Tropico 5

Last updated

Tropico 5
Tropico 5 cover.jpg
Developer(s) Haemimont Games
Publisher(s) Kalypso Media
Director(s) Gabriel Dobrev
Designer(s) Boian Spasov
Programmer(s) Alexander Andonov
Series Tropico
Platform(s)
Release
  • Microsoft Windows
    • WW: 23 May 2014
  • OS X, Linux
    • WW: 19 September 2014
  • Xbox 360
    • WW: 11 November 2014
  • PlayStation 4
  • Xbox One
Genre(s) Construction and management simulation, government simulation
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Tropico 5 is a construction and management simulation video game developed by Haemimont Games. It was released for Microsoft Windows in May 2014, [5] with versions for Linux, OS X and Xbox 360 released later in 2014 as well as versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One released in April 2015 and May 2016 respectively.

Contents

For the first time in the Tropico series the game features cooperative and competitive multiplayer for up to four players. The players are able to build cities on the same island, allowing the choice of working with one another, or against. [6] [7]

Gameplay

In-game screenshot of a lumber mill Tropico 5 Lumber Mill.png
In-game screenshot of a lumber mill

There are a number of additions to the Tropico 5 game mechanics from the previous iteration of the series, notably the ability to advance to a new era if certain requirements are met; such as having written the constitution of Tropico. Tropico 5 includes 4 different eras, starting from Colonial Era, World Wars, Cold War and progressing up to Modern Times which allows progress from the 19th to the 21st century. [8] Another gameplay mechanic is 'El Presidente' now has a dynastic family which will be present on the island. [6] [7] The trading, research, renovation and exploration features have also been overhauled. [6] With multiplayer, diplomacy allows the players to share resources, construction workers, and electricity. Additionally, they are able to help each other with cash. Finally, players are able to compete and even declare war on each other. [9]

According to series producer Bisser Dyankov, Tropico 5 is designed to be much denser than its predecessors. The citizens are the lifeblood of the island to grow the island empire and for the sustainable growth, the players need to make them happy. Due to the needs of the 10 different in-game factions, one man's happiness may be another man's frustration. And their allegiances may change depending on the sort of government you run or the buildings you build. Due to the constitutional changes, some of the faction happiness may drop or rise depending on their allegiance to their factions. [10]

Campaign and strategy

Tropico 5, in the base game, comes with 15 missions, split into two parts. In both parts, you advance through all of the four eras, completing various objectives with one final objective for each mission.

In the first part of the game, Tropico must declare independence from the Crown, a spin on the British Empire. The player is also introduced to the campaign's primary antagonist, Leon Kane, the leader of The Order. Once the island has gained its independence (and thus ending the Colonial Era), the player, represented by "El Presidente" and his dynasty, must win three bets against the US President to befriend him; at the same time, a real estate tax must be paid continuously to the Crown. In the next mission, the island must build and maintain a large army in order to fend off a pending invasion. Once the invasion is defeated, the player must accrue a large sum in their Swiss Bank Account in order to purchase Switzerland and get "Dr. Zweistein" onto the island. This leads onto a demonstration of the tourism mechanic, in which the player is tasked with paying fees to The Order while, at the same time, trying to get enough tourists onto the island. Once that is accomplished, the player must build a Nuclear Program building to avoid World War III. Then, the island must produce and export Uranium for The Order, while at the same time, stopping the protests and increasing strikes from destroying the economy. At the end of this mission, Kane's plan is revealed: becoming dissilusioned with his mission after seeing complete Human apathy for the countless conflicts, the Cold War's proxy wars chiefly among them, he deemed mankind too far gone and decided to use the uranium to build enough nuclear missiles and launch an attack on the entire world, killing most of the population before then restarting it with a small pool of Order-picked surviviors. The player must then generate enough research points to build a time machine (thanks to Zweistein from earlier) and travel back in time, thus beginning part two and averting the nuclear war.

In the second part, Tropico must produce and export gold to the Pirate King in order to free the King's son, for the Crown, all while dealing with constant pirate attacks. The next mission has the player exporting food to the King. After this, the island must amass a fortune high enough to become the richest country in the Caribbean. Once this has been done, the second military-themed mission has the player building a large army, not to defend, but to invade the island of Cayo de Fortuna. The location of Kane is discovered, before he has the opportunity to start a nuclear war, and the player must complete a variety of tasks that help to assassinate him. After this has been completed, Tropico must export resources in order to dissolve the USSR, and then bring all the modern superpowers together and dealing with constant military threats to end the campaign.

