Pirate Sandbox Madness!!

Tropico 2 Pirate Cove is a Sim City 2-D perspective type game where you play in real-time and trying to achieve various objectives while keeping the pirates happy and the slaves in-line. Naturally, you play the Pirate Captain who rules the island. Your task is build key structures and improvements to the island, and make it attractive for other pirates to come join your kingdom.

As you gain in resources (timber and iron) and build a shipyard, ships can be sent forth on a strategic map to either scout, prey on merchants, or even take on enemy warships. If they are successful, pirate captains will return to base with lots of gold treasures, captured weapons, and captives, some of whom are nobles or tradesmen that can be ransomed for the right price. Here we run into the diplomacy aspect of things. Capture the wrong people and anger the wrong country (Spain, France, England) and you could find yourself under attack or your ships seized on the high seas. Work with these countries and maybe they can help you against another foe. Lots of options here.

The key to this game is finding a balance between keeping the pirates happy (by making enough gambling dens, houses of ill-repute, and lodgings, etc.) and keeping the captive labor force afraid and in-line so they don't try to escape or rebel against your rule. If the pirates get too restless, they might try and overthrow you. There is a bar on the interface that shows exactly how happy or sad your population of pirates and workers are.

Luckily, the Pirate King has lots of options to achieve his or her aims. You can keep pirates in line with fear as well as happiness. Is a certain pirate captain talking about you behind your back? Take out a contract on him to silence the opposition, or send him on a difficult mission to raid an enemy port. If he's a friend, buy him a parrot for his shoulder! Charge the pirates less for drinks at the local watering hole or let them have better chances at games of chance. Build yet another brewery! (Or of course my favorite, build a parrot aviary.)

A few comments on things I find problematic. This is a very micro-manage game. To build key structures you have to capture and have on-hand special artisans, like the ship builder. Then they must report to the work site to build the special project. It can take some doing to locate these people and get them working on what they're supposed to do. I have had a couple times when I wasn't sure why I couldn't build a certain building in one place and it took some research to find out why. A little more in-game commentary would have helped. The answers are all there, you just have to make sure you find them.

The graphics are a little dated but they don't detract. When you are zoomed out from the screen it's hard to see who is who and click on them. Luckily, one can adjust just about everything with this game from the game play speed to the sounds. There are advisors you can click for help. It includes a tutorial mission that eases you into the campaign. I should also point out the really funny commentaries when you talk to or view the thoughts of your followers. (Yes, you can click on a pirate or captive and see what they're thinking.) The parrots, of course, have a lot to say and expect to be heard.

All in all I am enjoying this game, I am well into the campaign with a storyline and various objectives. It keeps the gameplay interesting. I am finding it takes an hour or so per mission but it might take longer later on. There is a lot of room for creative play here and an open sand box mode where you can just build to your heart's content. My only caution is for those who don't like micro-manage games. A fun game all around.