Not quite 20 years ago, developers delighted Ascaron simulation fans with Port Royale. In it you traded eagerly with other nations in the Caribbean and fought against pirates. After the third part in 2012, however, was the end. Until now. As in the third part, Gaming Minds and Kalypso have put Port Royale 4 together. We were able to take a closer look at the beta. After the first few hours, the business simulation looks pleasantly familiar, even if the paint is more modern.
The fourth part of Port Royale remains true to its roots. In the economic simulation you are either acting on the side of the English, French, Dutch or Spaniards in the Caribbean and trying to pile up a nice amount of gold. You also have to make sure that the residents of your hometown are satisfied and the needs are met.
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Date: Apr 29, 2020 "data-lightbox =" da60c82cddff73b9c2273f24be405503.jpg ">
Before you can trade with other cities, you need to buy a trading license. Each location logically has its own resources and production chains. You can have it clearly displayed, which is why planning, where you buy and sell which goods, is not too cumbersome and you quickly get the first profits.
With trade routes to maximize profits
At the beginning you take a seat at the helm of your ship and sail individually to the ports of the Caribbean. However, it is advisable to create trade routes quickly. First you select the stations you want to go to on the route. At each individual station, you can set different conditions whether you buy or sell a certain item. The route can also be adapted to further increase efficiency. For example, it is advisable to take a small detour if you can take advantage of the tailwind with your ship. It affects the speed of your nutshell.
Over time, you work on increasing your profits. Because the game always shows you clearly which cities produce and need which goods, you quickly get a clear picture of your surroundings. Action, the central component of the simulation, is easy to do.
On behalf of the viceroy
Before you jump into a free game or campaign, you decide which flag you want to sail under. No matter which country you choose, you always have a direct line to the Viceroy, who gives you orders from time to time. They reward you with fame points that you need to acquire concessions, for example. This will allow you to build certain businesses in your city – important to minimize your dependence on other islands over time.
What is happening in the cities?
Sometimes you can do minor favors in different cities. Sometimes you just have to deliver certain goods, sometimes you have to find certain people. Once a little girl missed her father, who was said to be missing on the high seas. My only clue was that I should look east of the Grand Bahamas. The problem: I hadn't discovered this city yet. With the tight time window, I set off to find the city and then the father.
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Date: Apr 29, 2020 "data-lightbox =" 9656f80e80b8fecd16eee4027873f390.jpg ">
While you are busy with other cities, you also take care of your hometown. Later you can build businesses in other towns or even take over the management completely. In the cities you have to ensure growth and satisfaction. The happier the population, the greater the growth potential. For that you have to buy goods. The bigger the city, the greater the demand. If it is completely sufficient if you initially only have a handful of goods in stock, you will need significantly more and a greater variety later.
However, the city's overview menu is not as informative as it would be useful for an economic simulation. Although you have insight into the satisfaction of the residents and also the supply of the city with special buildings, some categories are still unclear. Take, for example, the satisfaction of the residents: a large part of the satisfaction seems to be the supply of goods. Isn't it so tragic if 0% is displayed under the item housing situation? And what about the events? Only when you dig through the tips & tricks window will open questions be clarified, but even that is a bit cumbersome due to the lack of a search function. I only found information on the risk of epidemic, for example, when I scrolled to the hospital under "Adjacent effects" in the "Building" tab.
Into the fight
Whoever trades a lot sooner or later runs the risk of becoming the target of enemies and pirates. The naval battles in Port Royale 4 are turn-based. Each ship has a certain number of action points distributed over hexes. You can use it to move or attack the enemy ships. Thanks to a number of tricks, the fights get a pleasant tactical touch. In addition to special actions and boarding maneuvers, each ship can attack from both the port and starboard sides.
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