Sandbox

In the game's sandbox mode, the player has a choice between choosing a pre-generated island provided by the developers or from the Steam Workshop, or they may generate a new, random island with a variety of options. Once their island has been created, they work through all the ages, receiving small and large tasks alike to help them advance through the ages and build a stable island. Each of the eras are endless, and may be progressed to whenever the player would like, by completing each of the three main tasks that are given at the end of the first three eras.

As leader, players can decide their country's independence and write a full constitution. [11]

Marketing and release

Tropico 5 was made available for pre-purchase on Steam on 17 April 2014. [12]

The game was banned in Thailand by the National Council for Peace and Order. The country's military junta government said that the game's storyline "might affect peace and order in the country". The game's distributor in Thailand, New Era Thailand, explained that "In the fifth installment, the storyline has developed further and there might be some part of it that's not appropriate in the current situation [in Thailand]." [13]

The game was localized and published by Square Enix in Japan for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 4. [14]

The game's Complete Edition, which includes all the released downloadable content and expansion packs (Espionage and Waterborne), was released digitally on 29 January 2016. [15]

The game forumers discovered that the vanilla games have the working models inside the game which are later sold and "unlocked" in the DLC. [16]

Reception

Tropico 5 received somewhat positive reviews from critics. Aggregating review website Metacritic gave the PC version 75/100 based on 51 reviews, respectively. [17]

Ars Technica criticised the "excess number of quests" and the "lack of motivation and enthusiasm" that the game had. [30]

Related Research Articles

<i>Tropico</i> (video game) 2001 simulation video game

Tropico is a construction and management simulation video game developed by PopTop Software and published by Gathering of Developers in April 2001. Feral Interactive has developed and published a number of the games in the series for Mac OS X. The games see the player taking the role of "El Presidente", who rules a fictional Caribbean island country named Tropico during the Cold War era and beyond.

<i>Hitman: Blood Money</i> 2006 video game

Hitman: Blood Money is a 2006 stealth video game developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released in May 2006 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360. It is the fourth installment in the Hitman video game series, and the sequel to 2004's Hitman: Contracts. The story follows cloned assassin Agent 47's efforts to bring down the Franchise, a rival contract killing organization that is threatening his employers, the International Contract Agency (ICA), and seeking to obtain the same cloning technology that created 47. Meanwhile, a frame story presents 47's life and various contracts he carried out, as narrated by a former FBI director to a journalist.

<i>Grand Theft Auto</i> Video game series

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is a series of action-adventure games created by David Jones and Mike Dailly. Later titles were developed under the oversight of brothers Dan and Sam Houser, Leslie Benzies and Aaron Garbut. It is primarily developed by British development house Rockstar North, and published by its American parent company, Rockstar Games. The name of the series is a term for motor vehicle theft in the United States.

<i>Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising</i> 2009 video game

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is a tactical shooter video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 developed and published by Codemasters. Codemasters has advertised the game as a tactical shooter designed to represent modern infantry combat realistically. It is a stand-alone sequel to Bohemia Interactive's Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis, but was developed entirely by Codemasters due to a falling-out between the two companies.

<i>Tom Clancys Splinter Cell: Double Agent</i> 2006 video game

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent is a 2006 stealth game developed by Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Shanghai, and published by Ubisoft. The Splinter Cell series, endorsed by American author Tom Clancy, follows Sam Fisher, an agent employed by a black-ops division of the National Security Agency (NSA), dubbed Third Echelon. The game was released for GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360 in October 2006. The Wii and Windows versions were released in November 2006. A PlayStation 3 version was released in March 2007.

Call of Duty is a video game series and media franchise published by Activision, starting in 2003. The games were first developed by Infinity Ward, then by Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games. Several spin-off and handheld games were made by other developers. The most recent title, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, was released on November 10, 2023.

<i>Battlestations: Midway</i> 2007 video game

Battlestations: Midway is a video game developed by Eidos Hungary and released in 2007 for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The Mac version of this game was developed by Robosoft Technologies, based out of India and published in July 2008 by Feral Interactive.

<i>Command & Conquer 3: Kanes Wrath</i> 2008 video game expansion pack

Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath is an expansion pack for the 2007 real-time strategy video game Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. Developed by EA Los Angeles studios and BreakAway Games studios, it was released worldwide in March 2008 for Microsoft Windows and in June 2008 for Xbox 360 by publisher Electronic Arts.

