Tropico 4: Modern Times

Tropico 4: Modern Times for PC and X360 is the first full-fledged expansion pack for an econonomic strategy game Tropico 4 (2011). Owning the core game is required and Modern Times was developed by the Hungarian Haemimont Games again.

Mechanics

As usual, the player assumes the role of a dictator ruling a small, tropical republic. As the title suggests, El Presidente's task in Modern Times is primarily to modernize their country. Executing such plans can get interrupted by treacherous rebels. All of this is contained within an extensive singleplayer campaign, which includes 12 different missions.

Switching the time period from the early Cold War to the titular modern times enriched the game with a wide set of new elements, such as the Internet, terrorist organizations, global finance markets or space flights. Buildings used in the base game have become obsolete and most of them have to be either upgraded or replaced with modern structures. The changes in the system behind the in-game economy also make it necessary to modernize transportation. As a result, El Presidente has new opportunities, but also several new duties. To illustrate, the Internet facilitates communication, but simultaneously makes it necessary to restrict the freedom of speech - after all, free flow of thoughts might lead to the collapse of the player's dictatorship.