Tropico 6
- September 27, 2019
- Realmforge Studios
- 22h median play time
Tropico 6 is a highly addictive city and government simulator that has realistic game mechanics with an easy to use build and management interface. A marvelous, challenging, enjoyable and non complicated experience.
Tropico 6 - Next Gen Edition is a city-building simulation game where you play as a dictator of a tropical island. Experience the game in native 4k resolution and manage multiple islands, building infrastructure and transport systems. The game offers new transportation possibilities, customizable palaces, and multiplayer for up to 4 players, with revised political research and election speech systems.
Reviews
- story1,511 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story aspect of Tropico 6 has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of a cohesive campaign compared to previous titles. Instead of a continuous narrative, the game features 15 standalone missions that often feel disconnected, leading to a less engaging experience. While some missions are praised for their humor and unique challenges, others are criticized for being repetitive and lacking depth, with players longing for the richer storytelling found in earlier installments.
“The missions are great and I feel new a ton of stuff has been added to the game.”
“The campaign missions are generally hilarious and each offer a different challenge that requires unique methods to complete.”
“The missions provide some guided content if that's your thing, or the traditional sandbox is also great.”
“The missions are all completely optional and tend to restrict or change the game's rules to make a more interesting run, and of course, Penultimo is there too, being his amazing self.”
“The missions are too limited to inspire a rematch on them.”
“The missions are dull and not fun; I really dislike that you have to manually export things to make money.”
- gameplay1,090 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Tropico 6 has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the engaging mechanics and vibrant graphics, while others criticize the complexity and lack of clarity in certain systems. The introduction of new features, such as multi-island management and the raid mechanic, adds depth, but some players feel that the game has been simplified compared to its predecessors, leading to a less satisfying experience. Overall, while the game offers a fun and humorous city-building experience, it struggles with balance and clarity in its mechanics, leaving some players longing for the depth found in earlier titles.
“The gameplay mechanics in Tropico 6 are deep and satisfying.”
“With its vibrant visuals, engaging gameplay, and witty humor, this city-building simulation is a delightful experience from start to finish.”
“The core gameplay loop of building, managing, and politically maneuvering is satisfying and can easily be enjoyed over multiple playthroughs.”
“The game does a poor job of introducing, let alone explaining, game mechanics.”
“The gameplay can be overwhelming and confusing at times, as it does not always explain how the different systems and mechanics work, or how to solve the problems that arise.”
“The missions kinda suck, but the expansion missions are worse, often introducing new annoying game mechanics.”
- graphics798 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics in Tropico 6 have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the vibrant and stunning visuals that enhance the tropical setting, while others feel the improvements over Tropico 5 are minimal or even disappointing. Some users noted issues with performance and graphical glitches, suggesting that despite the aesthetic appeal, the game can be demanding on hardware. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered attractive and immersive, they are seen as not significantly advancing the series' visual quality.
“The graphics are stunning, capturing the vibrant atmosphere of the tropics with vivid colors and lively animations.”
“The graphics are beautiful, surprisingly it works fine on my older hardware.”
“The graphics are absolutely stunning, the game runs well, and it is a micro-manager's dream.”
“The graphics, even if on the highest settings, are worse than those of Tropico 5 (and more demanding on the machine).”
“The graphics have not improved at all in multiple versions.”
“The graphics are terrible, rendering is blurry, there’s little explanation of new mechanics and sometimes you spend hours trying to figure out tunnels only to rage quit.”
- music635 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in Tropico 6 has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its catchy Latin-inspired soundtrack that enhances the game's vibrant atmosphere and immersive experience. While some fans appreciate the upbeat tunes and humor, others feel that the music lacks the memorable quality of previous installments, with complaints about repetitiveness and a desire for more variety. Overall, the soundtrack remains a significant highlight for many players, contributing to the game's charm and enjoyment.
“The soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece—rich with Latin rhythms that make you feel like you’re right in the heart of the Caribbean.”
“What I truly love is the soundtrack, as it just immerses you into this tropical paradise of yours.”
“The music department shines once again in this game, and although I still get some of the tunes from 4 stuck in my head on occasion, this one offers its fair share of feet-tapping, upbeat songs that are a joy to listen to as you develop your islands.”
