Tropico 6 Review (PC)

excellent
key review info
  • Game: Tropico 6
  • Platform: PC
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: Yes  
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Tropico 6

Tropico 6 is a game which firmly sits with one leg planted into the past and one in the present. It’s safe to say that they don’t make games like these anymore, which is a shame because fans would love them.

The Tropico franchise has been around for many years, and the first one in the series was released all the way back in 2001. The franchise changed direction with the release of Tropico 3, which was developed by Haemimont Games, a studio with a great history of strategy and game-building titles.

The 4th and 5th version followed the same road, each one improving upon the last. But Tropico 6 was built by another studio called Limbic Entertainment, and I’m willing to bet that that name doesn’t tell you a lot. If you check them out, you’ll notice that they mostly worked on a few Might & Magic titles for Ubisoft, and that’s pretty much it.

But the founders of the company used to work for Sunflowers Interactive Entertainment Software, which is a much bigger name. They are responsible for Anno 1602, Anno 1503, and Anno 1701, which were great titles. It turns out that Limbic Entertainment was the perfect choice for Tropico 6 after all.

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And there is the genre of city-building itself, which is not kind to newcomers. Even though these types of games have been around for a very long time, just a handful managed to survive over the years and get sequels. Just ask Haemimont Games. The fact that we’re not playing Tropico 6 means that the franchise is definitely doing something right.

Story

Even if the game is structured on missions and it’s designed in a way that gives you the impression that there might be a story hidden somewhere, that’s not true. The basic idea is to make you feel like a ruler and build your adventure.

The premise is simple. You’re trying to become a ruler and possibly a dictator of a country somewhere in Latin America. You’re not going to start like one, and your job is to get enough people behind you to start an insurrection.

It's not all that difficult, and if you follow the mission goals and aim to complete them in due time, overthrowing the government is going to be a breeze. Governing the country by yourself is considerably much more difficult, and this is where the game shines.

Gameplay

For the most part, Tropic 6 feels like Tropico 5, with some notable exceptions. The graphics and the overall design aesthetics are the same, and if someone were to walk by while you’re playing, they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference with one glance.

Like all city building games, in Tropico 6 players need to achieve a balance between spending and income in a way that would make Thanos proud. Even if it might seem that you’re doing more than balancing the budget, the truth is that it all comes to that, just like in real life.

What I love about Tropico is that building anything doesn’t require resources. I’m exhausted from gathering wood to build houses, and I’m using this as a general example. In this game, things cost money, and they require more if you want to have them built much faster.

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People have a few basic needs, like food, shelter, jobs, and education. You’ll notice that training is essential because all jobs have various requirements. If you need people with a high school degree, you really need a high school in your area.

On the other hand, what I didn’t like about Tropico 6 is the fact that I can’t please everyone. Most of the time, the goals contradict each other. I’m geared towards a particular path, and I don’t enjoy that very much. I would have loved more freedom,

Players will also notice that the gameplay is separated into three eras, each with its own building and upgrades. It’s also worth noting that each building has a lot of options and knowing what can be done in each case is vital. Maybe you have a couple of corn plantations, and you need some pineapple as well. You don’t need to build another plantation; you just have to convert an existing one.

The same goes for many of the resources, not to mention that you might consider investing more money into wages and keeping people happy. Avoiding high unemployment and lack of housing are just a couple of the problems that need close supervision as both can generate unrest.

And this takes us to the most critical aspect of Tropico, besides becoming the dictators you’ve always dreamed of, making money. The two significant sources of money and resources are taxation and commerce. By far, trade is the most significant source of income. Investing in new trading routes should be the most critical concern.

But you can also mine for gold and make the people working there steal it for you. Players also command some pirates, and fulfilling their missions is the best method of bringing people like you to your side.

You might also notice that the old way of transferring the power from one dictator to his heir is no longer available, and I sincerely think that it was the right decision. Gamers already need to make a lot of choices, and the level of micromanagement is pretty high. Being worried if you have an heir is the last thing you need, even if it might sound fun on paper.

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On the other hand, players can customize their dictator, starting from the hat and glasses, and ending up with traits. These traits can be significant because some of them provide various bonuses, including better relations with neighbors, for example.

Lastly, Tropico 6 has a multiplayer component, but it’s nothing major. Either create a map and let other people play, or join another session, and do what you do best, govern. I can’t say that I’m a fan, but only because I always imagine city building games as single player titles, and anything more is not attractive. Other people might enjoy it.


The Good

  • Solid gameplay with no balancing problems
  • Beautiful graphics
  • Interesting evolution through eras

The Bad

  • The multiplayer is simplistic
  • A couple of difficulty spikes

Conclusion

The developers from Limbic Entertainment didn’t make such drastic changes to the gameplay, probably because they didn’t want to alienate the existing base. I can’t say if it was the best decision, but I enjoyed playing the sixth edition and not once did I think that it’s too similar to the previous version.

Most likely, enough time passed, and people wanted to be a dictator once more. For the most part, Tropico 6 is an almost perfect experience. It’s not too bold, but it’s not rehashing older concepts. It stands on its own and sets up for something expected from a new developer.

Tropico 6 is a bridge between the glorious past of games like Caesar IV and Sim City and the future. I can’t wait to return to those beautiful islands, and that’s everything I want from a game.

story 7
gameplay 9
concept 8
graphics 8
audio 9
multiplayer 7
final rating 9
Editor's review
excellent
 
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