Tropico

Rating:
Summary: The Tropico Demo
Review: I have not seen much of tropico, only played the demo, but it seems that the demo does not exclude much. There are only a few things you can't build (i.e cattle ranches, cathedrals, sports complexes and airports(therefore disabling some of the more interesting edicts)).
The demo is set at 100% normal level, so it's not hard but not easy. One thing I find really exciting about Tropico is the high effect of your actions on the the political views of America, Russia, tourists and the islands inhabitants. The threat I faced was not high (that may have something to do with giving the people what they want) although the aspect of keeping competion down was very enthralling.
The international factor of the game needs some polishing. For example, if you make an alliance with Russia, but you find American prospects better, you cannot expel the Russians, or get the Americans to come and help.
One of my favourite things about the games I can't play, i.e. random maps, is that you can choose your own character. So you can choose Fidel Castro (current dictator of Cuba) and reflect your personal views of him or make him the absolute opposite of what he is. So Fidel Castro can become a religious zealot(which he isn't because he doesn't let anyone preach on cuba and other outlying island under control of Cuba) or a womanizer. This personallization makes the game easier or harder i.e. more interesting.

So how can I summarize? You are the Governor of Tropico during the Cold war and are in the middle of the Carribean, too close to Russian forward bases and the American back line. The only people you have to satisfy are foreingers and the people. No pesky advisors. As soon as one group of foreigners is dissatisfied, they will attack, unless the other group is protecting you, and if the people are discontent, they'll run of and do battle with your soldiers (unless your soldiers are revolting!) 9 and 1/2 out of ten! That's good for a first release!

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic game
Review: Tropico is a ton of fun, and unlike many other games, you don't get bored of it after a while. The gameplay is great, very open-ended, and very entertaining. I find it to be a much more realistic sim than some other games...buildings take time to create, workers take time to come to your island from other countries, and there are endless ways to run a country...same is true with Tropico.

There are many different "paths to greatness": you can make money from industry(rum, jewelry, etc.), farming and mining, tourism, fishing, or all of them. You can keep your island heavily guarded by military (be careful...lack of liberty is not tolerated by citizens) or you can let your people do whatever the heck they want (again, be careful. don't let them start a rebellion).

This game has few downsides.
-The interface isn't well designed. It takes up a lot of space, and doesn't provide easy access to info.
-Buildings cannot always be rotated as you want them, which is quite annoying if you want a Tenement to overlook the water, for example.

Overall, a great game, definitely worth buying.

Rating:
Summary: Hours of fun
Review: This is just plain addictive! The best part is the character selection...so many dictators, so little time. As El Presidente you have absolute control over all the people on your little island and if anyone causes trouble just have them shot or jailed! The gameplay is pretty addictive, but I think it loses a star because it can get pretty repetitive. Nonetheless, this is an excellent game.

Rating:
Summary: Boring
Review: This game is really boring. Nothing really happens. You build housing, businesses and roads. Then nothing! Oh wait, you have to do a budget. I'll pass

Rating:
Summary: Great Game
Review: I'm a Sims fan and I play it all the time but when I need a break from it; Tropico is where I go. You get to create a beautiful island of tropical paradise for tourists. I highly reccommend this game to anyone who enjoys building.

Rating:
Summary: Decent
Review: Tropico is a decent simulation of what it takes to successfully run a country.

The ease of use and learning is great.
The idea of becoming a semi-modern Caribbean Dictator was a nice change from the existing games available when this game came out, however, the game play is not very good. The options are EXTREMELY limited. You have roughly 10 political options to choose from, and essentially your only other choice is building. The buildings are nothing special, and the game clock moves too fast, even on the slowest setting.

Maybe the best modern political simulation, but you'd still be better off buying AOE or Civilization.

Rating:
Summary: A Really funny "presidente"
Review: The game is about the ascension to power of a new leader in a poor and undeveloped tropical island.
You can customize your style (leftist intellectual, military general, high class aristocratic, etc).
You'll have to plan what kind of economic development you'll give to your people: farmers or factory men.
You'll have to feed them, educate them, provide them with religious comfort and tell them constantly you are the best leader they could ever had. All this supported by a strong army, just in case...
Beware: do not ever consider having enough money! Your public finances can go into red figures immediately and take you years to get them back in order. Thus, keep a wary eye on your expenditures!!!

Rating:
Summary: Castro look out!
Review: I was a big fan of Sim City and The Sims but Tropico combines them both. In my opinion, Tropico is much better because the Tropicans have minds of their own. They go to work, eat, sleep, and entertain themselves on their own. The animations of the Tropicans going about their business are terrific. There are many more variables to control and more tools at your disposal for you to discover what your Tropicans want to make them happy and successful. You can play the role of a Presidente that tries to appease your Tropicans or you can play the role of Dictator and issue edicts to make your Tropicans do what you want. Each Tropican is an individual. Some will try to get married and raise families. You can trace their family trees. If you upset 1 Tropican, you run the risk of upsetting an entire family. If you aren't able to find what they need, they will simply leave YOUR island for a better one.
Tropico is much more open ended than the "playing with dolls" format that you find with The Sims. The built-in scenarios are very challenging and the soundtrack is outstanding. I found every game in The Sims to be the same: Feed your Sims. Send them to work. Send them to bed. Send them to the bathroom. Keep them clean. Tropicans are much more self sufficient. Strategy changes the bigger your island becomes. Strategies that worked well in the beginning of a game won't work when you have a thriving island full of tourists competing with your Tropicans for things to do. The low price makes Tropico a fantastic value.

Rating:
Summary: You should have experience in this genre
Review: Tropico is a very exciting game where you are the ruler of Tropico, a fictional island nation in the tropics. You select which person you want to be, select how many years you want to reign, and you are now a leader. You must develop the country with a limited amount of money. But if your new to the simulation genre, you don't want to buy this game right away. You should try games that aren't as hard as this. Roller Coaster Tycoon is about the only place to start because it's easy and it has the basic challenges this genre offers. The reason why this game is harder than others is because your citizens not only need shelter, but they need farms for food, Factories and plants for jobs, and pubs and Sporting facilities for entertainment. They also belong to factions that desire one thing but another faction doesn't want it. New players to this genre might not know how to handle the rebels who launch attacks on government buildings. Bottom line: This game has its up's and down's, but overall, it something to buy.

Rating:
Summary: Good start, bad end
Review: Ok, if you're thinking of buying this game I would not recommend it uness you like managing things. This game has a few good pros and some really bad cons. For example the graphics in the game are really detailed, but their stale and lifeless. The only fun I really had playing this game was when I first started a game. I enjoyed building up my city with buildings like pubs, farms, and even a hotel or two. The game can even be addictive after you build an electric plant. But what happens once you've built everything and you have a good economy? There is nothing left to do except treat you citizens as Sims and make them start a coup against you. But like I said earlier, get this game if you like games that go on and on without end or something to do.