8. Port Royale 3: Pirates & Merchants
Admittedly this is a game that was researched and discovered along the way. What got my attention is the unique two pronged quest trail that often times intertwined. One path is action oriented while the other is the path of the merchant. However it is clear that these paths are almost impossible to travel exclusively. No matter how much the player focuses on things like piracy and gathering booty, the need to sell and trade items will continue to present itself. This idea that one path to success will always require at least basic knowledge of another is a tenant of capitalism, which has little use for one trick ponys. This game is ambitious in its desire to bring the major aspects of two different genres to life, all set against the idea of rising to power during a period that saw the spread of many ideas, including capitalism, to the new world.