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73
MONSTER
Return to the remote island nation of Tropico in the next installment of the critically acclaimed and hugely popular 'dictator sim' series. Expand your Dynasty's reign from the early colonial period to beyond the 21st Century, facing an all-new set of challenges, including advanced trading mechanics, technology and scientific research, exploration and for the first time in Tropico history – cooperative and competitive multiplayer for up to 4 players.
Game analysis
Monster Scorecard
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Story and Narrative
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70
Tropico 5’s story blends era-driven humor and political satire with historical breadth, offering a structured, mission-based campaign that balances comedy and strategy—yet its minimal plot, disjointed time-travel elements, and shallow satire undermine narrative depth, prioritizing mechanics over emotional resonance.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY
Story Score
70
Positive Reviews (80-100)
24%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
76%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.
TL;DR
story and narrative
Tropico 5’s story blends era-driven humor and political satire with historical breadth, offering a structured, mission-based campaign that balances comedy and strategy—yet its minimal plot, disjointed time-travel elements, and shallow satire undermine narrative depth, prioritizing mechanics over emotional resonance.
Gameplay Mechanics
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82
Tropico 5 delivers deep, strategic city-building with era-based progression and flexible politics, but repetitive quests, restrictive systems, and a steep learning curve undermine its ambition, leaving a polished yet flawed experience.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY
Gameplay Score
82
Positive Reviews (80-100)
75%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
25%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.
TL;DR
gameplay mechanics
Tropico 5 delivers deep, strategic city-building with era-based progression and flexible politics, but repetitive quests, restrictive systems, and a steep learning curve undermine its ambition, leaving a polished yet flawed experience.
Graphics and Visual Design
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73
Tropico 5’s vibrant, detailed visuals and immersive tropical atmosphere earned praise for their charm and evolving design, but technical flaws, recycled assets, and stagnation left many underwhelmed.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS
Visual Score
73
Positive Reviews (80-100)
38%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
57%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
5%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.
TL;DR
graphics and visual design
Tropico 5’s vibrant, detailed visuals and immersive tropical atmosphere earned praise for their charm and evolving design, but technical flaws, recycled assets, and stagnation left many underwhelmed.
Music and Sound Design
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68
Tropico 5’s sound design dazzles with infectious Caribbean rhythms and jazzy tropics that nail its satirical vibe, but repetitive tracks and anachronistic salsa clash, leaving critics divided between atmospheric charm and musical monotony.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN
Sound Score
68
Positive Reviews (80-100)
27%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
64%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
9%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.
TL;DR
music and sound design
Tropico 5’s sound design dazzles with infectious Caribbean rhythms and jazzy tropics that nail its satirical vibe, but repetitive tracks and anachronistic salsa clash, leaving critics divided between atmospheric charm and musical monotony.
Voice Acting
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74
Tropico 5’s voice acting shines in regional dubs—especially Spanish—with sharp satire and charm, but English performances feel flat and over-the-top, failing to elevate its political humor beyond surface-level fun.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VOICE ACTING
Acting Score
74
Positive Reviews (80-100)
36%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
55%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
9%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the voice acting.
TL;DR
voice acting
Tropico 5’s voice acting shines in regional dubs—especially Spanish—with sharp satire and charm, but English performances feel flat and over-the-top, failing to elevate its political humor beyond surface-level fun.
Technical Performance
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67
Tropico 5’s tech is a mixed bag: PS4 runs smoothly with minor glitches, while PC crashes, lags, and suffers broken multiplayer—its core mechanics overshadowed by bugs and poor optimization.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE
Tech Score
67
Positive Reviews (80-100)
12%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
82%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
6%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.
TL;DR
technical performance
Tropico 5’s tech is a mixed bag: PS4 runs smoothly with minor glitches, while PC crashes, lags, and suffers broken multiplayer—its core mechanics overshadowed by bugs and poor optimization.
Replay Value
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77
Tropico 5 delivers solid replayability through its dynamic sandbox, era-based progression, and adaptive governance, but repetitive mechanics and derivative systems dampen long-term appeal, offering a mixed experience that excites fans yet falls short of innovation.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE
Replay Score
77
Positive Reviews (80-100)
55%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
40%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
5%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.
TL;DR
replay value
Tropico 5 delivers solid replayability through its dynamic sandbox, era-based progression, and adaptive governance, but repetitive mechanics and derivative systems dampen long-term appeal, offering a mixed experience that excites fans yet falls short of innovation.
Overall Verdict
73
MONSTER
OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION
Monster Score
73
Positive Reviews (80-100)
52%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
47%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
1%
Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.
TL;DR
Tropico 5 delivers refined gameplay, sharp satire, and addictive city-building, praised for accessibility and console polish, but lacks innovation, suffers from bugs, and feels repetitive, with shallow mechanics tempering its potential. A solid entry for fans, but falls short of revolutionizing the series.
73
MONSTER
Reviews
87 reviews found90
GamesRadar+
May 22, 2014
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
The review concludes positively, praising Tropico 5 for its refined systems, improved pacing, and cohesive design, despite some drawbacks like the simplified dynasty system. It recommends the game as a strong entry for newcomers.
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90
Hooked Gamers
May 23, 2014
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
The review concludes with a 9.0 fun score, indicating high satisfaction with the game experience.
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90
CalmDownTom
Jul 4, 2014
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Tropico 5 is considered the best in the series, offering refined mechanics and improved depth as a city/island builder. However, it loses some of the fun and charm of earlier entries, prioritizing broader appeal over the lightheartedness that defined previous games.
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85
PlaySense
May 1, 2015
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Tropico 5 is praised as a fantastic addition to the PS4, offering deep gameplay, high replayability, and strong technical quality despite minor flaws like repetitive music and autosave issues. The review concludes it is 'ontzettend goed' (extremely good) and worth purchasing.
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85
Worth Playing
Jul 17, 2014
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Tropico 5 is praised as a great starting point for new players, offering enjoyable gameplay and a fun experience despite minor flaws. The review highlights its accessibility and depth, though some systems feel simplified.
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