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Democracy is a game so understated that most gamers will struggle to recognise it, let alone have played it. Its presentation is bland; it lacks any shine and has a main menu so generic you’ll think you’ve loaded a blank screen. Hopefully that hasn’t put you off Democracy too much, but if you’re looking for eye-bleeding graphics, then Democracy is completely the wrong game for you. How many times have you said to yourself ‘Tony Blair is a joke, I can do much better.’ Democracy takes that question and gives you the chance to find out whether you’re actually up to the mark. Ditching the guns and violence of the online centred mainstream, it replacing them with statistics, sliders and simple analytical skills, Democracy poses the question, do you create a shining utopian world or do you fall amid a landslide of the opposition?

Democracy gives you free reign over any of the main world powers; the USA, UK, Germany, France, etc. Each works in its local currency and each has a distinct set of voter categories. For example, Conservatives and Motorists, along with the Middle Classes make up the majority voters for the UK. Democracy’s aim is simple. After four years in office, after events, political situations and anything else the world throws at you, if you still hold over 50% majority vote, then you’re re-elected, and if not its Game Over. It’s a simple game mechanic, but Democracy’s simplicity ends there. The player is greeted by one of the most in-depth games ever, and one which represents its aim to a full, startling effect.

The game has an optional tutorial, but it’s highly recommended that you play through it. Without its use, Democracy goes from overwhelming to being on par with trying to figure out the meaning of life. The tutorial explains the basic premise, the menus and options you’ll need to keep under your wing, and what the effect of policies are. The game does its best effort to streamline the information on offer, allowing the player to understand what effects what and what enabling a policy specifically does. In the centre of the screen is each category of voter, how many make up the country, their happiness, your overall political power and approval. Around those are your policies and hovering your mouse over a policy will reveal green and red lines, showing each strategy’s cause and effect. Finally are governmental figures, like GDP, Crime rates, Life expectancy, which again have tool tip lines.

To gain political power, and continue your time in office, you’ll need to utilise policies to keep specific categories of voters happy. Clicking on a policy reveals its effect on the country, and sliding its slider will change its intensity. Each policy’s effect requires a varied amount of months, some are instant, and some take several turns. You’re need to balance the books as well, keeping the economy in check, watching governmental spending and generating substantial income. It comes down to the typical paper-scissors-rock mechanic. Make the patriots happy, but lose the liberal vote. Tax the smokers but gain income. It’s impossible to keep everyone happy, your country in the black and have an approval rate above 50%, but then again, if it was, we’d all be living in crime free, cheap, luxury housing.

From time to time, you’ll be faced with political dilemmas which require a hazy this-or-that choice and whatever you choose upsets someone. There are political crises, governmental appointments and foreign visits. It’s all deeply relevant to the world situation and the game does a good job at recreating the tough choices that the Prime Minister / President have to face every day. Alongside, are crisis’s which can be fixed by altering policies and these range from low productivity to tax evasion. Finally the game throws at you, non input events, which either have a positive or negative effect and they require a lack of input.

If what we’ve described vaguely appeals to you, then we urge you to try Democracy. It’s slow paced, concentrated and never lets up. It’s also deeply enthralling and fairly rewarding. It’s an interesting insight into the world of politics and only scratches the surface. It’s top notch and well worthy of an educated gamer’s play. We highly recommend Democracy; it earns our votes with its policies and proposals.

Score: 8/10

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