Democracy 3
Review
Welcome to the presidency
by Christopher Coke
reviewed on PC
Fun in Experimentation
With some time, playing the system with safe middle-ground policy decisions becomes the path of least resistance. That does not make it the most fun, however. You must get re-elected, of course, but once your approval ratings are high enough to make that a non-issue the real joy is to experiment.
As a government simulator, Democracy 3 does a remarkable job. Its presentation and wealth of data truly makes you feel like a world leader. I enjoyed seeing how conservatives rejected my junk food tax and move away from oil. I also enjoyed seeing how liberals hated my freewheeling stances on labor and low corporate taxes. I outlawed abortion. I made the drinking age 16. I let employers force unreasonably long work hours. I lowered taxes on the middle class. I was a madman of a president.
What is the message?
Being a politicized game does raise the question: what exactly is Democracy 3 trying to say? As an example, liberals in the game tend to support freedom and handouts in anything and everything. Increasing the availability of narcotics - even when the country is drug addled -increases their approval rating. The same thing can be said for conservatives. Guard oil. Teach the bible. Oh, and stand against racial equality in the workplace. Right.
The best answer may be the simplest: that they are saying exactly nothing, only simulating and poking a bit of fun at each side. The easily offended should be aware, though. There are not quite so many shades of gray in Democracy 3 as there are in real life.
Passing on President
The game does a good job of sharing just how complicated the president’s job must be but that is also its greatest weakness. At the end of the day, Democracy 3 gets lost in its own simulation. The main interface and its over abundance of icons - all of which reshuffle because.. well, why not - is a perfect example. There are no abstractions for any of the game’s data, only hard numbers and charts, alerts and situations. It is complexity representing complexity without the veil of gamey-ness.
For every moment of fun strategizing and eager anticipation there was an equal moment spent wishing the experience was more user friendly. I felt like a president, just as promised, but I was also reminded of why I would never want the job in the first place.
Democracy 3 is a game for the politically-minded. It favors substance over flair. Some players might love the added analysis required for each turn but others will find it wearing out far sooner than it probably should. The denseness of Democracy 3’s presentation is its biggest barrier and it leaves one wondering why: Was this really the best way to deliver what, at its heart, is so similar to games like Civilization? For this iteration, it seems so. If you are willing to climb the hill and submerse yourself in numbers and graphs, this might be the game for you. If not, it is probably best avoided.
6.5
fun score
Pros
Fun to see the ripple effects of policy decisions; deep, turn-based strategy with countless outcomes
Cons
Poor presentation makes the game needlessly complex
