Tropico 2: Pirate Cove

"It is good to be a pirate..."

Let me first say that the Tropico series is the first management games I've really mastered and enjoyed. They are truly made to give you a smile and not an headache. And Tropico 2 fully lives up to the expectations. It's fun, has a very sweet learning curve and ,moreover, it's all about pirates! Let's get a closer look:

Controls/Interface: 8/10

Not the first thing you look into in a management game, but it's useful. The rock-solid ''Point & Click'' + keyboard combination is well implemented here, even if the pointer could be a little more accurate. The island register is a great thing and it's really well made. Here you can find everything you need: from the pirates' happiness, divided into subsections like housing and booty, to prisoners' unrest. The only spot is the lack of a section dividing wealthy prisoners by ransom: when you got lots of them running around, it can be a painstaking job pinpointing each one of them to see how much they are worth!

Game play: 9/10

What can I say? Almost perfection! Once you give pirates what they want (and they are really easy to please!) and keep prisoners in check, the island will almost run by itself, allowing you to concentrate on more pressing duties, like plundering galleons, breed parrots and put something away for yourself! There is even a campaign (the main spot in the first Tropico), which will allow you to raise from humble beginnings to the rank of King of Pirates. What else can you ask for?

Graphics: 7/10

Tropico is not about flashy graphics, it's about playing and having fun, so expect average stuff. The people in the street are pretty well made, but they behave all the same: walk down the lane, enter the buildings, etc. If you look at your pirate supervisors, you can have a little fun!

Sound: 8/10

The background music is well chosen. It's really what you expect from a pirate game in Caribbean. Good.

Value for money: 8/10

This is really a game worth having, especially if you, like me, has always had some problems with complicated management games like the Caesar or Sim-City series. If you liked the first Tropico, you will be really pleased by what you have here, since many issues has been fixed and improved (like the lack of a campaign). If you have never tried a management series before and you want to give it try, this may be your lucky day!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/19/03, Updated 05/19/03