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Tropico 4 review: Evolution, not la revolucion
Dear, magnificent El Presidente, I, Penultimo, your trusted and loyal adviser, understand that you have ordered copies of Tropico 4 not be imported to the island and stated, in your wisdom, that not enough has changed from Tropico 3 to this latest sequel to acquiesce on requested import taxes. Although you are correct on many, many levels, I humbly note the following changes that may shift your perspective. On the surface, Tropico 4 is almost identical to Tropico 3. It looks the same, controls the same, the UI is similar, art is reused, you'll still have to put parking garages (seriously!) everywhere and it's difficult to initially discern what's changed at all. But, once the game begins, it becomes clear that this is the game that Tropico 3 should have been. Could it have been called Tropico 3.75: We Fixed It? Absolutely. However, publisher Kalypso Media and developer Haemimont Games went with Tropico 4, so here we are. %Gallery-126027%
Tropico 4 welcomes El Presidente to play on PC August 30
Banana republic political simulation Tropico 4 is ready for el revolucion on PC this August 30 -- just making that previously announced launch window. The Xbox 360 version has been moved until "mid-September," but any public mentioning of this as a "delay" will involve a blindfold and firing squad. If you're looking to get a taste of life as a tropical dictator, take the Tropico 4 demo for a spin right here (system requirements). May your service to the people be long and your private Swiss bank account always be full. %Gallery-128782%
Tropico 4 demo welcomes you back, El Presidente
Brush up on your speech-writing skills and get set to shape the political and economic future of a small island nation, because the Tropico 4 demo is here. The playable demo includes the tutorial and one mission from the main campaign to give you a taste of what to expect when the game is released on September 1st. We can almost guarantee it'll be less depressing than what's happening with real life politics. Ready to become leader? You can download the Tropico 4 demo right here. System requirements are shown after the jump.
El Presidente declassifies more Tropico 4 Xbox 360 screens
A new batch of Tropico 4 screens, showcasing the Xbox 360 version of the game, have been given to us by the benevolent, glorious El Presidente. He is such a magnificent leader! (Prepare for the revolution in August.)
Boulder Dash XL boldly dashes to XBLA July 13
An HD update of the classic game Boulder Dash is coming to XBLA on July 13 ... just a week shy of the Summer of Arcade promotion, and the same day as Ms. Splosion Man. Ouch. Boulder Dash XL retains the formula from First Star Games' vintage side-scroller, with a treasure hunter searching for diamonds in maze-like caves, avoiding enemies, falling boulders, and traps. The new version features "7 times the amount of caves as the 1984 original release," publisher Kalypso Media says, along with a new "puzzle mode," items like speed enhancers and telescoping arms, and online leaderboards. In addition to the 800 Microsoft Point Xbox Live Arcade release, a PC version will be released later in the summer. Hopefully for its sake, it won't be overshadowed again by a promotion and a higher-profile release.%Gallery-127224%
Tropico 4 hollas back with b-a-n-a-n-a republic trailer
Tropico 4's E3 trailer has finally washed up on our shores in a rubber raft after escaping El Presidente's island nation. Check out shots of the game that's looking an awful lot like Tropico 3.75 (Absolute Power being 3.5).
Tropico 4 delayed, won't export until August
People of Tropico, it is I, Juanito! A new teaser trailer for Tropico 4 reveals the latest video game simulation of our beloved island has been delayed until August 2011, for both the Xbox 360 and PC versions. El Presidente would like to inform the people that anything they may have heard about a release date between April and June, 2011 was merely "rumor and speculation." Our great leader would never do anything to mislead the people. Ever.
Tropico 4 coming to Xbox 360 and PC in Q2 2011
People of Tropico, rejoice! Our leader, El Presidente, in his infinite wisdom, has declared a launch window for Operation Tropico 4: next quarter, between April 1 and June 30. How thoughtful of our great leader to give us so many dates from which to choose -- but that's not all! El Presidente has also confirmed that his bold new vision will manifest not only on the PC, but on Xbox 360 as well. Recognizing the power and influence of our great El Presidente, more superpowers will open themselves up to diplomacy in Tropico 4. El Presidente has also announced he will be employing new ministers, who will help him shape this great nation through liberating policies. So, we say again: rejoice! (Not like you have a choice.) %Gallery-99369%
The First Templar trailer stabs so many dudes in the chest
Haemimont Games, the company which brought about the relaunch of the Tropico franchise, recently released a trailer for its new IP, The First Templar. In true Templar fashion, the game appears to be very Grail centric. In true action game fashion, the title also appears to be very stabbing-centric.
