Filled a empty genre.
I don't know how many games like this are on the Xbox 360 but if we could get more it sure be nice. The game don't try too hard to make a newbie very welcome but with some patience and maybe some Google searches, you'll soon be able to get the basics and have fun.
The visuals are neither wow or subpar. They function well with the zoom which has quite a range of close up and far views. The animations of building shops and other buildings is pretty generic as is the car/truck traffic. People walking is nothing special either. I couldn't take the music and had to turn it off. I'm sure if you lowered the volume to just a light background noise, it be alright.
The controls for the 360 version is actually well done for the task at hand. I have no problem going thru the menus either for a new thing to build or looking up the tons of stats that the game makes. Saying such, it might be best to figure out what stats mean the most to you before you try to look and keep track of everything.
The tutorial is very basic as it just shows you a very simple problem and how to fix it. It never goes further into the complex web that the game becomes. It's pretty much a control overview with a dash of basic gameplay. There are plenty of guides or helpful sites that can break down everything if you care enough to spend time reading all that. I looked at basic hints like food and quick money and sure the game might start off a tad slow but once you get those exports flowing, you'll have plenty of cash.
Speaking of such, some might think the game will get boring if you are doing the same thing every map. Well, when you need basic things to make money to buy the more advance things, its best to go with what works. Some maps will be breat for cash crops and others for mining. It mixes it up like that and then making factories for the raw goods you are producing. It really is a new game every map.
I've not noticed any bugs or glitches so far. The game has a save anytime feature. It also has a sandbox and challenge modes. The campaign is of moderate size and does allow you to pick between different 'missions' at your pleasure. All in all, if you are looking for a building or creator game, Tropico 3 fills the genre for the Xbox 360 really well. And, not knowing if we'll ever get another game like this, you best pick it up before its gone.