<i>Blood Bowl</i> (2009 video game) 2009 video game

Blood Bowl is a 2009 fantasy sports video game developed by Cyanide, loosely based on American football, and adapted from the board game of the same name, which is produced by Games Workshop, using the CRP ruleset. It was released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, iOS, and Android.

<i>Tropico 3</i> 2009 video game

Tropico 3 is a video game developed by Haemimont Games and published by Kalypso Media. Like the previous games in the series, Tropico 3 is a construction and management simulation as well as a political simulation game, with emphasis on city building. As a thematic sequel to Tropico, the game attempts to return to the roots of the series, which puts the player into the shoes of "El Presidente" – a ruler governing over an island banana republic.

<i>World of Tanks</i> Massively multiplayer online game

World of Tanks (WoT) is an armoured warfare-themed multiplayer online game developed by Wargaming, featuring 20th century (1910s–1970s) era combat vehicles. It is built upon a freemium business model where the game is free-to-play, but participants also have the option of paying a fee for use of "premium" features. The focus is on player vs. player gameplay with each player controlling an armored vehicle, from the time of Pre-World War 2 to the Cold War-era.

<i>Tropico 4</i> 2011 city management video game

Tropico 4 is a city management and political manipulation game. Developed by Haemimont Games and published by Kalypso Media, it was first released in August 2011 for the Microsoft Windows platform. Like the first and third games in the series, Tropico 4 centers on a customizable main character titled "El Presidente" – the ruler who runs an island-based banana republic. The Mac OS X version of the game was released by Feral Interactive on July 25, 2013, as well as DLC packs Dash for Growth and Captain of Industry. The State of Emergency DLC pack was released by Feral on April 3, 2014.

<i>Orcs Must Die!</i> 2011 video game

Orcs Must Die! is an action-tower defense video game developed and published by Robot Entertainment and Mastertronic. It is a tower defense game that eschews the traditional top-down view of similar games, instead using a third-person action-oriented viewpoint. After being demonstrated at Penny Arcade Expo East 2011, the game was released via Xbox Live Arcade on October 5, 2011, and for Windows PCs on October 12, 2011.

<i>Earth Defense Force 2025</i> 2013 video game

Earth Defense Force 2025 is a third-person shooter developed by Sandlot and published by D3 Publisher, for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the follow-up to Earth Defense Force 2017. A remastered version, titled Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair, was released for PlayStation 4 and Windows in 2016, which includes the original game as well as a new expansion. A Nintendo Switch version was released in Japan in December 2022. A reboot titled Earth Defense Force 5 was released on December 7, 2017.

<i>Guacamelee!</i> 2013 platforming video game

Guacamelee! is a Metroidvania action platforming video game developed and published by DrinkBox Studios, initially launched in April 2013 for platforms PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita and was later ported to Windows in August and to OS X and Linux in February 2014. The enhanced Super Turbo Championship Edition was released for Wii U, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 in July 2014 and later on the Nintendo Switch in October 2018. The game is inspired by traditional Mexican culture and folklore, like alebrijes and Day of the Dead.

<i>WWE 2K15</i> 2014 video game

WWE 2K15 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. It is the sequel to WWE 2K14, and was succeeded by WWE 2K16. It was released on October 28, 2014, in North America and on October 31, 2014, in Europe for last generation consoles and released on November 18, 2014, in North America and on November 21, 2014, in Europe for current generation consoles. It was released for Microsoft Windows on April 28, 2015, and was the first WWE game to be released on the platform since WWE Raw, which was released in 2002. It is the first game in the series to use the new WWE logo since it was introduced earlier in 2014, which was originally used as the logo of the WWE Network.

<i>Kalimba</i> (video game) 2014 video game

Kalimba is a puzzle-platform video game developed for the Xbox One and Microsoft Windows by Danish developer Press Play and published by Microsoft Studios. In the game, initially known as "Project Totem", players must move pieces of a totem pole through various levels while avoiding obstacles.

Mafia is a series of action-adventure games originally created and developed by 2K Czech. Since the third installment, however, the games are developed by Hangar 13 and published by 2K Games. The franchise consists of three mainline installments, along with a remake of the first game, a remastered version of the second game, and two spin-offs for mobile devices. A fourth game is in active development.

