Tropico Preview

The natives are restless. So, el presidente, what are you going to do about it? Increase wages? Maybe a tax cut? Perhaps you will treat them to a new cabaret, or boost the tourism trade.

Tropico, from Pop Top Productions and Gathering of Developers, is an engaging, visual and audio treat that plays out on the computer with charm, a sense of urgency and delightful wonder. This is in the tradition of Sim City, but without some of the minutia that makes that program such a challenge.

Don’t think for an instant that Tropico isn’t a challenge – it definitely is. The pre-release beta build of the program is a little light when it comes to the economic factors, and a little hard on the political side of the coin, something the developers promise will be fixed with the game releases in a month.

But what it offers is the chance to rule an island in the Caribbean, not as a dictator, but as a duly elected official. The island will start out with a small population base, and it is your job to manage the island resources, attract trade and tourism, keep the economy booming and play politics to keep the home factions – from capitalist to communist – at a low murmur while tap-dancing with the big boys overseas.

You will be tasked to build farms, industries, living quarters, and the trappings of government, tourism highlights – in short, everything that takes a country from third-world status to progressive paradise.

Here are some of the highlights of the program:

• The difficulty level is determined by several factors: political stability and economical status come in six levels and will go a long way to setting the challenge before you.
• There are five victory goals: A place in history; don’t worry, be happy; ‘tis money that makes the man; economic powerhouse; and open-ended.
• Special circumstances which may come into play include the spirits are strong, green machine, citizens not soldiers and a far-away place.
• Customizing the look of your island will also affect the game difficulty.
• Each game has six settings, ranging from 10-70 years (and boy, do those years fly past).

In addition, the dossier on the president will play into the game. You select one of 17 backgrounds, each will affect the way your people and other countries view you. Are you a Harvard grad, a farmer, biblical scholar, booze baron, man of the people, Fortunate Son (hail Creedence), silver spoon, Generalissimo, developer, professor or pop singer? What are your flaws – flatulence, womanizer, pompous, or maybe you suffer from Tourette’s Syndrome? How did you rise to power?

The game interface is excellent, with controls easy to use and access. The view of the program is from above the clouds, but you can zoom in and follow one of your citizens to see what he or she is thinking. Children frolic, the sounds of construction and work fill the air mingled with the cries of birds into the tropical jungle that surrounds your capitol and an ongoing musical beat that is quite infectious.

If you want to see how well you are doing during game play, call an election. If the people threaten to throw you out, you can always invoke martial law and rule with an iron fist. Just make sure the military is on your side. And no island ruler can do so forever, so you can save for those golden retirement years with just a click of the mouse. Issue an edict that pays you kickback for all the construction and deals struck. That money will go straight into a Swiss bank account, and few will be the wiser.

So how does this game play? Remember, this is only a beta build, missing half the music, no pre-made scenarios, a manual and it is a little stilted in game balance. Still, the program is an absolute joy to play.

The three-dimensional graphics are lush, the citizenry of the island well rendered (each citizen has a name and background – how’s that for detail), and the island – after a few improvements – is exactly the type of place that will either have you saving for your own, or planning a vacation get-away.

Tropico isn’t finished yet, but this program will be a hit when released. Anyone, and everyone, will be able to take part in this tale of a tin-pot island dictator simulation, and it is sure to draw as fanatical a following as Electronic Arts Sim City and its offspring.

This is a certified hit in the making.