise, we have to congratulate ourselves because Haemimont Games and Meridiem have not thought so and bring us finally to our televisions dictatorial saga after premiering on PC.
Tropico 5 , like its predecessors, offers us the tempting idea to get into the skin of a dictator chandalero any command of a tropical island. A banana paradise with all its clichés where give vent to our own Bolivarian revolution, capitalism or any intermediate mixture that comes to mind.
But what really print personality to the series and the difference from most other strategy games is the hilarious sarcastic brainy halo with which certain situations arise. The facts tell us that our advisors are almost continuously, get get a smile after another, with treatment issues as corruption, vote rigging, “silencing” of opponents, etc. that puts a sense of humor to everything else. But that does not take you away to deceit.
The first is to choose the look of our protagonist (and later, of all his descendants) from a variety of uniforms, hats and ridiculous accessories typically seen in this class of “leaders”.The only thing we miss is a stylish tracksuit like Hugo Chavez and Maduro.
The next and most recommended is to complete the tutorial, but the flood of data and systems offered on it leave us with a poker face at first. Luckily, and tucked into the main campaign progresses things slowly enough to assimilate certain guarantees economic systems, industrial and commercial demographic governing the game. Tropico five draws rightly a steady trickle of requests by our counselors and mentors that forces us to, little by little, to develop our city and trying different things.
Tasks that will be focused on a clear goal: to perpetuate in office. A destination that nature makes it impossible for something so “stupid” like death, but we can save our own legendary dynasty of dictators and tacky (and with the help of a large Swiss bank account …). An end we get this to changing strategies and mechanical continuously as we move forward in history (well, with capital “H”).
One of the most successful features of this Tropico 5 is placing our inception in the nineteenth century (as banana colony of a fictional empire) and moves through the history of the twentieth and twenty-first century, once we get the desired independence. This requires a change of mechanical methods and over time, they do not have to do the same to get the support of the revolutionaries in the colonial era to win a “free” elections in the XXI century.
In addition, the equipment with which we can meet the needs of our tropical paradise will unblocked as the years progress. Thus, the coal mines will be those that provide us with energy during the early stages and nuclear power plants in the XXI century. Likewise, the equipment of our colonial army pauper progress to count even with aircraft (auqnue battles have a residual role). Any sector is faithfully represented by a rich variety of buildings and structures, as well as the services they provide.
One area that is particularly reflected this historical development is the commercial and diplomatic. Although Tropico is a fictional island, they are not the countries around it, to the point that we have to position ourselves for or against the opposing sides in World War II (Allied or Axis) with the consequences this leads to the treaties and existing trade relations at the time. Nor it misses the Cold War, where we will decide if we are more akin to the ideology that governs behind the Iron Curtain or make our home a feast for Western capitalism.
As the fact of being a dictator, one might think that going to live like a king in Tropico 5 , but the reality is quite different. Regardless of freedom we give to the population and how generous we are with them (as we draft and amend our own Constitution has a lot to do with it), we must maintain a minimum level of general social content to keep a possible rebellion apart or have any chance of winning the next election.
To do this we use logic and construct in terms of the needs that we detect, counting and analyzing the torrent of information the information box in the lower left corner or detailed statistics. Our counselors are also vital when to know where we are with respect to society and our foreign partners.
The rest is a matter of using common sense and build infrastructure at the pace that the city needed. Thus, in Tropico May we can not forget the raw materials and their use in the industry, allowing us to export and earn money to trade. Leisure and basic services (hospitals, universities, pubs, parks, etc.) must also have our attention so that the public is well served, what will make them happier and more productive.
Every imaginable sector must operate at a minimum of normalcy or may cause jams and bottlenecks in the development of our banana empire. However, when these problems occur, you are missing some explanation why spend (down happiness, that no advance constructions, etc.). Any hints of what infrastructure is scarce or missing equipment, which would avoid a lot of trial and error and occasional frustration or occasional jam.
In any case, after a few hours we will be able to control dozens of variables at a time and see amazed as our pueblucho becomes a power in tourism or in the most advanced industrial techniques. A “ruler” capable of controlling pollution, tourism, trade and diplomatic treaties and advancing the population towards a clear objective, albeit using selective assassinations, skirmishes with other countries or rigging elections. But never without losing any of its parodic and humorous tone.
Although the campaign mode offers the most complete experience is also at our disposal the Mission mode , through which we can solve the challenges we launched the game, using a very specific scenario and always have a clear handicap that makes our lives harder (little mining, some tourist areas, etc.). We can also give free rein to our imagination by selecting the time and setting in Tropical Paradise mode , free mode where we will have fewer strings attached.
Tropico May not forget the online multiplayer mode, and up to 4 players to share the same game, each with its farmhouse, which share resources, make treaties or fight for scarce resources. One way is not too original or exciting and leaves all the attention to the individual campaign. Fortunately users Tropico 5 PS4 will enjoy the inclusion, for free, of two of the already released DLC PC: The Big Cheese and Smell Bayo.
One of the best aspects resolved is one of the most difficult: the control and interface.Despite the hundreds of actions and menus that can perform and recall, Haemimont Gameshas devised an intuitive and very fluid system where nearly every pad buttons are used PS4so contextualized. The sticks allow move around the map and manage the camera perfectly and soon we will feel like a fish in water among such option, especially because most of the menus are accessible with a maximum of two clicks of a button, with all immediate and pretty intuitive.
What shines not so high in this Tropico 5 of PS4 is the technical bill. Although our possible rule oozing colored on all sides are missing some more detail on buildings and other units, with some buildings that are repeated from age to age and some occasional slowdowns or very little justifiable drop frames. Nothing particularly serious but which tarnishes a little technical section and it does not help much the sound plot with Caribbean melodies typically end up silencing after some hours. Yes, the dubbing into Spanish is very, very good and the voices of some of our directors shine at high altitude.
Tropico 5 becomes the first ” city builder “for PS4 work well. It is a tremendously fun and absorbing game that will delight the most brainy gamers who lovestrategy . Not reach the level of complexity of other simulators of this most traditional style, but offers enough options to keep control tied to the vast majority of fans.
