This review is of Tropico 1. Tropico 2 is a much more simplistic game with the theme of Pirates. The addition of Tropico 1 + 2 to the GOG library is reason to celebrate. This is a unique game and in the commercial mainstream, unique tend to be dismissed. Tropico is a combination of several strategy genres. Combine equal part Political Sim, Civilization Sim, economy sim, and "The" sims and you end up with a unique, complicated, and satisfying experience. Tropico has flavor, and it is muy caliente. You begin Tropico as the new dictator of a small Caribbean island. At this point you can choose from historical Caribbean leaders like Fidel Castro, Papa Doc Duvalier, or Juan Negron. Or, if you so desire make your own dictator. But, choose wisely as your traits have a major impact on the game. Once decided, it is time to begin the simulation. You have a wide variety of buildings to choose from. But, this is not Sim City. Tropico doesnt care if you built the Pub next to the church. There are no pretty districts to lay out your buildings. What matters is what the people want/need. Do you fellow Tropicans yearn for religious inspiration? Build a church. Perhaps it is their decision that watching grass grow is no longer fun. Build a Cabaret. It is the needs of the people that should guide your decisions in building. Perhaps your people are dying too young. You need to build a clinic! Oh, and don't forget, you need to staff those buildings. Do you have an education system where Tropicans have graduated college and can run the clinic? Or do you have to pay major bucks to import a specialist? Only have one banker employed? Sure, he can siphon off some money to your Swiss Bank Account. But with 5 more, you can pad your retirement at a much faster pace. Of course, you need money to build those fine buildings. The economy on Tropico can be brutal. You can rely on resource gathering (Mines, Farms, and the like) But the people will eventually want more. Planning on becoming the next Cuba with your cigars? Remember, you will need to rotate your tobacco crops with corn so the fields don't go barren. Planning on Tropican Rum empire? Sugar is very picky where it grows. Perhaps you would like to take money from the fat Yanquis! Hope you have the motels and hotels to accommodate them. And make sure they have a great experience or you will see less and less turistas show up on your shores. So, you've managed to get your economy and infrastructure up to speed and everything is going along splendidly. Well, that is until your industrial juggernaut ticked off the environmentalists. Or perhaps all of those shacks are making the communists down right bear like. Now you have to deal with the politics of Tropico. Which is no easy task. Remember, you won a revolution to become el Presidente! So, through building and managing resources you can tend to appease one of the many factions on Tropico, but most likely annoy others. Holy Frijoles! Tropico is hard. It is unique, and it is one of the best games in the GOG library. This game has many layers and intricacies that you may never notice them until you 3rd or 33rd game. Always changing, always making you pay for mistakes, Tropico is truly one of the best Simulation games ever created. To call Tropico a city sim is a crime and should be punished.
