“fantastically entertaining in the true Tropico fashion”
There are only two ways to truly make your mark on this world, and those are blood and cheese. This is what El Presidente recognises at the start of this new venture, and in the immortal words of Saruman the White: “You have elected the way of CHEESE!”. And of course, if Tropico 5 was missing one overarching feature in the main game it was the lack of a significant role for cheese in the gameplay. So, The Big Cheese DLC has stepped in to fill this gaping hole in the business of our little island and appease all of you disappointed Dictators out there!
So what do you get for the price tag attached to this new DLC? Well you get some small extras, such as a chef’s hat for your avatar, a new sandbox map and some new tunes for the game, but the main feature is a new standalone scenario, aptly named “The Big Cheese”. The aim of the new scenario is to create your very own cheese brand, and proceed to dominate the world with it accordingly. Using the new building in the DLC, the Creamery, you can use milk, sugar, coffee, just about anything in your endeavour to create your island’s world leading cheese brand and bring the rest of the industry to its knees. Now if that isn’t a very Tropico-style invitation for frantic fun and nonsensical calamity, nothing is!
The new scenario only gives you about an hour worth of extra gameplay if you choose only to go as far as completing the main mission. You can however continue to play after the mission is complete and make more of your cheesy new empire if you wish to. The main goal of The Big Cheese scenario is to simply make $120,000 dollars on cheese exports, whilst tackling the challenges which come along the way. You must keep relations with rebels, the crown and other parties strong by ensuring that you send the right cheese samples to the right people to test, otherwise chaos can ensue. If the recipients are not a fan of your coffee-flavoured dairy delight, they may well show you with force. You can even shape the market by controlling your own cheese output against the exports of other nations. Dominating the international cheese market is the only true way to ensure your campaign for control is a success.
In terms of how this DLC fits into the wider Tropico 5 picture, it is more of a standalone aside to the main game rather than an additional element within it. You do not progress from the Colonial period of the game in The Big Cheese scenario, and do not have to worry about how you are going to overthrow the crown. The focus is entirely placed on making cheese and keeping the peace whilst you do it. The new scenario is hilarious fun, but don’t expect it to influence your mainline Tropico experience.
In terms of issues with the DLC, some players may be disappointed by its short length, but otherwise the only real problem is the persistent issue of text and voiceover inconsistency. The on screen text still does not always match up to what the voiceovers in the game are saying, which was an issue present in the main game as well. It does not affect gameplay as a whole, but is an irritating problem which seems as though it would have been very quick and easy to check during the game’s quality assurance, and certainly shouldn’t have been possible to overlook…
As a whole however, The Big Cheese DLC is a fantastic package to pick up if you are looking to have a laugh and need something a little different to do in Tropico 5. Whilst short, the DLC does provide a unique additional experience and one which is fantastically entertaining in the true Tropico fashion. And indeed, if you ever needed confirmation in your life that cheese is what makes the world go round, Tropico’s new DLC will leave you in no doubt at all!
The Good:
- Fantastically funny and entertaining new scenario.
- Playable outside of the main story so you do not have to wait to play.
- Continue to run your cheese empire even after the main mission is complete.
- Fun extra little features included in the DLC sweeten the deal.
- A nice low price tag!
The Bad:
- The new scenario’s main mission is relatively short to play.
- The text/voiceover inconsistency from the main game is still an issue.
Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.
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