amazing graphics, good sounds fun but not challenging gameplay
Gameplay is where the game fails to score enough. There is no campaign mode, Some scenarios can get tedious after a while.
The main problem with the game is that it's far too simple and lacks the necessary challenge that people like me hooked to it. The challenges are inadequately structured and provides little incentive to play the game. The developers could have looked into that part.
However, building up your island and setting the right balance between expansion and consolidation is very challenging. I found that like many other games of this type if you expand like crazy you end up with a bunch of angry people when you run out of a needed resource (most frequently its alcohol, of course!)
there are a lot of ways to play this game as the victory conditions can be modified. you can hit various victory targets without ever fighting anyone except a few pirates or you can go a try to eliminate everyone else.
researching things like spys and pick pockets and planting them in your enemies cities take this game to a whole different level.
It has several bugs, including sometimes the automated trade routes will not unload cargo. You have to do it manually. The automated trade ships also will not unload at a pier, which kind of brings to question what the purpose of the pier is.
Overall if your a fan of either 1503 or 1602, getting this game is a no-brainer. good 3-d graphics, excellent intuitive interface, smooth gameplay.