The Tropico 5 announcement teaser, below, is a re-enactment of a splendid scene from Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator. Much like a devilishly handsome sewage worker or agonisingly attractive abbattoir attendant, Chaplin was quite the looker when stripped of the greasy remnants of his trade. Dapper. And he could have been a scruffy hearthrob singer-songwriter too, given the right knitwear and a battered old guitar. Perhaps the same is true of El Presidente, Tropico's dictator. Trim the beard, swap the uniform for something svelte and scrub away the decades of corruption, and let's see what we have...OH! If you can still your beating heart, there are details about the game below.
The biggest change from the previous games is most likely the inclusion of 'eras', bringing the dictatorship from the nineteenth century into the future via the turbulence of two world wars and one cold one. As for the rest, it's in the list below. I'm hoping for a significant step forward after the disappointing fourth game.
The Eras - From the 19th century to the 21st, each era carries its own challenges and opportunities. Begin your reign during colonial times and advance your nation through the modern era and into the future!
The Dynasty – Each member of El Presidente’s extended family is present on the island and may be appointed to key leadership positions, earning skills and experience in their assigned roles.
Research and Renovate - Advance your nation by discovering new buildings, technologies and resources. Transform your old buildings into modernized, hyper-efficient designs worthy of an economic superpower!
Advanced trade system and trade fleet - Amass a global trade fleet and use your ships to secure import/export trade routes to neighbouring islands and key nations.
Explore your island - Discover what lies beyond the fog of war. Send prospectors to look for new mineral and ore deposits, but be wary of hostile animals and native tribes.
All new art - All artwork is reworked to provide Tropico 5 with a distinct historic visual identity. Choose from over 100 unique buildings from each of the individual eras.
Cooperative and competitive multiplayer – Up to four players can build up their own cities and economies on any given island map. Players can share resources and citizens, or declare war on each other.
And here's how the scene above looked when Chaplin did it, with the little bum-flick and everything.