“The biggest downside to the game for me is probably the soundtrack.”
“The music is really catchy, but the soundtrack is pretty generic.”
“I had to turn off the music; it repeated quite frequently and honestly wasn't much to my liking.”
- humor588 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in Tropico 6 is a defining feature, blending satirical political commentary with lighthearted, often absurd scenarios that keep players engaged. While many reviews praise the witty dialogue and humorous character interactions, some players feel that the humor has become less sharp compared to earlier installments in the series. Overall, the game maintains a playful tone, making it an enjoyable experience for fans of city-building games with a comedic twist.
“Tropico 6 is a game that lets you live out your ultimate dictator fantasies in a vibrant, satirical sandbox where you shape the destiny of a tropical island (or archipelago) as its beloved—or feared—'el presidente.' With its blend of city-building, political strategy, and hilarious dark humor, Tropico 6 strikes a perfect balance between fun and complexity.”
“The humor is spot-on, and the occasional banter keeps things light, even during the most intense political moments.”
“The game is fun and funny, combining strategy, humor, and a dash of Caribbean flair.”
“The caricature of the dictator is supposed to be funny but it's just annoying.”
“It's unpolished, unfunny, and untested.”
“The game is too serious and not funny in any way compared to previous Tropico games.”
- stability190 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some users have experienced a polished experience with minimal issues, the majority highlight frequent crashes, game-breaking bugs, and performance problems, especially on certain systems. Overall, the game appears to be in need of further optimization and bug fixes to enhance stability and user experience.
“The game looks and runs great.”
“Game is polished, runs great, looks beautiful, and is a lot of fun.”
“Runs smoothly, no glitches found yet, does not overheat my computer.”
“Tropico 6 is the worst, don't buy it; full of glitches, bad missions, I hate this and wish I could get a refund.”
“Game is buggy to the point of having to reboot every hour or so to bypass tourist counts, reset approval ratings calculations, etc. For having multiple DLCs released already, the presence of core game bugs is unacceptable.”
“Game keeps crashing on startup when trying to load my game... very buggy for me.”
- replayability98 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its multiplayer mode, sandbox features, and diverse political paths that enhance replay value. However, some critics note a lack of content and linear progression that can diminish long-term engagement. Overall, while there are numerous ways to play and enjoy the game, some players feel it could benefit from additional missions and features to sustain interest over time.
“Whether you're cooperating to build thriving islands or sabotaging each other's economies, the multiplayer mode adds even more replay value.”
“The sandbox nature allows great replayability; the graphics are gorgeous, the voice acting is amazing, and the stories/missions are fun for the most part.”
“With its gorgeous graphics, deep gameplay, and endless replayability, it's a game that's sure to keep you entertained for hours on end.”
“My only negative thing about the game is that it has low replayability; it needs more missions to play or something to make it more intriguing in the long run.”
“However, once you master the principles, the replay value goes down and the game becomes boring, especially after the late stage.”
“Once you have played once, there's literally nothing left to do, so replayability is quite low.”
- grinding84 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 81 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, with players feeling overwhelmed by constant demands and micromanagement tasks. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of missions and the lack of engaging gameplay, leading to frustration and a sense that the game resembles a job rather than a source of entertainment. Overall, while some players appreciate the depth and complexity, the consensus leans towards the grinding experience being a significant drawback.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“So in summary, I think the developers need to rebalance the colonial era so it isn't as tedious to advance from and when it says '+10 revolutionary immigrants' that the game gives you those immigrants like in Tropico 5.”
“The game is like a job - long and tedious.”
“It's incredibly inefficient, and turns archipelagoes into even more of a pain as moving things around is long and tedious.”
“The missions are pretty boring and just end up relying on you grinding your way to success.”
- optimization82 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting smooth performance and no crashes, while others experience significant frame rate drops, visual glitches, and poor optimization on certain systems, particularly Macs. Many users feel that the game is not well-optimized for larger cities or complex scenarios, leading to sluggish performance and crashes at higher population counts. Overall, while some aspects of the game are praised for their optimization, many players believe it requires further improvements to enhance the overall experience.
“Haven't really encountered any issues; it's never crashed once and performance is excellent.”
“There are many little optimization tricks to learn that make for a game that is hard to master, and where your victories feel earned.”