<i>Tropico 6</i> 2019 video game

Tropico 6 is a construction, management and political simulation game in the Tropico series, developed by Limbic Entertainment, published by Kalypso Media, and announced at E3 2017. Originally intended for a 2018 release, Tropico 6 was released on Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux in March 2019, and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2019. It was released for the Nintendo Switch in November 2020, and on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in March 2022.

<i>Evil Genius 2: World Domination</i> 2021 video game

Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a real-time strategy and simulation video game developed and published by Rebellion Developments. As the sequel to Evil Genius (2004), which was developed by the now-defunct Elixir Studios, the game was released for Microsoft Windows on 30 March 2021, and PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 30 November 2021.

References

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ Purchese, Robert (30 January 2014). "Tropico 5 announcred for PlayStation 4". Eurogamer . Gamer Network . Retrieved 1 June 2014.
    2. ↑ David Scammell (4 March 2015). "Tropico 5 launches on PS4 on April 24". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
    3. ↑ Matthew Kato (4 March 2015). "Tropico 5 PS4 Release Date Announced". Game Informer . Retrieved 28 March 2015.
    4. 1 2 Smith, Mark (24 May 2016). "Tropico 5 Penultimate Edition Out Now on Xbox One". Game Chronicles. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
    5. ↑ "kalypso media Tropico 5 product details". kalypso media. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
    6. 1 2 3 Purchese, Robert (15 August 2013). "Tropico 5 announced for 2014 on PC, Mac, Xbox 360". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
    7. 1 2 Smith, Adam (16 August 2013). "The Little Scamp: Tropico 5 Announced". Rock Paper Shotgun . Retrieved 28 August 2013.
    8. ↑ "Tropico 5: Rule Your Island For 200 Years - CINEMABLEND". cinemablend.com. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
    9. ↑ "Tropico 5 Interview: Gameplay Changes, Multiplayer, Campaign And More « GamingBolt.com: Video Game News, Reviews, Previews and Blog". gamingbolt.com. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
    10. ↑ "Your Best-Laid Plans Won't Work in Tropico 5 - GameSpot". Gamespot. gamespot.com. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
    11. ↑ Senior, Tom (22 October 2013). "Tropico 5 first look: guide a baby dictatorship from the colonial era to the modern age". PC Gamer . Future plc . Retrieved 1 June 2014.
    12. ↑ Editor, Stephany Nunneley-Jackson News (17 April 2014). "Tropico 5 Limited Special Edition announced, pre-orders option now available". VG247. Retrieved 27 January 2024.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
    13. ↑ Rose, Mike (4 August 2014). "Tropico 5 banned in Thailand, as it 'might affect peace and order'". Gamasutra . UBM plc . Retrieved 4 August 2014.
    14. ↑ "Square Enix teases unannounced PS4 titles coming out this year". Gematsu. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
    15. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (13 January 2016). "Tropico 5 PC Complete Collection Revealed". GameSpot . Retrieved 18 January 2016.
    16. ↑ "[Spoiler] Screenshots: SuperComputer, WindFarm, FastFoodJoint, GiantLaser, Asylum..." forum.kalypsomedia.com. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
    17. 1 2 "Tropico 5 for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 3 July 2014.
    18. ↑ "Tropico 5 for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 30 July 2015.
    19. ↑ "Tropico 5 for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 30 July 2015.
    20. ↑ "Tropico 5 Penultimate Edition for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 9 November 2018.
    21. ↑ "Tropico 5 Review". Eurogamer. 22 May 2014.
    22. ↑ "Tropico 5 Review from Game Informer". Game Informer .
    23. ↑ "Tropico 5 Review". Gamespot. 22 May 2014.
    24. ↑ "Tropico 5 Review". GamesRadar. 22 May 2014.
    25. ↑ "Tropico 5 Review: Tropical Oppression". IGN. 22 May 2014.
    26. ↑ "Tropico 5 review: New presidente, same as the old presidente". Joystiq. 22 May 2014.
    27. ↑ "Tropico 5 Review". PCGamer. 22 May 2014.
    28. ↑ "Tropico 5 Review: Wasted Away Again". Polygon. 22 May 2014.
    29. ↑ "Tropico 5 for PC Users Rating". GamDB. 21 September 2014. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014.
    30. ↑ Kaiser, Rowan (22 May 2014). "Tropico 5 review: Empire building with a bit too much guidance". Ars Technica. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
    This page is based on this Wikipedia article
    Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
    Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.