Tropico 5

Tropico 5 does a fine job of walking you through things, with the game happily offering suggestions of what to build next or a set of missions to ease you into the various methods of success.

Starting at $2.40Buy now

Get on Steam

Get on Xbox Games Store

Get on Epic Games Store

"Tropico 5" is a simulation game where players step into the role of El Presidente, ruling over the island nation of Tropico from the colonial era to the 21st century. Expand your dynasty, face new challenges such as advanced trading and scientific research, and for the first time in the series, engage in cooperative and competitive multiplayer for up to 4 players. The game also features extended family members who can be appointed to various leadership roles.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,662 reviews

gameplay149 positive mentions

stability66 negative mentions

Great simulator with very good economic characteristics.
Fun city/economy builder with a humorous twist.
Enjoyable gameplay with a sense of realism in managing a dictatorship.

Lacks depth and complexity compared to previous entries in the series.
Frequent and often arbitrary rebel uprisings can disrupt gameplay.
The campaign can feel repetitive and overly linear, with limited freedom in sandbox mode.

gameplay
583 mentions
26 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Gameplay in Tropico 5 has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant shift from previous installments. While some appreciate the introduction of new mechanics like the era system and dynasty features, others feel that the gameplay has been overly simplified and lacks depth, leading to a frustrating experience. The game is praised for its humor and graphics, but many players express disappointment over the removal of beloved mechanics and the need for clearer tutorials to navigate the complex systems.
- “The gameplay is fun and addicting like the other installations in this series, but the way it has been crashing for me makes it unplayable until a patch comes out, which is not acceptable for a $40 game.”
- “The unique sense of humor is still there, the campaign is suitably unpredictable and silly, the mechanics work (as do your builders, for the first time in tropico history) and some of the new elements like the constitution are interesting and well-implemented.”
- “Tropico 5 builds on the positives of past tropico games, and delivers so much more, and anyone new to the series should check this out as it promises to provide hours of frustrating, fun, and rewarding gameplay.”
- “In its quest to streamline the gameplay, I can't help but feel that Tropico 5 throws the baby out with the bathwater.”
- “Some crucial mechanics in the game don't get an explanation, such as how to increase immigrants and what kinds of upgrades your buildings have.”
- “The gameplay is streamlined and simplistic, even more so than its predecessors, and this somewhat detracts from its depth of gameplay.”
story
565 mentions
17 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story in Tropico 5 is characterized by its humorous and quirky narrative, with players taking on the role of a dictator managing two islands through various missions that build upon previous gameplay. While the campaign offers a continuous storyline and engaging characters, many players find the missions repetitive and sometimes frustrating due to difficulty spikes and a lack of mission diversity. Overall, the game maintains a light-hearted tone, but some feel it lacks the depth and creativity found in earlier installments of the series.
- “One of my all-time favorite games, the story mode is amazing to play through again. Such a good story for this style of game and funny too. I would 100% recommend this game for anyone who enjoys a good colony/city builder.”
- “The storyline is fun, the game isn't hard (unless you want it to be), and it's a good game to play overall.”
- “The campaign has an actual story where you collude with 'not the illuminati' and undertake a series of challenges, some more interesting than others.”
- “The campaign is hugely repetitive and there is no reason for starting from zero for almost all its missions.”
- “The story missions are lacking in substance and difficulty.”
- “The cheeky story and humor are there, but, if you're looking for an experience as deep and challenging as Tropico 4, you will be disappointed.”
graphics
453 mentions
40 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics in Tropico 5 have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the vibrant and improved visuals compared to previous installments, particularly Tropico 4. However, some users noted that while the graphics are generally appealing, they do not significantly enhance the gameplay experience, and issues such as graphical glitches and performance problems on lower-end systems have been reported. Overall, the game is considered visually attractive, but the graphical improvements alone may not justify the experience for all players.
- “Beautiful graphics, even 10 years later, should give it a try.”
- “The graphics are a step up from Tropico 4, as you'd expect.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, makes me want to play all the time.”
- “How lazy does a developer have to be to create a game for PC without even bothering to change the graphics and button layout for a mouse and keyboard?”
- “The graphics are something out of a high-end 2006 game.”
