Gamespy’s Allen Rausch has the first extended preview of Stardock’s sequel to the 2004 election game Political Machine.
The new edition takes so many more factors into account that the team felt confident enough to actually include a few historical scenarios such as the Lincoln/Douglas race of 1860 (Lincoln won) and some modern European politicians for players to fool around with. Unfortunately, such historical scenarios are done using modern election technology which means that while it might be fun to see how our 16th President handles Larry King, it’s not exactly a historical sim.
Aside from the depressing bit where Rausch feels (probably quite appropriately) that he has to remind readers that Lincoln won the 1860 election, this sounds like fun.
I liked the original Political Machine, but it was considerably lighter fare than both the classic President Elect and President Forever (now supposedly available from 80soft in a 2008 edition with primaries, though the site seems to be down). This lightness and the cartoonish aesthetic works for a mass appeal, especially since, as Wardell says, they can stick by Steven Colbert’s book in a retail outlet and sell it. Check the screenshots of both President Forever and Political Machine and imagine which one would sell at Borders.
A June release should be in time for both major party nominees to be finalized, barring some disaster.
I was a big fan of 80soft’s early “President Forever” games but the latest versions are waaaay too complex. Or maybe I’m just getting stupider with time. I’m sure people could be found who would agree with either proposition :-D
Agreed (you can decide as to which point):
http://jaguarusf.blogspot.com/2007/04/president-forever-2008-primaries-review.html
@the “depressing bit”: remember that not everyone who speaks english knows the history of the US. I for one did not know when did Lincoln was elected. I don’t even know who this Douglas fellow is.
Just a reminder to think of the foreigners who read you :p
Heh. Good point. I feel suitably chastened.
Hey Troy —
For what it’s worth, I wrote that “Lincoln won” comment as a bit of a goof because it should be common knowledge.
I tend to write a lot of parenthetical asides like that (“… we call that a Bad Thing” shows up frequently when discussing things like nuclear war or an asteroid hitting the Earth) because readers who know what should be obvious facts seem to enjoy the sarcasm.
Love the blog, by the way. and gratz on the Crispy Gamer gig. Tell John I said hello.
Hey, you never know. Bill James once said that the difference between sports writers and real writers is that sports writers always have to explain who Babe Ruth is because they can’t assume anything about their audience.
Keep up the good work at GSpy.
Yeah, but Bill James was crazy. ;)
… and who’s babe Ruth?
I really want to play this.
Oh, hi Allen. Obama in ’08! :)