The November 2008 election defines a change in the American political conscience. Regardless of the outcome, the result of this vote is a future question on high school U.S. history exams. Though the outreach efforts of each candidate might not directly impact all of us, you might catch a glimpse of a rally on the news or watch a few seconds of a debate as they drum up support for their causes.
If you’re curious about what happens behind the scenes of a presidential campaign, The Political Machine can help pull back the curtain on these strange rituals that define our government. Featuring modern-day and historical presidential figures, The Political Machine takes you on a strategic and calculating journey to the White House.
Your experience within the game depends on what you are looking for. If you have some time, a Campaign and 41 in-game weeks are waiting. If you are looking for something shorter, hop into Quick Play and customize such selections as time-limit and difficulty. If you want to run against a friend, you can connect to Stardock’s server and play together.
In all forms of play, there is a common goal: to become the next president. This is achieved by winning more electoral votes than your opponent. After selecting a character or creating one of your own from the game’s decently outfitted character creator, you come to a map of the United States. This is your battleground, and campaign tactics are your weapons.
Stamina points limit your activity during each turn, and the trick is to figure out what you can do with the points you have. Fortunately, there are several options. Creating a headquarters brings in some of the money you need to fund your campaign, but it will not be enough. Fundraising brings in more cash, but you won’t get much from a state that doesn’t know and support you.
This is where advertising and speeches come in. Developing a buzz around your name in a state with lots of electoral votes increases your chances of winning those precious ballots. Giving a speech and placing newspaper, radio or television ads help you accomplish this goal. All of these tactics cost money, and even flying from state to state hacks chunks out of your funds.
Constructing several headquarter buildings in key states helps both your awareness and your budget. With upgrades, you can earn up to $90,000 a week from each structure. Aside from the almighty dollar, political capital accrues once you establish an outreach center. This separate currency opens endorsements from important political groups, including the National Association for Women on the Democrat side and the National Rifleman’s Association on the side of Republicans.
Winning the support of these influential organizations is not the only way to spend your capital. Hiring operatives such as the writer and the public relations coordinator affects such character traits as comeliness and charisma while others, including the Smear Merchant, can negatively affect your opponent. The game is deceptively deep and requires chess-like concentration if you want to take home a win.
Setting up a customized game in Free Play could take as long as the game itself. After selecting or creating a character, you can easily spend hours editing realistic platform issues ranging from legalizing marijuana to federal education. Each step further in the positive or negative direction of an issue charges you a platform point, and the limited amount of points made it impossible for me to fully express my views.
Graphically, the simplistic one-screened gaming environment is easily navigated once you become comfortable with the display set-up. Characters are shown in Mii-like, 3D fashion and resemble bobblehead dolls. At the end of every five weeks, an update with graphics and information regarding yourself and your opponent pops onto the screen. Interesting and amusing to read through at first, the news never really changes, and soon you will be glancing through it for the good stuff and then forgetting it forever.
Additionally, the guaranteed crowd-pleasing platform topics can take away any competition you may feel at the beginning of the game. A speech about your stance against high gas prices automatically boosts your approval in both Democrat and Republican circles.
With elections just around the corner, The Political Machine is a great way for newly registered voters and even those voters who have a hard time following the political scene (me!) to grasp the issues on the table this November. By including mock political television shows like Barry King Live! and the Coldcut Reportoire, the game takes a satirical and comedic look at the current legislative culture of the United States. Now if only real politics were as enjoyable.
The similarities between The Political Machine and the current presidential race may eventually date the game, but the entertaining and simplified yet informative gameplay allows even future generations of political newbies to find their way through the electoral process. Check out this game if you are ready to be schooled by the craftiest organizations in the country.