- “The graphics have improved, but that is a small consolation when the game has been rendered unplayable.”
humor
377 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in Tropico 5 is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek satire and quirky character interactions, particularly from the advisor Penultimo. However, some critics feel that the humor has become more juvenile and repetitive compared to previous installments, lacking the cleverness and charm that defined earlier games in the series. Overall, while the game retains its comedic elements, opinions vary on its effectiveness and originality.
- “The humor is great, keeping me wanting to play.”
- “The characters and comments they make are hilarious!”
- “Tropico 5 is an extremely detailed, hilarious game that's basically a dictator simulator merged together with a city building game.”
- “The fifth installment of Kalypso's Banana Republic simulator has little to offer in strategic depth and an occasional amusing but generally unfunny, hyperbolic sense of humor.”
- “Tropico 5, however, is dull (dare I say embarrassingly unfunny), lacks all the charm infused into its predecessors, and all the clever political satire that kicked in every which direction has been stripped away.”
- “Yeah, me no like 5... disappointed, you might like it just fine if you haven't played any of the other games but you will get tired of the game-ending invasions and elections you have no way of getting past and the not very good soundtrack and the not funny and dumb background talk from your advisor and radio stations.”
music
287 mentions
48 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy, upbeat Caribbean and Latin-inspired tracks that enhance the overall atmosphere. However, some players feel that the soundtrack lacks the variety and quality of previous installments, particularly Tropico 4, leading to repetitiveness. Overall, while the music is generally considered enjoyable and fitting for the game's theme, it may not meet the expectations set by earlier titles in the series.
- “The music is amazing and really adds to the game!”
- “The soundtrack is a huge part of games like this where there will be periods where you're waiting for stuff to get done.”
- “Great city-builder with the catchiest music ever, it has me reminiscing SimCity 3000 while at the same time being something new and fresh in and of itself.”
- “Easily the worst music in the whole series.”
- “The soundtrack doesn't have nearly the oomph that Tropico 4 did; I find myself muting it and going back to the 3rd and 4th soundtracks to keep the vibe.”
- “First the music compared to 3 and 4 is boring; instead of the super upbeat music that kept me up before, now it seems to put me to sleep.”
stability
68 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes affecting gameplay, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some players have experienced fewer issues over time, many still encounter significant problems that disrupt their experience, leading to frustration and a lack of recommendation for the title. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "broken," with stability issues that detract from its potential enjoyment.
- “The power you wield is satisfying, and the game looks gorgeous and runs great.”
- “So far, the game runs great under Ubuntu Gnome 14.10.”
- “The game is buggy, broken, and unwinnable!”
- “It's a buggy mess, even after all this time.”
- “The multiplayer is interesting, but ultimately unrewarding and I've found it to be extremely buggy: some players crash or suddenly slow down, save corruptions, and connectivity issues that crash the game have led me to not want to even bother with multiplayer anymore.”
grinding
50 mentions
2 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tedious micromanagement and repetitive tasks, such as clicking on buildings for upgrades and managing resources. Many players find the gameplay becomes monotonous over time, with some elements feeling unnecessarily locked behind DLC, further exacerbating the grind. While some improvements have been noted, the overall sentiment is that the game often prioritizes busywork over engaging content, leading to frustration and a sense of burnout.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Having to click on every building and set managers and do upgrades is so tedious.”
- “The game gets tedious pretty quickly and I've only started one or two games since then just because of the annoyance factor.”
- “Building upgrades no longer have any graphical representation, and the upgrades aren't located on the primary building screen, so you're forced to tediously check every single upgradeable building on your island with two mouse clicks on parts of the screen that are never near each other.”
replayability
48 mentions
38 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The reviews for replayability in the game are mixed, with some players praising its depth, humor, and engaging mechanics that offer significant replay value, particularly in sandbox and multiplayer modes. However, others criticize the game for being formulaic and repetitive, leading to limited replayability after initial playthroughs. Overall, while many find it enjoyable and replayable, there are notable concerns about its long-term engagement potential.
- “Nice graphics, interesting humor, wonderful replayability are present.”
- “Adding eras gives the game a lot more depth and replay value, some quirks and balance issues of previous games have been fixed, while everything that has always been great about the series - the humor, the relaxing-but-engaging pace, and surprisingly realistic depiction of politics and management - doesn't disappoint at all.”
