I've always had a soft spot for city builder games. The Tropico series has brought its own touch to the genre, letting you play the dictator in a banana republic. Of course, dictatorships usually end up in horror, but Tropico is very much satirical. Tropico 5 was very much a disappointment, and overall a step back from Tropico 4. Fortunately, with a new developer at the helm, Tropico 6 rights many of 5's wrongs and is a worthy successor to 4.
Tropico 6 is the series' debut on Unreal Engine 4. Immediately, from a technical perspective, it represents a giant leap forward for the series. The game is visually great, with both art direction and graphics featuring a modern experience - something that's often lacking in games of this genre. Most importantly, this is the first game of this type that I've played which features smooth performance throughout. We all know what happens with these games during the end game - things slow down significantly even on powerful PCs. Not so with Tropico 6 - I imagine this is due to the multi-core optimizations inherent in UE4. Overall, the move to a modern engine has made a significant difference - the game feels more polished and seamless than any city builder ever. (Note: The new Anno is also pretty impressive technically, but not quite as performant as Tropico 6)
The core city building mechanics will be familiar to fans of the series, and of the genre in general. So while Tropico 6 looks and feels like a next-gen city builder, but the city building itself has barely progressed since SimCity 4 decades ago. Still, though the mechanics and economics are well balanced, the progression to future technologies are neat, and there are no notable flaws to report. Fortunately, it is as much a political sim as a city builder. This is where the game has expanded beyond where 4 left off, with many options to roleplay exactly what type of dictator you want to be. You can be a benevolent dictator that only wants the best for your citizens, or you can be a brutal maniac that rushes in to murder anyone who may dare rebel. Of course, your choices have consequences, so choose wisely!
All of this is compelling because Tropico 6 provides a unique sense of atmosphere. From the aforementioned visuals, to the catchy music, to the hilarious writing, it crafts a wonderfully realized world, where you feel your actions truly matter. This is Tropico 6's great strength, and recalls some of the best moments from the series' past.
Tropico 6 is a must play for fans of the genre, and is the best entrant in the series. It's not the most innovative city builder out there, but it's the most polished one yet, and makes up for the conservative city building with an immersive banana republic experience.
