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Port Royale 2

EMAIL PRINT pc

7.4 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 20 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 14 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Tri Synergy

Developer: Ascaron Entertainment

Genre(s): Real-Time Strategy

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: RP (Rating Pending)

Release Date: September 13, 2004

Summary

Trade with over 60 towns and create your own production facilities. Increase your trading empire, and influence development of the New World. Trade is not everything though: pirates and military fleets threaten your trade convoys. Build and command escort ships for the convoys. Turn the tides and hunt for pirates or capture the military ships. Become famous and expand your own fleet as well as your stocks of goods. If that is not enough, take on missions for merchants, diplomats and other characters. Use a letter of Marquee to gain the most desirable missions of the vice-kings; to attack and conquer enemy towns. As a sign of gratitude you will be awarded land, to be used later for the building and growth of your own towns.

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GAMES: Port Royale

Also On The Web: GameSpot Preview IGN Preview Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

3DAvenue

It is true Port Royale 2 isn't exactly groundbreaking, 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.

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IC-Games

A trading game with some aspects of RTS added, so for the armchair empire sim fans it will probably rate at least a look, and probably an outright purchase, but the game probably isn’t for everyone since the steep learning curve could well put some people off, but perseverance will pay off for sure.

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GameSpot

Above all, Port Royale 2 is a remarkable accomplishment, largely because it can make economic simulations captivating even to those who may typically dislike the idea of this game genre.

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Loaded Inc

Offers a lot for the strategy gamer who loves to keep track of every intimate detail of his business operations. However, casual gamers will lose interest fast as their businesses crumble into a pile of debt.

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Boomtown

A very well designed game despite the so-so battle system. It runs smoothly on most systems and is seemingly bug-free.

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My Gamer

An incredibly deep empire/trade simulation made with fans of the genre in mind.

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Gamer's Hell

The beauty of Port Royal is that it is more than just an economic sim, it adds piracy and town building and various other things that give the game a surprising amount of depth.

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GameSpy

It's unfortunate that the issues with the clock and the interface add another layer of difficulty to a title that's already got learning curve issues.

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eToychest

The developers clearly have a lot of passion of the material this game immerses players in, and even if you don’t go ga-ga for cannons and grog you can’t help but feel that affection come through the game play experience.

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Warcry

An exceptional game. Creating an economic sim that reaches out to gamers who typically don't enjoy calculating their net worth is a valiant effort, and Ascaron Entertainment succeeded in that effort.

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Computer and Video Games

As solid as Port Royale 2 is, few people can afford to have more than one seafaring adventure in their collection. With "Sid Meier's Pirates!" due in port very soon, we reckon you should hold fire on this one.

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IGN

This is a solid if unremarkable game. You will get a lot of out Port Royale 2 as long as you have a good eye for menus and details and plenty of patience.

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GameZone

It’s definitely a game that can be played and replayed over again since the story will never really come out the same at the end, provided that you can look past a couple of deficiencies.

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PC Format

High seas trading, not hijacks. Passes the time, but gets old fast.

Computer Gaming World

It can take a long time to earn enough money to explore beyond the initially accessible towns. But once you have a nice fleet at your command, it's a continually engaging experience. [Dec 2004, p.98]

AceGamez

It's a shame that Port Royale 2 doesn't fully succeed thanks mainly to its dull combat mechanics and unfriendly interface that bombards you with screen after screen of information that often clogs up the game's more memorable features.

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Total Video Games

A fair attempt at a sea-trading title, which fans will enjoy; however the lack of any innovation could put off those looking for something new.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

Port Royale 2 is certainly a game of two halves – on the one hand, there’s a dull and tedious economic engine that could suck the life blood out of many gamers quicker than Dracula with a busty virgin. But on the other hand, there’s the engrossing and open-ended combat system that allows you to carve out a career as a buccaneer.

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PC Gamer

Only big "PR" fans should bother; everyone else, wait for the new "Pirates!" [Jan 2005, p.82]

Thunderbolt

The sea battles are awkward, the prices jump far too quickly during trading and the learning curve is too steep to begin with.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.4 (out of 10) based on 14 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jimmy TS gave it a3:
Sort of fun for a few hours, but then the tedium sets in. After a couple days all I could think was "boooooring!"

Mana S gave it a9:
Absolutely amazing game. Only if there were some endings to the free play mode! After one has received 16 towns as gift nothing happens, whatever you do!

Leonard V gave it a9:
Good strategy game with challenging ships battles, nice trading and interesting development. Easy to control ground battles and one to one duels with swords against captains and pirates. You have to love detail management and to see your business growth and maybe you’ll became owner of a town.

Ashley P. gave it an8:
This game is captivating. As it is all free play you can play it at you leisure (so far 58 hours of pleasure!). The game play has heaps of variety, twists and turns to keep you hooked and divorced :-) Highly recommended. Better that all the SimCity and tycoon games put together.

Pete gave it a 3:
I have to say that despite having spent many hours on the first one, this just didnt have enough extras to stop me feeling like i had loaded up port royale again. played microsoft pirates as a kid and dreamt about the possibilities which could follw on, but the developers have lacked in vision for over a decade now. very disappointing.

Harm L. gave it a 10:
A masterpiece for insiders. If you own a Port Royal I, or a Patrician and do not want another, this is not your game. When you want the best trading sim and also like wooden ship this is big time. When you own Port Royal I it is hard to recommend. I bought this full price and think it is worth it! A suppreme game has been made better! But its gameplay and qualitity is almost the same as version I. I give this 'addition' a 10 because I wonder why I ever stopped playing the previous version anymore. Did not find the time to compare.

Da Man gave it a 5:
No, no and no. This sequel is a big disappointment. I was expecting better sea battles and more trading options than in the original Port Royale. Instead of that, they simplified the sea battles and removed some trading options!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!! The new content they added is not even enough for an add-on, let alone for a sequel :@

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