There are many simulation games in which players take on the role of a government, but these are the best ones.
If you’ve ever been upset about the way politics work in your country, you’ve probably thought that you could do a better job than the people in charge. Whether it’s because of how quickly laws are made, a problem that keeps getting ignored, or a sense that corruption is rampant, there’s something appealing about wanting to take over from those in charge.
Video games are a great way to do this because there are many games that show how complicated political systems are and how some decisions can affect society. There are many ways for players to be the rules they think they deserve to be in games, whether they are about politics in the present day, royal courts, or territorial disputes from the past.
Democracy
The Democracy series shows how politics are in the modern world by putting the player in charge of the President or Prime Minister of a country of their choice. A number of political scenarios, such as homelessness or high crime rates, are then shown to them in the form of a series of bubbles, and they are tasked with creating legislation that can address these issues.
The problem with democracy is, of course, that people always have different needs. For example, some decisions can make capitalists happy but anger environmentalists. The challenge is to balance these needs in a way that keeps the budget in the black, takes care of society’s problems in a meaningful way, and doesn’t get you voted out of office at the next election.
Papers, Please
Papers, Please is not a simulation of what it’s like to run a government. Instead, it’s a simulation of what it’s like to be a part of a government system that doesn’t care about the people who are part of it. In a made-up Soviet-era country called Arstotzka, players take on the role of an immigration officer and decide who can cross the border based on their paperwork.
Because the government has strict rules, the player often has to make hard choices about the people who pass through, like sending innocent people to jail or telling the desperate to go away. But players can’t just rebel against the government because they have to feed their families. Finding a balance between doing what’s right and being able to stay alive is a big part of the challenge of the game.
Victoria
The Victoria series is a deep political strategy game that takes place during the time of the British Empire. However, players don’t have to run the empire themselves. It’s a game about running a country during a time of rapid industrialization and colonization. Players must use diplomacy to keep good relations with other countries while also keeping their own country’s economy in good shape.
Strategy fans love the Victoria games, and many say that their deep economic systems are some of the best in the genre. It focuses on resource management and industry, and it has a deep market system, so players can really get into the complicated politics of the 19th century.
Romance Of The Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a historical strategy show about running an empire, like Victoria. But Koei Tecmo’s series goes even further back in time. The player is in charge of imperial China during the fall of the Han Dynasty in the second and third centuries. The game takes a lot of inspiration from the famous historical text The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
As imperial leaders, players must take care of their cities’ food supplies, fix the damage done by natural disasters, and keep the people’s support, all while going to war with other kingdoms to show who is in charge.
Tropico
In the Tropico series, the player is El Presidente of a banana republic during the Cold War. The goal is to stay in power for as long as possible. The main goal of the game is to keep the people happy so they don’t try to overthrow the government by force. This is usually done by giving the appearance of democracy while secretly changing the results.
The island nation can also charm either of the two major superpowers, the US or the USSR, to get money and military help and stop them from imposing their own rules. It’s a series with deep political systems that are all held together by a satirical sense of humor.
SimCity
Most of these games are about running a country or even an empire, but SimCity is about running a small town. In these games, the player is the mayor of a small town that is starting to grow. It is their job to keep the town running as it grows.
Even though it’s not as in-depth as some other political sims, SimCity gives you an idea of how local decisions are made. Taking care of water systems and transportation may not be as exciting as building a huge international trade network or making friends with world leaders, but SimCity makes it just as fun.
Crusader Kings
The Crusader Kings series simulates politics in the Middle Ages and is played all over the world. The player takes on the role of a king or a land baron who wants to become king and spreads their power to make their kingdom grow.
What makes Run 3 different from other games like it is that it focuses on how relationships work. The player gains power by winning over members of their court, making friends with the rulers of other kingdoms, and making alliances with other players through marriages and other favors. A player could be killed by rival political groups or usurped by their own heir, or they could gain territory by making a smart choice about who to marry.
Civilization
Even though Civilization isn’t just about politics, it’s one of the best games for simulating politics on a large scale. The goal is to build a great country and rule the world through military might, scientific progress, cultural dominance, or religious power.
Civilization covers a lot of different parts of international politics, from trade to diplomacy, from managing resources to making sure people have food to eat. Not only that, but you can do all of this while playing as historical figures like Gandhi, British monarchs, US presidents, and Roman emperors.
