A graphical under-achiever that is one of the best economic simulators created.

“Capitalism II” sets a new standard in economic simulators. It dares you to build a mega-corporation that spans industries and the globe. And it delivers a game that allows you to do just that. Now, I’m the first to admit that the graphics are not that impressive. However, like other less polished strategy games (i.e. “Space Empires IV”) what the game lacks in video card busting graphics it makes up for in detailed play and real world economic modeling.

You start the game with a single business operation in a single city and must build up from there. There are more than 60 products that you can manufacture should you decide to take that route. You could also make very wise real estate purchases and lease land to the city residents – including your competitors. Advertising and marketing are key elements to winning the game. Should the opportunity arise you can also purchase the media outlets that you and your competitors will need to increase sales.

More complex manufactured products, such as automobiles and computers, have a fairly long supply chain by computer game standards. Something to think about as you plan your strategy. The fastest way to maximum sales and profits is to control as much of the supply chain as possible. For example, during one game I decided to produce autos. I secured the iron ore and coal mines needed to produce steel and shipped the output to my own steel mills, which in turn, sold the steel to my auto plants. This provided me with guaranteed sales along the whole supply chain thereby increasing my total corporate sales at a much faster rate than my competitors.

There is a lot of depth to “Capitalism II” that shouldn’t disappoint any fan of economic simulators. It provides a variety of victory paths that don’t restrict you to manufacturing. It’s a solid game with a simple look that won’t disappoint especially if you find it for $29.95 or less. All in all, I give “Capitalism II” a Strong Buy.