“The game runs smoothly on my 2-year-old computer and I haven't encountered many of the issues some players claim to have experienced.”
“With the bugs and non-optimized aspects of the game, I thought it was still in early access.”
“Terribly optimized to the extent it's unplayable.”
“The performance is bad on PC while it is unplayable on Mac, and I won't even start ranting about the numerous bugs.”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its vibrant, tropical charm, enhanced by a catchy Latin-inspired soundtrack and colorful graphics. Players appreciate the humorous dialogue and engaging gameplay that contribute to a lively and enchanting environment, reminiscent of earlier installments in the series. However, some reviews note that the atmosphere in Tropico 6 may not fully capture the unique charm of its predecessors, with a few expressing disappointment in the overall ambiance compared to earlier games.
“The soundtrack, full of catchy Latin tunes, enhances the vibrant atmosphere.”
“The graphics are stunning, capturing the vibrant atmosphere of the tropics with vivid colors and lively animations.”
“It truly feels like you're building your own island paradise, complete with colorful characters and a lively atmosphere.”
“The charm is missing, as is the atmosphere.”
“It was totally missing the atmosphere of the original games.”
“The general atmosphere also felt a lot more boring, plain and uninspired this time, opting for a more realistic approach at times while trying to retain some of the light-hearted nature.”
- monetization17 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with players expressing frustration over misleading advertisements and the increasing reliance on lackluster add-on content. Many reviewers recommend avoiding this installment in favor of earlier entries in the franchise, citing a perception of laziness in development and a lack of value for the price. Overall, the sentiment suggests that the game's monetization practices detract significantly from the experience.
“This is a wack@$$, half-baked cash grab with the Tropico name attached.”
“That's even excluding the ever-increasing cash grab add-on content that is ever more lackluster than the base game.”
“It seems it just pure laziness for an easy cash grab and the worst part is that it seems to work given the current rating of the game which clearly does not deserve it.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a lack of emotional engagement in the game, with some players feeling it missed an opportunity to explore significant historical themes meaningfully. While there are moments of connection through dialogue with citizens, overall, the experience is described as lacking excitement or emotional depth, leading to disappointment among players.
“I think that the people who created this game and this series have really missed a great opportunity to not only celebrate the rich history of indigenous struggle and self-determination, but also an opportunity to create a game that is deeply intellectually and emotionally satisfying in its exploration of the complex historical relationship that is found in imperialism and revolution.”
“Like I had dialogue with penultimate and individual citizens and it made me feel more like I was actually the person behind the decisions.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
In Tropico 5, character development is noted to be more substantial due to the longevity of characters, with Penultimo's evolution being a standout twist. However, overall character design and development have faced criticism for lacking creativity and depth, reminiscent of earlier titles in the series.
“In Tropico 5, the characters stayed around longer, allowing for more character development.”
“Penultimo, though, what a new twist in his character development.”
“Over the last few years, Tropico has suffered a decline in the quality of the assets, shaders, UI design, character design, mission design, and the general ability to be creative.”
“Shitty character design just like the old Tropico games, same political jokes, very little building variation (and no modding tools to fix that); the in-game menus are huge and bulky, the multiplayer is empty and flavorless.”
Critic Reviews
Tropico 6 review
Tropico 6 is the best in the series to date, taking the personality and humour from previous titles and adding extras that make being El Presidente feel better than ever.
80%Tropico 6 Review
Tropico 6 is a solid new addition to the long running series that tightens up and expands the game in the right direction.
75%Tropico 6 Review
It's the game's commitment to accessibility that makes Tropico 6 a refreshing example of an under-served genre on the Switch. Despite some irksome performance problems, occasionally inconsistent pacing and some rather rough visuals, the game is a lot of addictive fun to play and its cheerful ambience and compelling systems will keep you glued to your handheld. Paid DLC adds even more systems to the game, but there's plenty here to keep you occupied for hours and hours. We'd recommend this to genre newbies as well as veterans; a very impressive port with strong controls and a UI tailored brilliantly for handheld mode. It's a busy, demanding game but never feels stressful, and juggling your industry, faction relationships and the mood of your citizens can be thoroughly absorbing. If you can forgive the technical issues and an occasionally slack pace, Tropico 6 is an easy recommendation.
70%