El Presidente, Tropico 4 is on its way in 2011
People of Tropico, it is I, Juanito! It appears that El Presidente is ready to simulate his next revolución, as he has ordered Haemimont Games, creators of Tropico 3, to make him another sequel. Tropico 4 has been announced for PC, but publisher Kalypso Games hints at a "possible console version" -- the previous installment was released on Xbox 360. The banana republic simulator is currently scheduled for a calendar Q2 2011 release. Tropico 4 will have a new campaign with 20 missions on 10 new maps, 20 "new buildings" and a whole sweatshop-produced mess of other features, including Facebook and Twitter integration. Tropico 3 was a very competent game that recaptured the spirit of the original. If the fourth installment can streamline some of the more unruly micromanagement and flow issues of the last game, Haemimont Games could have one of the best strategy sims in years on its coconut-oiled hands. %Gallery-99369%
Tropico 3 gains 'Absolute Power' expansion this summer
Tropico 3 will have the Absolute Power expansion available this summer for PC, bringing some valuable tweaks for El Presidente to implement in the banana republic. The $20 expansion contains 10 new missions, several new buildings, "megalomania edicts," six new landmarks and the "Loyalist Faction," who will always stand by El Presidente no matter what silly decisions he makes. The expansion's updates aren't just cosmetic, as there will apparently be new radio announcements hinting at daily life and "more icons displaying the status of buildings and displaying input/output storage numbers." Tropico 3 launched late last year as a fairly solid sim title with some niggling issues. Hopefully, the expansion will fix the minor points and Absolute Power won't corrupt the game absolutely. %Gallery-63402%
Tropico 3 down 66% this weekend on Steam
Hola señoras y señores: Just in case the last Steam deal we told you about wasn't good enough, why not try 66% off the strategy/sim Tropico 3 this weekend? Steam users can nab a copy of Tropico 3 for $13.60 until the end of the weekend -- down from $39.99. The best part of the promotion? The Steam version of Tropico 3 includes two exclusive maps, two additional avatar costumes, and two accessories for the el presidente avatar editor. If you're on the fence about picking it up, you can download a demo of the title from our friends at BigDownload. Download Tropico 3 Demo (1.10 GB) %Gallery-63402%
El Presidente, the Tropico 3 demo is now available
Comrade Nelson sends word that a demo for Tropico 3, the 2010-bound sim being published by Kalypso Media, is now available for download on Xbox Live. The game takes place during the Cold War on the fictitious island of Tropico, where players take up the role of new usurper El Presidente. The real question is: Will you be the valiant, selfless leader your up-and-coming nation needs, or will you be the greedy, power-hungry dictator your coffers cry out for? Add Tropico 3 demo to your download queue %Gallery-63402%
Tropico 3 for Xbox 360 will feature user-created content, no mission editor
Kalypso Media's press release yesterday implying user generated content and a "powerful new mission editor" existing in the delayed Xbox 360 version of Tropico 3 certainly required us to call El Presidente to verify the authenticty of the claim. Turns out some lines got crossed, which is bound to happen when dealing with a developing banana publisher, and a representative clarified the situation."Some of the top rated missions created with the challenge editor for the PC version will be made available to Xbox 360 players," a representative explained. "There is no mission editor for the 360 version." Now that makes more sense. There's still no word on cost or when the DLC will release -- but we kind of need an official release date for the Xbox 360 version before we start worrying about such things.
Tropico 3 publisher aiming for 10 games a year
Publisher Kalypso Media USA and its recently released debut title, Tropico 3, have something in common: both are trying to build an empire from the ground up. Speaking with the The Washington Post, Kalypso's El Presidente Deborah Tillett describes the current economic climate as a good time to start something up, because "you can't get worse than zero."Tillett explains that Kalypso had the opportunity to buy the Tropico rights from Take-Two because the previous games sold "hundreds of thousands of copies." That's great for Kalypso, but Take-Two wouldn't have been able to make enough profit if it had done another installment. She notes Tropico's figures are "a pittance compared with many millions of unit sales for every new GTA game."The Germany-based Kalypso plans to release about 10 games a year, most of which will be indie titles that couldn't make the trip across the Atlantic. Tropico 3, a sunny, stylish reboot of the series, was developed by a team in Bulgaria and is getting respectable marks from the critics.
Tropico 3 for Xbox 360 moved to 'early 2010'
With the release of Tropico 3 on PC this week, a few of you have asked where the Xbox 360 version went off to. Turns out that in the third paragraph of a random press release dated a month ago, publisher Kalypso Entertainment stated the game was delayed until "early 2010." Several retailers currently list the new release date as February 2, 2010. We contacted the company to find out if it could confirm the date, but a representative stuck with "early 2010." The game has been receiving some decent reviews, so we'll look forward to the console version next year.%Gallery-63402%
Tropico 3 elected to retail on Oct. 16, PC demo on Sept. 7
Tropico 3 will be available to potential El Presidentes on PC and Xbox 360 starting October 16th, mean la revolución did receive a slight delay from its original September commencement. While PC players can try a demo of the banana republic sim on September 7th, an Xbox 360 demo has not been announced. Right, who's ready to practice rolling some serious cigars? %Gallery-63402%
First screens of Xbox 360's Tropico 3 elected
Click to make as bigger than El Presidente Kalypso Media has released the first screens of Tropico 3's Xbox 360 incarnation. The banana republic simulator by Haemimont Games is set to shout "viva la revolución" on PC and Xbox this September.For those with a PC, the original games were recently bundled and re-released at retail for a very reasonable price. %Gallery-63402%
Tropico and sequels re-released on PC for $10
Judging by some of the responses to our coverage of Tropico 3, some citizens don't recall the first games in the series. Well, here's your chance to get acquainted with El Presidente, Pirates and the whole management sim, with Kalypso Media bunching up (banana joke!) Tropico, Tropico: Paradise Island and Tropico 2: Pirate Cove for one low price. Dubbed Tropico Reloaded, it'll cost you $10. The retail bundle has already "shipped," so it may very well have sailed into stores already. The boxed set is also available on Steam for $15. Wait ... retail is the better deal? That's not something we're used to.
Sign up for Tropico 3's closed beta revolution
Being El Presidente of a South American country is an exclusive club. With that in mind, Kalypso Media is currently taking applications for players interested in Tropico 3's closed PC beta. Despite what you've been led to believe in recent years, a beta is not a demo, and your job is to actually help test the game and report bugs.Those interested in helping make the banana republic simulator the best it can be, can head on over to the Haemimont Games website and fill out an application. The actual testing begins July 13. Tropico 3 is expected to start a revolution on PC and Xbox 360 this September.%Gallery-63402%
