Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Name: Autocracy
Item: Autocracy
Author: Retro Replay

Autocracy shines in its diverse gameplay offerings, bringing together four classic construction simulators under one roof. In Airport Inc., you manage flight schedules, terminal layouts, and passenger satisfaction—all in real time. The meticulous attention to aircraft logistics and runway design keeps you engaged as you juggle maintenance, gate assignments, and periodic weather crises.

(HEY YOU!! We hope you enjoy! We try not to run ads. So basically, this is a very expensive hobby running this site. Please consider joining us for updates, forums, and more. Network w/ us to make some cash or friends while retro gaming, and you can win some free retro games for posting. Okay, carry on 👍)

Switching gears to Railroad Tycoon II (Gold Edition) with its The Second Century expansion, you’ll find a richly layered transport puzzle. Building rail networks across challenging terrain, negotiating deals with rival barons, and optimizing cargo routes deliver deep strategic satisfaction. The dynamic economy reacts realistically to supply and demand, keeping every decision meaningful.

Meanwhile, SimCity 2000 (Special Edition) and SimTower: The Vertical Empire introduce city zoning and vertical construction, respectively. SimCity’s layered utility management and emergency response scenarios test your foresight, while SimTower’s elevator logistics and tenant mix create an addictive “just one more floor” loop. Together, these titles cater to both macro- and micro-management fans, offering a wealth of strategic depth.

Graphics

While Autocracy’s titles are rooted in late ’90s design, their pixel art retains a timeless charm. Airport Inc.’s terminal interiors and runway layouts use crisp icons and clear color coding, making information easy to parse at a glance. Animated planes and passenger sprites add life to otherwise static menus, reminding players that every passenger is part of a living system.

Railroad Tycoon II benefits from detailed isometric tiles, showcasing terrain elevation and track geometry with surprising clarity. Station buildings and rolling stock are richly detailed by period standards, and small animations—like smoke plumes and cargo wagons—reinforce the world’s believability. The expansion pack’s new maps introduce varied biomes, each with distinct visual flair.

SimCity 2000’s overhead view and SimTower’s side-view city scape offer different takes on simulation visuals. SimCity’s grayscale utilities layer and colored zoning overlays are intuitive, though modest by modern measures. In contrast, SimTower’s vertical pixel art feels playful, with tenants reacting to elevator delays and services. Across all titles, a streamlined UI and optional filters help contemporary players appreciate the retro aesthetic without frustration.

Story

Strictly speaking, Autocracy isn’t narrative-driven. Instead, each game crafts its own emergent “story” through player choices and evolving systems. In Airport Inc., the tale unfolds as you expand your hub from a regional stopover into a bustling international gateway. Every new route and terminal addition writes a chapter in your airport’s history.

Railroad Tycoon II’s campaign and open-ended modes frame your railroad empire as a saga of industrial ambition. Diplomacy with rivals, boardroom battles, and periods of economic boom and bust create a dynamic backdrop where your strategic vision either flourishes or falters. The Second Century expansion enhances this arc with scenario-driven challenges that feel like episodic adventures.

SimCity 2000 and SimTower both excel at letting players craft personalized stories. In SimCity, natural disasters, budget crunches, and civic protests form unpredictable plot twists, while in SimTower, the vertical metropolis you build becomes a microcosm of urban life. Tenant dramas—fired employees, luxury hotel guests, and bustling restaurants—emerge from everyday management decisions, giving each playthrough its unique narrative flavor.

Overall Experience

Autocracy stands out as a comprehensive package for fans of classic construction simulations. The convenience of having four genre-defining titles in one collection is a major draw, eliminating the need for legacy hardware or individual updates. Compatibility patches and quality-of-life improvements, such as modern resolution support and rebindable keys, smooth out many original rough edges.

For newcomers, this compilation offers an invaluable window into the foundations of modern sim and tycoon games. The learning curve may feel steeper compared to contemporary entries, but the payoff is a deep appreciation for the intricate systems that these pioneers introduced. Veterans will revel in nostalgia, revisiting beloved mechanics and rediscovering hidden strategies.

Whether you’re plotting the next global airline alliance, laying transcontinental rails, zoning a bustling metropolis, or erecting a skyscraper touchstone, Autocracy delivers hours of thought-provoking engagement. Its quartet of titles provides varied gameplay loops and enduring replay value, making it a must-have for any simulation aficionado or curious strategist alike.