Cartel Tycoon Review (PC)

It’s not hard to grow opium. All you need is a well-placed farm and some people willing to move it to a warehouse. It’s also relatively easy to get it to a seaport and get money for it, not knowing who might get addicted when it gets to its destination or who might die to get it there. The big problem is to run the growing and export operation such as not to attract too much attention from law enforcement. Raids lead to seizures, which lead to loss of money and supply issues, which can quickly bring down an operation. And there’s no mercy when the drugs and money are now flowing.

Cartel Tycoon is developed by Moon Moose, with publishing in the hands of tinyBuild. I played it on the PC using Steam. The title delivers some fairly classic management mechanics, allowing players to create their own drug-fueled empire.

Apart from a well-crafted tutorial, the game offers two story driven campaigns. Needs and Fear offers the normal challenge, with clearly defined objectives that will allow players to see everything the game has to offer. That Sinking Feeling is described as Hard, with more rivals to engage with and less info on how to achieve objectives. The game also has sandbox and survival modes, for players who want more open play. There’s a lot of writing to get through, especially when interacting with other major players in the drug world, all designed less for realism than for high drama.

Mechanically, Cartel Tycoon is all about moving carefully and making money without attracting too much attention. Warehouses, trading centers, and farms are the building pieces for a budding drug lord. Choose a spot with good fertility, put down a cannabis growing operation, move the product to a warehouse, connect them with roads, and find a way to export as much as you produce to get cash.

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Dirty cash, that is, which can be used to finance further expansion or to pay lieutenants to battle the competition or to keep order. But much of the game’s world requires the use of clean cash, which means gamers need to set up laundering operations in cities.

The level of complexity rises pretty fast. The most valuable narcotics require processing, which requires the creation of new resource creation and refinement chains. New tech can be unlocked by using laundered money. The various underlings will need higher salaries to remain loyal and to acquire the firepower needed to deal with rivals.

The management side of Cartel Tycoon is not hard to understand and it’s a joy to see product moving from its raw form to something that will bring in thousands of dollars. To keep things exciting, the game makes the law a formidable opponent. They can set up roadblocks, can seize shipments, can raid warehouses filled with drugs, and more.

Their attention often leads to a death spiral even for a well-developed growing operation. Gamers have the tools to mitigate law enforcement efforts and presence, but it is always a good idea to expand slowly and only after making sure that existing operations don’t attract too much heat.

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Apart from the police, players will interact with a range of other characters, from mayors who are open to some bribes to guerrilla leaders who want to mix cocaine and cocoa. I like the idea of a living ecosystem that reacts to player choices but there are moments when other characters react in entirely weird ways.

Cartel Tycoon really emphasizes the romantic elements of drug trafficking with its overall presentation. It also stays as close as possible to Narcos without infringing on copyright. There are floral patterned shirts on most characters, the buildings look retro, and the flashing lights of the cops stand out when one’s operations attract too much attention.

The game makes it easy to see when something is wrong with a chain or when an event requires a decision. The sound design is well suited to the theme, as well, although the soundtrack is a little too devoted to nostalgia for the game’s era.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion