Tropico 5

It all blends into a winning mix that sees Tropico going from strength to strength delivering a fresh take on a concept that has captivated city-builder fans since the turn of the century. More than a decade after its inception, Tropico is still getting better and has me hooked all over again.

Tropico 5 cuts out the fat of previous entries and builds upon its strongest features. While the new dynasty system is disappointing, the narrative context provided by eras and world events is outstanding.

Tropico 5 isn't just the best of the series, but simply one of the best games of its kind. The Settlers and Anno series should take note.

As a total package, it's a great starting point for new players. Gameplay mechanics like diplomacy have been simplified, so it's pretty easy to understand for newcomers.

Even with these negatives, Tropico 5 is still a blast to play. The thrill of walking the line between the superpowers as you try to make your island (and yourself) as rich as possible hasn’t gone anywhere, and it’s still fun. It’s also nice that the internal strife never ends in Tropico.

Tropico 5 is a polished sim game, the only downside being that city development begins to lose its luster because so many of the game modes feel so similar. But if you’re looking for an accessible, fun, and fresh city builder, Tropico 5 is an excellent choice.

Solid, despotic fun. Tropico 5 isn’t revolutionary in any of its changes. But with deeper gameplay and some smart tweaks to the formula, it is deserving of at least another term in office.

Being the best entry in the city-building strategy game series, Tropico 5 excites with a humorous campaign and a relaxed atmosphere, while the endless mode keeps motivated. Experienced players will miss a little depth and challenge, but its forgiving gameplay is especially attractive for newcomers.

Light-hearted parody belies a deep simulation. Familiarity aside, oppressing the masses is rarely such fun. [Aug 2014, p.65]

Solid, engaging campaign is full of humor and shines especially during the Cold War era, but unfortunately fades in the modern period. [08/2014, p.75]

Tropico 5 has room for improvement, but even in its current state it brings sheer joy.

Tropico 5 is a good title, almost essential if you are a regular to the series. It's perfect for those who want to enter this humorous environment for the first time.

Haemimont's third Tropico game brings welcome changes while not diverging too much from the well worn path. [July 2014, p.60]

A better game overall than its predecessors, but not quite the revolution we were hoping for. [Issue#250, p.66]

Do you want to ru(i)n an island? As supreme ruler on Tropico you can suppress your population, or see your country prosper. Every inhabitant is doing a job, thus it is far more practical if they work for you rather than against you. This small micro perspective combined with the macro management of foreign powers makes Tropico unique. Annoying features of past games in the series are gone. This should be a great game for old as well as new aspiring dictators.

A follow-up to the construction and management simulation game series brings the same gameplay and atmosphere that are flawless like in the previous installments, but on top of that it throws in several interesting novelties and improvements. The game could not avoid tiny flaws, but even with them it is an excellent experience.

Tropico 5 is an incredibly fun strategy and management game, but this is mainly due to the core values ​​that the series has always had. Developing your own tropical paradise and suppress your people in the most politically incorrect ways makes twisted fun and is challenging. The newly added eras definitely contribute something to the fun and challenge, but dynasty members, managers and the entire online mode can not count on our support. Tropico 5 is not a revolution; but what did you expect with a dictatorial game like this?

A solid, accessible city builder, Tropico 5 gets out of the way and lets you have the fun you came for without pissing around in fiddly details.

Tropico 5 is the best way to play a city simulator nowdays. If you have been disappointed by Sim City, this is the game to buy.

Don't expect a revolution in the gameplay of Tropico 5, since it may feel like more of an expansion at times. However, it's a very impressive one at that. The new era system is absolutely wonderful and the management system is more complex than ever. This, and the inclusion of a new multiplayer mode should be more than enough to pull all of you dictators back to the wonderful island of Tropico.

Fives games in and the Tropico series has really found its feet, creating a cheery and relaxing ambience that sets it quite apart from other city-builders out there.

Dated graphics and a hopeless multiplayer section damage its overall appeal, but fans of the Tropico series and its competitors won’t be disappointed by the newest offering.

When the moment comes and you find the solution to a problem that's been bugging you all these hours, you can get awfully narcissistic and self congratulatory. You know, just like any old island dictator probably would.

There is a lot to enjoy on the sandy beaches of Tropico 5. Whether you're playing alone or with up to three others online, the game strikes a good balance between style and substance that is easy to digest for all types of strategy fans.

Not a dramatic reinvention, but still an enjoyable game of construction, economics and election fraud.

If you have played the other Tropico games, and if the similarities haven’t bothered you yet, then there isn’t any reason not to give Tropico 5 a whirl as well.

There’s little evolution in this edition, even though it still works and it’s really fun, so if you enjoyed the series before is a great option.

For those who already own Tropico 4 maybe there aren't many reasons to buy this new iteration of the series.

The loopy dictator is only as loopy as the world that made him; his brand of insanity merely combats the surrounding insanity. Tropico is an open invitation to either revel in it or understand it.