The wait is finally over, the borders are open and El Presidente welcomes you to visit the island paradise of Tropico. Kalypso Media and Limbic Entertainment are thrilled to announce that Tropico 6, the latest instalment in the critically acclaimed Tropico franchise, launches today globally for Windows PC and Linux (with the Mac version following soon).

With Penultimo busy grooming prize llama Hector for the Presidential parade to celebrate Tropico 6’s glorious launch, the loyal citizens over at Kalypso HQ have been busily editing El Presidente’s welcome trailer for your enjoyment. So click on the links below and take a sun-drenched trip along Tropico’s beautiful sandy beaches and almost dormant volcanos (there’s only a 65% chance of an eruption in the coming weeks) by clicking on the links below.

El Presidente is back! In times of political turmoil and social unrest, the people are calling out for a visionary leader, one who will steer the fate of their country with foresight and ingenuity. Prove yourself once again as a feared dictator or peace-loving statesman on the island state of Tropico and shape the fate of your nation through four distinctive eras. Face new challenges on the international stage and always keep the needs of your people in mind.

For the first time in the series, manage extensive archipelagos, build bridges to connect your islands and use new means of transportation and infrastructure. Send your Tropicans on raids to steal the wonders of the world, including the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. Customize your palace at will and give election speeches from your balcony, to win the favor of your subjects.

Tropico 6 is released globally via digital platforms today for Windows PC and Linux (Mac to follow soon) and as a boxed retail edition across UK, Europe and export territories with the North American boxed edition releasing on 2nd April. Console versions are set to follow in summer 2019 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Where Tropico 6 starts to feel truly special is with what I'll call its "executive mechanics," or the systems that your role as El Presidente allows you to manipulate. Is there a known rebel sympathizer hiding out in an apartment complex? You can have him assassinated. Rival candidate starting to look like he'll beat you in the upcoming election? Bribe him to step down from the race, or declare that there won't be elections in Tropico. Of course, the people will react dynamically to these "executive orders," so you'll need to be prepared to handle the fallout.

Visually, Tropico 6 is stunning. For a city builder, the texture quality is excellent, and the lighting is gorgeous. The tropical islands of your nation are filled with vibrantly-colored locations, and the urban areas are a melting pot of different sights and sounds. The musical score is great, as well, offering a variety of salsa and reggae tracks that suit the tropical-island-dictatorship theme perfectly.

My favorite thing, though, is the writing. The quips of both average citizens and named characters in your nation poke fun at dictatorship stereotypes, and they're written and voice-acted well enough that they always got a laugh out of me. My personal favorite was when my own El Presidente character lamented on his desire to arrest someone, "just to see the look on their face."

One criticism I do have is that the user interface can become a little cluttered, since there are what feels like a million different menus that you can access at any given time. It's not terrible, but I do think some smaller menus would go a long way to make the process of managing your nation feel more streamlined.

Performance wise, Tropico 6 runs excellently, and I didn't encounter a single bug, freeze, or drop in framerate during my review period. That isn't something I can say for many games.