Tropico 5 - PC

With four instalments of the Tropico series in the can, developer Haemimont Games has spent a lot of time on the city-building franchise. Not in the way we're seeing with Tropico 5, though. This time out, the game moves through four different eras, from the colonial era through to the present, with stop-offs during World War II and the Cold War.

One way you'll see that played out is in the architecture. By the time you get to the modern era you'll be looking round your city and seeing colonial mansions next to multi-coloured Cold War apartment blocks and gleaming skyscrapers. The graphics engine has been overhauled, so it's all easier on the eye than it was in past Tropico games, too.

The way time works creates some interesting decisions, too. That colonial mansion that you love might look great, but what happens when your city would be better off with a newer, more efficient building? Or you might find that an industry that worked well in World War II becomes superseded and needs replacing in the Cold War era. In Tropico 5, you can't expect your solutions to problems to last forever.

There's also an increased focus on the military system. While Tropico isn't going to morph into an RTS any time soon, players will have to make decisions such as where to focus attack and defence.

The other big change is the inclusion of multiplayer. For the first time, gamers can get involved with up to three other players, either co-operating or cracking the bombs out. more