Tropico 4: A Step Backwards?

[jim]

I bought Tropico 4 plus all the DLC a little while back for £7.50, and played it for a few days, then didn't think about it again.

I just remembered it today, and I can't help feeling it was a massive let-down compared to Tropico 3. To my mind, the humour was all-but gone, and the incessant mini-challenges ensured that I had virtually no freedom to play the game the way I wanted to play it. I might be all geared up for an oil-based economy backed up by totalitarianism, and then the game bends over backwards to offer me massive concessions for cigar factories.

All of the freedom, and on that note, fun of Tropico 3 seemed to be lost. And quite what the dev team had spent all their time on, given that the engine seems identical, I have absolutely no idea.

Anyone else of the same opinion? And what are your thoughts for Tropico 5, going forwards... any confidence? There aren't many slow-paced builder-style games out now, SimCity and the ensuing debate excepted, so I'm really hoping they pull something out of the bag for the next arrival.

[Marenghi]

i've only played 3 & 4 and although the humour was better in 3 i enjoyed playing 4 more. 4 had more refined gameplay in my mind whereas 3 was less ordered ... but that might have been me getting to grips with it as i started the series on 3.

i'm looking forward to 5, has it been announced yet? i know they're latest game city of omerta wasn't rated to highly because of it's boring gameplay and lack of options.

i share your pain for slow paced city builders, i can't remember what the name is but there is a game done by one man which is looking very impressive in the videos he's released so far

[Ferral]

I have the full series and 3 is the one that I keep going back to, I found that the 4th game wasn't really that different from the 3rd in all honesty. Very few refinements in the gameplay, more the same really.

[jim]

You have to wonder what was going on in the developer's offices for the gap.

And I'm not sure that 5 has been officially announced, but info on the developer forums seemed pretty conclusive when I last checked.

[chuckskull]

Have they fixed the population cap yet? That always ruined it for me. On some of the big maps you couldn't fill an 1/8th of the island before you had to stop expanding, made more annoying by there being no mention or warning of it. Played 4 when it came out, completed it, but really wasn't impressed, looking at the DLCs doesn't look like they'll do anything to change my opinion.

4 reminded me of a scam the local gypsies(sure they aren't alone) like to pull; turn up offer to paint, put down sheets, open some paint tins then wash the walls. Few hours later, rooms stinks of paint, walls look shiny and new. They scarper with the money for the work and the paint. You're left with exactly what you started with a just a little cleaner. Tropico 4 felt like I paid £29.99 for exactly that.

So much potential in the game though. Hope one day they'll realise it. Experience makes me think they wont.

[Domestic_Ginger]

I got XCOM and am playing that. 20 years later they have managed to take one of the greats and go full noobstyle.

Not sure if it makes you feel any better.

[Pleiades]

Never played any of these, are they similar to Civ-type games? The Indie Bundle does look quite attractive atm.

[jim]

Not really. It's more like SimCity to be honest. You have an island, and need to complete some sort of challenge. People want schools, housing, entertainment, religious satisfaction, etc, and you need the money to pay for all of those. So you have to juggle economic needs against meeting people's expectations, and then on top of that you've got other issues like your relationship with the US and USSR.

The nice thing is, there's a fair bit of variety. So you might try to invest all of your money in making people happy, or equally you might decide to forget about their happiness, invest all your money in the military, and then brutally repress any coups when they develop.

[Pleiades]

i i can't remember what the name is but there is a game done by one man which is looking very impressive in the videos he's released so far

Is it this one: http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/03/22/ba...alpha-footage/ ?

[Marenghi]

Banished! that's the one thanks mate

[Pleiades]

Banished! that's the one thanks mate

NP. Will be keeping an eye on that one too, though not going to expect too much considering it's just one guy!

Think it's worth taking a punt on Tropico 1 & 2 from the Indie Gala bundle to see whether 3 and 4 are of interest or not...

[chuckskull]

4 bucks for Tropico 3 is well worth it. 4 probably worth it too at that price.

[Pleiades]

Got all 4 in the Indie Gala bundle, seems like decent value; always good to see a different take on staple formulas.