Tlatoani: Aztec Cities

About

"Tlatoani: Aztec Cities" is a simulation game that allows players to shape the history of the Aztec civilization by building and managing city-states. The game features individual simulation of citizens, resource management, and a focus on symmetrical city design. Players must balance the needs of their citizens, economy, and religion to create a successful and prosperous city-state.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 60 reviews

graphics5 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Tlatoani is a modern take on classic city builders like Caesar and Pharaoh, offering a unique setting and engaging mechanics that reward careful planning and symmetry in city layouts.
The game features a beautifully voiced campaign that tells the story of the Mexica people, along with standalone scenarios and random maps for extended gameplay.
Despite being in early access, the game runs smoothly, has a solid framework, and offers a lot of content, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.

The game suffers from pacing issues, where the time constraints of missions can feel overwhelming, especially given the slow construction and production times.
Some users have reported a lack of clarity in the UI and mechanics, making it difficult to manage resources and navigate the game effectively.
There are several bugs and design flaws, such as crashes and confusing building requirements, which detract from the overall experience and indicate that the game still needs significant refinement.

graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
30%
20%
The graphics of the game are described as visually acceptable for 2024, featuring a nostalgic aesthetic that runs smoothly on various hardware. While not groundbreaking, the art style and user interface are appreciated for their charm, and the inclusion of multiple presets and a day-night cycle enhances the overall experience. Players find the graphics suitable for a city-building game, complementing its unique mechanics and historical themes.
- “Graphics is pretty enough to be acceptable in 2024 but simple enough that it runs on anything with a processor.”
- “Graphics-wise, it is nice that there are multiple presets available, and a day-night cycle is also pleasant to see.”
- “It's fun, the artwork is great, and it has its own quirks and charm.”
- “The graphics really aren't the best, but that's okay.”
- “Graphics are pretty enough to be acceptable in 2024, but simple enough that it runs on anything with a processor.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The gameplay in this city builder is engaging and multifaceted, featuring intricate production chains, trade, and military defense elements that enhance strategic planning. While the mechanics, including a unique symmetry feature, add depth and beauty, they can also complicate resource management, making the game slower and more thoughtful compared to other titles in the genre. Overall, players find the core gameplay enjoyable, though some mechanics may require further refinement as the game develops.
- “The actual city building has some neat mechanics, where you have to keep an eye on several production chains, trade, defense, and tribute to your overlords.”
- “I have put several hours into this game and for a city builder this is pretty exceptional, with interesting mechanics like symmetry that make you consider how you layout your city. I also enjoy the military aspect, which adds a fun element to planning defense in a city, which is important in this time period. Overall, I'm looking forward to this game's development and recommend it to anyone interested in Mesoamerican history or city builders in general.”
- “It's a bit tricky to learn even in the tutorial; you can get your city caught in some hard-to-solve situations, as the resource management and transportation mechanics are fairly complicated.”
- “Some work is needed on game mechanics (to be expected with early access releases), but there are a lot that I'm looking forward to getting more familiar with.”
- “This makes the gameplay overall slower and more thoughtful than previous city builders.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The story focuses on the Mexica people's rise to the Aztec Empire, exploring their conflicts and interactions with various tribes. However, players have noted that the pacing of the missions can be challenging, with strict time limits that may require multiple attempts to fully understand the objectives.
- “I'm only halfway through the campaign maps, but it tells the story of the Mexica people on their ascent to forming the Aztec Empire, highlighting the various peoples and their wars.”
- “However, I feel that the pacing of the missions can be a bit brutal, especially on early levels.”
- “You are constrained by the workers taking time to accomplish their tasks, but at the same time the missions do have a relatively unforgiving time limit.”
- “It sometimes feels as though you need to play the missions and fail first, in order to know exactly what tribute will be demanded and when.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The music effectively complements the Mesoamerican theme, featuring well-crafted, chill compositions that evoke an Aztec vibe. However, some users noted that a particular high-pitched flute in one of the tracks can be piercing.
- “The music is well done, chill, and has that Aztec vibe.”
- “Music is fitting with instruments matching the Mesoamerican theme, though one of the songs in particular has a high-pitched flute that seems to be quite piercing.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's optimization is lacking, resulting in a persistent shortage of resources that forces players to construct numerous identical buildings to compensate.
- “Production isn't optimized, meaning there's a constant lack of resources and the player has to build countless identical buildings.”
- “The game's performance is severely hindered by poor optimization, leading to frustrating lag and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “I often find myself waiting for resources to generate because the optimization is so bad; it feels like I'm just wasting time.”