Port Royale 2

Slow moving business/management Sim set in early 17th century Carribean with a graphical look slightly reminiscent of The Settlers series of games. Port Royale2 leans toward micromanagementand can be set so slow that it can almost be played as tho turn based (hit space bar for turbo when you finish your "turn") Which is OK. Sea combat is almost a sort of side game and is generally mediocre, but that's not what this game is about. First and foremost this is a Business/Management Sim in Pirate Clothing. That's right, just imagine your accountant or bookkeeper turning up as Capt. Jack "Argh a vast ye maties did ya get that MYOB file I sent cha?" Luckily the tutorials in the form of scenarios are top shelf - which is just as well because without them you just will not want to get into the game. The other scenarios are a bit tedious, but playable altho not finish able. Interface is a bit clunky and fiddly, but not enough to put you off playing. The sandbox mode is great for learning the ins and outs of the whole thing - including the slightly perverse little side games. Unfortunately its by then that you realize the general tediousness of it all. The general concept of the game and the aesthetically pleasing graphics etc., are saying "like me, play me" and you'll want to like it and you'll try but with the business/management sim niche and pirate theme niche markets both at saturation point eventually it will be time to save and exit this game and try elsewhere. RATING 47%

For fans of trading, Port Royale 2 probably has it all. Not a huge fan of the genre myself, I _did_ enjoy this quite a bit. My only grief was having to go through the - in my opinion - horrible minigames (Dancing? Aw, come on ... not that the duels were any better). If it wasn't for those, PR2 would be a good reference for the genre.

I've sunk way too many hours and ships in the original Port Royale, so of course I had to check the second installment for myself once it came out on GOG. For newcomers to the series: Port Royale is a trade simulation that puts you into the shoes of a merchant in the colonial times, with your overarching goal varying based on the choice of scenario. The trading is pretty much unchanged - each town has it's own set of goods it produces and needs, allowing you to soon grasp where to buy cheap and sell with a profit. I think they pretty much nailed it in the first game, so not changing that was probably for the better. Sea fights have changed quite a bit - you now only send in your designated war ships, one at a time, against the enemy fleet. While this is not too difficult, the ridiculously tiny sea map forces you to constantly turn, often leaving you vulnerable for a few broadsides if you don't want to accidentally leave the map, which would take this ship out of the battle. Attacking targets on land is slightly different, but becomes somewhat tedious once you got the hang of it. The same can be said about the swordfighting minigame you will find yourself forced into every so often - once you figure out how to time your attacks, each fight pretty much indistinguishable from the dozens you've had already. Aside of that, you still have your ammo types, weapon types and just the right amount of complexity to make the battles still overall engaging. Once you've made a name for yourself, be it by trading or raiding ships, you may also find yourself in the service of one of the many governors, which can come with a wide array of rewards ranging from trade licenses to powerful ships to your very own city! Serving one nation may, of course, seriously annoy another as there are constantly shifting relationships between the dominant nations. Final verdict: mostly the same game as the first, still highly enjoyable. I'll give it 3/5 due to the forced minigames though.

Port Royale 2 is certainly worth looking at. For the management buffs out there, this is a very indepth game not to mention pretty challenging too, whilst the traditional RTS gamers will even have some aspects to look forward to such as the combat department, although it is certainly not the game's strongest point. but it is a very solid and enjoyable strategy/simulation with loads and loads of gameplay presuming you have the patience and passion to keep playing it. It isn't really the question of whether or not Port Royale 2 is worthy, because it is, it is more the question of whether or not you can enjoy this type of gaming, and I truly feel sorry for the people who can't, because they're missing out.