Tropico 5 is out now; here’s our Topico 5 review.
Tropico 5 is looking back to move the series forwards. Whereas previous games began in 1950, kicking things off at the start of the cold war, you’ll be starting Tropico 5 in 1850, while your island is still under imperial rule.
The next 200 years see you tussle with superpowers, resist corporate control, and eventually arise above all opponents. Of course, you’ll still have to rig an election or two.
You can see how the different eras play out in the new trailer.
Clearly it’s still the same Tropico. As always, you’ll be managing the politics of your island while building its infrastructure. You want the populace to thrive because it will line your, El Presidente’s, pockets.
However, to foster success you might need to make decisions that see the poorest less well rewarded for their work than normal. The middle classes may have to shoulder heavier taxes than most. And the upper classes? Well, a communist revolution should see them hand over those tracts of land they’ve been hoarding.
This will make enemies among your people. Enemies you need to root out and make into examples.
New features to Tropico include dynasties, renovation, and a new trade system. You can now have family members that you appoint to positions across the island. They exist in the world and will earn skills and experience as they age. They can also die, of old age or other means.
With this new focus on passing time and eras, your buildings and technology can advance with time, seeing it renovated into something more modern and efficient.
Trade is no longer just local. You can bring in goods from the islands and nations that surround you, creating a global trade fleet.
One of the biggest additions that comes with Tropico 5 is multiplayer. Four players can work to build a thriving island or start open war with each other. We’ll need to see if we can get the rest of the PCGN team together for a diary series on this. I want to see Tim’s banana fields burn.
Tropico 5 is due out 23 May.