The once great German subgenre of business simulations is brought back to old glory with Patrician 4. This game delivers the same enthralling and challenging experience as its predecessors and tops them with up-to-date graphics and modern-day-improvements such as a drag-and-drop-interface. Patrician 4 has a few design flaws and the campaign is far too easy. But the dynamic trade system, the manifold possibilities of commerce and politics and the detailed depiction of medieval business make for an entertaining game that stands as the best pure business simulation to date.

Patrician IV is a good sequel of the venerated Patrician III. Maybe it is too conservative in its general aspects, but it consistently improves every area in gameplay.

In every game, I reach a point where I start to wonder why I am still playing. I literally have more money than I know what to do with. With a successfully, healthy business, it certainly feels like the main goal has been achieved. But ultimately, Patrician is less about money than it is about the convergence of wealth, power, and influence.

If you're looking for an economic simulation game set during the reign of the Hanseatic League, then look no further: Patrician IV will scratch that oddly-specific itch of yours.

Though not a great game on its own, Patrician IV has all of the things that make good trading games interesting and challenging.

A game dedicated to pure strategy fans. There's a lack of options and multiplayer modes though, and some more polish could've done good to the whole experience.

Unless you're willing to try each and every one of the strategy games that are released, I really don't see why I should recommend this game to you. With average graphics at best, no real gameplay value, and a boredom generating ability that strikes pretty soon into the game, Patrician IV doesn't stand a chance next to its competition. Sure, on paper the idea was praiseworthy and its developers seem to have had some good intentions, but it clearly lacks ambition. Too bad.