Become a powerful merchant - rise through the ranks using your increasing fame and wealth to shape towns from small villages to glorious capitals under your control A complete strategic simulation - balance competing interests, trade routs, political turmoil, disease, weather, piracy and greedy royalty Build an empire - construct buildings and hire workers, stimulating demand for common and exotic goods Battle on the high seas - protect your ships from pirate raiders in realistic and exciting sea battles Visually stunning - a powerful new graphics engine lets you visit bustling and realistically recreated medieval cities such as London, Novgorod, Cologne and Bergen Based on the franchise that has sold more than two million copies and won the hearts of gamers worldwide, Patrician IV will challenge players to rise up the merchant ranks to become the leader of a burgeoning shipping empire during the late Middle Age in Northern Europe - a time where success in trade could be as rewarding and influential as the power bestowed by noble birth, religious position or political clout. Patrician IV's authentic supply and demand-based trading system allows players to grow their business and head out to the high seas to form trading routes with other Hanseatic cities negotiating better prices for the buying and selling of goods. Sea battles keep the pace action-backed, as players combat pirates and enemy players.
I have to agree with other reviewers here whole heartedly in regard to the game-play and the pain of the Copy Protection (DRM) implementation. However, I give the game 3.5 stars for the game itself as I thought it was interesting and challenging. A change of pace from many of the FPS games I usually enjoy.That said, I am not as kind as one of the other reviewers who gave it 4 stars despite serious issues getting the game to run. I am seeing more and more poorly implemented cop..