- “It provides many hours of fun gameplay and has tons of replay value.”
- “Ultimately, the lack of numerically viable strategic options for achieving tropical dominance limits replayability somewhat: hundreds of hours, but not the thousands of hours you might rack up playing an FPS, RTS, or even a TBS like Civilization that was better balanced.”
- “Got it cheap when it was on sale, but after only about 10 hours I've done just about everything and don't have much in the way of replay value.”
- “Shallow to the point where the replay value is non-existent and unfulfilling.”
atmosphere
28 mentions
57 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the Tropico series is widely praised for its vibrant, lighthearted Caribbean charm, enhanced by engaging music and humor. While some players feel that recent installments have strayed from the relaxing and immersive qualities of earlier games, many still appreciate the unique ambiance and colorful graphics that define the franchise. Overall, the atmosphere remains a significant draw for fans, contributing to the enjoyment of the city-building experience despite some criticisms of gameplay changes.
- “There is no other game with such an atmosphere than the Tropico series.”
- “The graphics and music are great and really create the atmosphere, and the story and element of history makes it interesting.”
- “The atmosphere and soundtrack are amazing.”
- “Tries to lure you with its special atmosphere and jokes, but it all gets old fast.”
- “The 'NPCs' like Penultimo and the radio lady do not add atmosphere to the game...”
- “Tropico 5 has simplified and changed all of those design elements: the placement grid is less granular, the color scheme is built for cartoonish appeal instead of atmosphere, and the building designs are lower fidelity and stereotypical.”
optimization
24 mentions
46 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Overall, "Tropico 5" is generally well-optimized, running smoothly on various systems, including older hardware, with improved performance compared to its predecessor. However, some users report issues with multiplayer optimization, poor performance on macOS, and occasional bugs that affect gameplay. While the game is visually appealing and stable, certain graphical settings may require adjustments for optimal performance on weaker systems.
- “It works flawlessly on my Debian 9 and it feels pretty well optimized even for an aged video card.”
- “They've improved performance, the hard 2000 pop limit is now adjustable (up to 10k pop) and with all the DLC it finally feels like a complete game.”
- “In conclusion, Tropico 5 runs smoothly and is fun to play.”
- “The game graphics, while not glitchy, seem sluggish and poorly optimized.”
- “Another issue I have with the game is the poor optimization for OS X.”
- “Overall, the game's performance issues despite having way more than the recommended settings, removal of key character voice acting, terrible pathing of the military (they seemingly walk past rebels in the way to get to their destination), the money solves everything mentality, and much more ruined the game for me.”
emotional
11 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players expressing frustration and disappointment over its difficulty and lack of impactful storytelling, leading to a diminished emotional connection. Others found moments of achievement and humor, feeling a sense of power in building and managing their settlements, though this was often overshadowed by technical flaws and a lack of depth in character interactions. Overall, while there are moments of emotional engagement, many players feel the game falls short in delivering a consistently compelling narrative experience.
- “It's really hard for a game to get me that emotionally affected by the story, 10/10.”
- “10/10 game with patriotic elements and occasionally a touching one.”
- “For the most part this game made me feel like I could actually achieve something by building a settlement and attempting to set it up right and in the most efficient way possible, something that SimCity 5 couldn't really achieve, or at least not very well.”
monetization
11 mentions
9 % positive mentions
9 % neutral mentions
82 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has been widely criticized as a shameless cash grab, with excessive ads and a focus on microtransactions that detract from the overall experience. Many players feel that the DLC offerings are overpriced and unnecessary, leading to frustration and disappointment with the game's direction. Overall, reviewers recommend avoiding the game unless it is heavily discounted, as the monetization practices have soured the enjoyment of the franchise.
- “The horrid monetization model just makes it worse.”
- “Otherwise they will continue with this greedy cash grab.”
- “The franchise is becoming a cash grab, something I won't be a part of.”
character development
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development and voice acting have significantly declined compared to previous installments, suggesting a less engaging experience for players.
- “The character development and voice acting have definitely taken a big step down.”
- “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the story.”
- “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any interesting ways.”