Tropico 5 releases on May 23, Kalypso plans "extensive" SteamOS version

Bribes, drug trafficking, manipulating the media, and politics.

Bribes, drug trafficking, manipulating the media, and politics. They're all equally legitimate and useful governing tools in the banana-republic-themed Tropico games. Tropico 5 looks like it will be the most ambitious game in the series, and not just because it's way prettier and has the highest number in its title. For the first time in the series, It's adding multiple eras, with players taking El Presidente from the colonial 19th century, through to the future. We'll find out if that's a big enough addition to mix up the formula when it's released on May 23.

Our review of Tropico 4found that it was remarkably entertaining, but that it failed to add much to the formula set in previous games in the series. If all goes well, Tropico 5's new eras, a dynasty system that allows you to preserve El Presidente's dynasty, and all new art will help make it worth revisiting.

Kalypso also announced that it will publish an “extensive” SteamOS version of the game, available whenever those Steam Machines hit store shelves. “Extensive” is pretty vague, but I'm hoping it means the presentation is optimized for the TV with a bigger UI, and its controls are optimized for the Steam Controller (which Evan is not impressed with).

If you want to learn more about how these era fit into Tropico 5, Tom gives you a pretty good idea in his first look at the game.