Tropico 3 Review for Xbox 360

System: X360, PC	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Haemimont Games AD	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Kalypso Media	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Feb. 16, 2010	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Teen	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Furthermore, laying out infrastructure can be trying, especially on rough, island terrain. Laying down roads that maximize efficiency and still leave you with space to plant crops and construct buildings is an often frustrating experience with the Xbox 360 controller.

Tropico 3 screenshot

Graphics and sounds aren't nearly as compelling as the controls are, but they still support gameplay nicely. Your island nation is well rendered with recognizable buildings and even people and cars roaming the street. However, there isn't a lot of detail to get excited about. In terms of visuals, things are skewed toward functionality rather than beauty. The aural complements are far worse. While I enjoyed the pseudo Tito Puente / Celia Cruz menu tunes, things get repetitive and the game itself is often devoid of a soundtrack. Morover, the "radio" announcements that give you an overall idea of the events and state of your nation are quite bad; the guy doing the announcing seems to be stuck between five different accents, none of which come through clearly.

Tropico 3 is a good translation of a quality strategy game. Even on the Xbox 360, there are hours and hours of fun to be had, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the series evolves now that it has ventured away from the PC. What Tropico 3 seems to be missing is PvP, online matches. While most LIVE gamers likely aren't patient enough to slog through hour after hour of turn-based strategy a la the Civilization franchise, putting players in control of a number of factions on the same island with some strategy-lite game modes could be great fun. Alas, all you'll find here is leaderboard support.

Tropico 3 for Xbox 360 is one of the best strategy games available for the platform, so console gamers looking for this type of gameplay will be pleasantly surprised. Of course, the PC version still trumps the console edition, so don't expect miracles.

By Jonathan Marx
CCC Editor / News Director

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.7

Graphics
The game looks good, but the visuals do little more than nicely support gameplay.

4.1

Control
Though they're not ideal, the developers did an excellent job creating a user-friendly interface.

2.5

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The sounds are serviceable but should have been a lot better.

4.0

Play Value
Tropico 3 offers gamers hours of strategic goodness on Xbox 360. However, playing by yourself will probably only hold your interest for short stints.

3.8

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Challenging campaign: Play through a comprehensive campaign with 15 different missions.

Variety of play: Build your island with a variety of business sectors, such as tourism, petroleum, mining, or agriculture.

Timeline editor: The timeline editor allows you to create your own historical events.

Avatar function: Create an avatar and wander the island as "El Presidente." Calm down a protestor, visit the local pub, or give a speech from your palace.

Political options: Give stirring speeches, issue presidential edicts, and use "other" means of influence to stay in power.

Sandbox mode: Tropico 3 contains a wide range of editing and modification functions for your island. Use the mission generator for random map creation.

Graphic detail: The cinematic, highly detailed graphics perfectly reflect Tropico's own Caribbean way of life. Follow individual citizens or tourists to see their likes and dislikes.

Sounds of the tropics: Groove to the great Latin soundtrack while running your island.

Online support: View high scores on Xbox LIVE and enjoy a variety of other online functions.