Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Recollections of the Tropico games rapidly disappeared into the hazy history of tycoon games, but they were nevertheless remarkably playable at the time. I’m glad that Kalypso Media have decided to support a third iteration of the series, developed by Haemimont Games. I hope the Bulgarian team can get the tone of it right – their recent Grand Ages: Rome was pretty and playable, but ultimately frustrating, with a poorly-conceived micromanagement system. It looks like they’re aiming to create Tropico 3 using a buffed up version of the rather proficient Grand Ages: Rome technology, as you can see from the teaser below. The world’s friendliest dictatorship is scheduled for release in September.
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Somewhat fiddly and annoying city-builder Grand Ages: Rome (previously Imperium Romanum II) is out this week, and while it might not be the smoothest city-building strategy game we’ve ever encountered, it’s certainly one of the most visually impressive, with its lavishly detailed ancient urban systems, and boggling long-zoom. The Roman metropolis you can construct with its aqueducts and villas is eye-soothingly realistic: perfect for an accelerated-time trailer like the one after the jump. Rome built in just a few minutes, in fact. Go take a look.
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Here’s a story that got lost in our weekend of commenty madness. Reader John reminded us it was announced on Friday that Kalypso, a publisher of Sins of a Solar Empire and Gal Civ II, had acquired the rights to the Tropico series from Take 2. The consequences of this being the declaration that there will be a Tropico 3.

To be developed by Haemimont Games, the Bulgarian studio behind Glory of the Roman Empire and Imperivm – Great Battles Of Rome, they’re currently suggesting a Summer 2009 release.

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