It’s not a convincing economy simulator, and it can often be a bit too simplistic, but it is incredibly addictive. On the other hand, you can choose to focus on just trading, and this is ultimately where the game begins to show its strength. The former option is where the most tedious mechanics of the game show up most often, such as the combat, or the missions that mandate you sailing through the empty Caribbean seas as you hunt down some rogue pirate ship in a vague rescue mission. Port Royale 3 is a game that allows you to play two ways- either as an adventurer, or as a trader. You’ll then stop and wonder how it managed to do that. Eventually, you’ll stop playing and realize you just spent hours on the game. In spite of that, it plays decently, and will actually end up taking more of your time than you’d imagine. In other areas, it seems to make no sense, as some of the mechanics it introduces- such as the ‘popularity’ system (why am I, as a trader, concerned about my popularity?)- fail to add anything meaningful to the gameplay at all. Unfortunately, where Pirates was absolutely brilliant, Port Royale 3 seems to falter somewhat in several key areas. Think Sid Meier’s Pirates (an excellent game, by the way, and one that I whole heartedly recommend), and you’ve got a rough idea. Self described as a ‘strategy’ game, and variously referred to as a ‘simulator’ and an ‘adventure’ game, I believe it’s none of those three, but somehow a mixture of all of them. So, before we go any further, I believe it bears merit to actually try and describe what kind of a game Port Royale 3 is. What also helped was a basic knowledge of economics, as I came to grips with the game’s well designed, if over excitable, demand and supply trading system and learned how to manipulate it in sensible and not so sensible ways. For Port Royale 3, I decided to go in blind, and I have to say, that probably helped me enjoy it a bit more than I otherwise would have. What kind of game was this? How would I compare it with the other games in the series? Normally, I make it a point to have some context on a game before I review it. Having never played Port Royale 1 or 2 (or even having known that they existed at all), I was going in blind. To achieve that goal, you may choose one of the two available campaigns: will you become an Adventurer or a Trader?For the first time in the acclaimed Port Royale series, you are not alone in the beautiful and seemingly so peaceful seas of the Caribbean.When I went into Port Royale 3, I didn’t even know what to expect from it. And there you are, a young sea captain whose only goal is to become the most powerful man in the New World. The mighty kingdoms of Spain, England, France and the Netherlands fight over the colonies. The Games on Demand version supports English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish - Manuals can be downloaded from Caribbean, in the turbulent 17th Century.
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