Tropico 5
A city-building sim with eras, dynasties, and multiplayer for the first time.
Tropico 5 is a construction and management simulation game from Haemimont Games. It launched on Microsoft Windows in May 2014, with Linux, OS X, and Xbox 360 versions arriving later that same year. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ports followed in April 2015 and May 2016, respectively. For the first time in the series, the game includes multiplayer for up to four players, supporting both cooperative and competitive play. Participants can build cities on a shared island, deciding whether to collaborate or oppose one another.
Several mechanics were new to the series in this installment. Players can advance through four eras—Colonial, World Wars, Cold War, and Modern Times—spanning the 19th to the 21st century, but only after meeting certain conditions, such as drafting a constitution. The ruler, El Presidente, now has a dynastic family present on the island. Trading, research, renovation, and exploration systems were reworked. In multiplayer, diplomacy lets players share resources, construction workers, electricity, and cash. They can also compete or declare war on each other.
Series producer Bisser Dyankov stated that Tropico 5 was designed to be denser than earlier games. Citizens are central to growing the island empire, and keeping them happy is key to sustainable growth. Ten different in-game factions have their own needs, so one person’s satisfaction can cause another’s frustration. Allegiances shift depending on the government type or buildings constructed. Constitutional changes can raise or lower faction happiness based on their loyalties.
The base game includes 15 missions split into two parts. Both parts take players through all four eras, with various objectives leading to a final goal per mission. In the first part, Tropico must declare independence from the Crown, a stand-in for the British Empire. The campaign introduces Leon Kane, leader of The Order, as the primary antagonist. After independence ends the Colonial Era, El Presidente and his dynasty must win three bets against the US president to befriend him, while paying a real estate tax to the Crown. Next, the island builds a large army to repel an invasion. Once that succeeds, the player must amass a large sum in a Swiss Bank Account to buy Switzerland and bring Dr. Zweistein to the island. This leads to a tourism-focused mission where fees are paid to The Order while attracting tourists.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Tropico 5
- Developer
- Haemimont Games
- Publisher
- Kalypso Media
- Director
- Gabriel Dobrev
- Designer
- Boian Spasov
- Programmer
- Alexander Andonov
- Series
- Tropico
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows / OS X / Linux / Xbox 360 / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One
- Genre
- Construction and management simulation, government simulation
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Tropico 5 introduces several new mechanics to the series, including the ability to advance through four eras—Colonial Era, World Wars, Cold War, and Modern Times—if certain requirements are met, such as writing the constitution of Tropico. The game also features a dynastic family for 'El Presidente' that appears on the island, and overhauls trading, research, renovation, and exploration. In multiplayer, diplomacy allows players to share resources, construction workers, electricity, and cash, and they can compete or declare war on each other. According to series producer Bisser Dyankov, the game is designed to be much denser than its predecessors, with citizens as the lifeblood of the island and 10 different in-game factions whose happiness and allegiances shift based on government and buildings.
Reader's Guide
The base game includes 15 missions split into two parts, advancing through all four eras. In the first part, Tropico declares independence from the Crown and faces the antagonist Leon Kane, leader of The Order. The player must win bets against the US president, pay real estate tax to the Crown, build an army to fend off invasion, accrue Swiss Bank funds to purchase Switzerland, manage tourism while paying fees to The Order, build a Nuclear Program to avoid World War III, and produce uranium while stopping protests. Kane's plan is revealed: he intends to use uranium to build nuclear missiles and attack the world, restarting civilization with Order-picked survivors. The player must generate research points to build a time machine and travel back in time, beginning part two. In the second part, the player exports gold and food to the Pirate King, amasses wealth to become the richest Caribbean country, invades Cayo de Fortuna, assassinates Kane, exports resources to dissolve the USSR, and brings superpowers together. Sandbox mode allows players to choose pre-generated or random islands, work through all ages, and write a full constitution. The game was banned in Thailand by the National Council for Peace and Order, citing potential impact on peace and order. Square Enix localized and published the game in Japan for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 4. The Complete Edition, including all DLC and expansion packs (Espionage and Waterborne), was released digitally on 29 January 2016. Forumers discovered that the vanilla game contains working models later sold and unlocked in DLC.
Did You Know?
- Tropico 5 is the first game in the series to feature cooperative and competitive multiplayer for up to four players.
- The campaign's primary antagonist is Leon Kane, leader of The Order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who developed Tropico 5?
Tropico 5 was created by Haemimont Games, the studio behind the broader Tropico series. It is a construction and management simulation focused on building and governing a tropical island.
When and where was Tropico 5 first released?
The game launched on Microsoft Windows in May 2014, with Linux, OS X, and Xbox 360 versions following later that year. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ports arrived in April 2015 and May 2016, respectively.
Does Tropico 5 support multiplayer?
Yes—Tropico 5 was the first entry in the series to include multiplayer, allowing up to four players to share a single island. Players can choose to cooperate on building the city or compete against one another.
What new mechanics did Tropico 5 introduce to the series?
The installment added four distinct eras, a dynasty system, and the aforementioned four-player multiplayer mode. These features marked a significant expansion of the gameplay loop compared to earlier Tropico titles.
How many missions are in the base game of Tropico 5?
The base game includes 15 missions for players to work through. These missions span the four eras and guide the El Presidente through various political and economic challenges on the island.
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