Suzerain - Indie Presidential Sim

[Rhakron90]

Has anyone else tried this? I just picked it up on Steam yesterday.

Its basically an Indie Game Presidential simulator. It's got a similar sort of retro feel to "Papers, Please!" but just with better graphics.

You play as the recently elected President of troubled fictional kind/sorta Euro country, during a fictionalized version of the early Cold War. You have to decide whether to side with the Capitalist West or the Communist East, whether to embrace Free Markets or Planned Economies, and whether to ultimately try and turn your nation into a true Democracy, or a corrupt, single party, (Right or Left Wing) Dictatorship. You also have to manage your relations with the members of your cabinet, the leaders of various opposition parties, the public, and even the "Deep State."

I'm not particularly far in (just started, basically), but it seems pretty damn cool so far.

 

[Rhakron90]

Really strong game, but the multiple choice endings seem a bit nonsensical.

After inheriting a collapsed economy, I extensively privatized, ending the depression, and resulting in a boom which brought unemployment down from 16% to below 5%, inflation down from 7% to 2%, and cut our national debt in half. I reformed welfare, healthcare, and education, bringing standards of living to their highest levels ever. I reformed the Constitution to be more Democratic and Liberal, and formed an anti-corruption task force which ultimately broke the power of the "deep state" in my country that was being lead by our former dictator. I allied myself and signed trade deals with every democratic country in my region, and joined (Not N)ATO, allying myself with the Capitalist super power "Arcasia" against the Communist sphere. I modernized my military just like the Generals wanted, resulting in them having a "happy rating." I made some backroom deals with big business and media in order to ensure their support. I also get explicitly told I'm a shoe-in for re-election due to having the support of most of my party, and forming an alliance with the reformist opposition party.

Yet... At the veeeery last second I get told that there's massive unrest in the country (Huh?), and then I get taken out by a Right Wing military coup. Ummm... What the actual ****?? Why???

I could've understood a Commie uprising (there had been a Leftist minority terrorist organization causing trouble for quite some time), or something, but this ending made no damn sense. It felt railroaded, and like the game gave me no real options to avert the thing.

6.5/10

-1.5 for the wonky ass ending mechanics.

 

[Cordelier]

Really strong game, but the multiple choice endings seem a bit nonsensical.

After inheriting a collapsed economy, I extensively privatized, ending the depression, and resulting in a boom which brought unemployment down from 16% to below 5%, inflation down from 7% to 2%, and cut our national debt in half. I reformed welfare, healthcare, and education, bringing standards of living to their highest levels ever. I reformed the Constitution to be more Democratic and Liberal, and formed an anti-corruption task force which ultimately broke the power of the "deep state" in my country that was being lead by our former dictator. I allied myself and signed trade deals with every democratic country in my region, and joined (Not N)ATO, allying myself with the Capitalist super power "Arcasia" against the Communist sphere. I modernized my military just like the Generals wanted, resulting in them having a "happy rating." I made some backroom deals with big business and media in order to ensure their support. I also get explicitly told I'm a shoe-in for re-election due to having the support of most of my party, and forming an alliance with the reformist opposition party.

Yet... At the veeeery last second I get told that there's massive unrest in the country (Huh?), and then I get taken out by a Right Wing military coup. Ummm... What the actual ****?? Why???

I could've understood a Commie uprising (there had been a Leftist minority terrorist organization causing trouble for quite some time), or something, but this ending made no damn sense. It felt railroaded, and like the game gave me no real options to avert the thing.

6.5/10

-1.5 for the wonky ass ending mechanics.

I've been thinking of trying this game out for myself when I get a little more free time.

Quick question, though... why'd you make an alliance with the reformist opposition party? Seems to me that all that did was effectively make the country into a one-party state... hence the massive unrest and the coup. People have got to have a choice... take away the choice - by making their vote essentially meaningless - and they tend to become violent.

I haven't played the game (yet), but it seems to me that political power & popularity ought to have a point of diminishing returns... go beyond it and you open yourself up for a massive adverse reaction.

 

[Rhakron90]

I've been thinking of trying this game out for myself when I get a little more free time.

Quick question, though... why'd you make an alliance with the reformist opposition party? Seems to me that all that did was effectively make the country into a one-party state... hence the massive unrest and the coup. People have got to have a choice... take away the choice - by making their vote essentially meaningless - and they tend to become violent.

I haven't played the game (yet), but it seems to me that political power & popularity ought to have a point of diminishing returns... go beyond it and you open yourself up for a massive adverse reaction.

To be fair, the country is a parliamentary system, with several different parties in the elections. What I did isn't too terribly different than what political parties under such systems do all the time.

After asking around on some forums, I think the issue was that I didn't give my generals enough to do (there's apparently a war you can start with a belligerent rival nation that you can easily win with the right allies), and they were pissed that I cut them out of law enforcement? I may have also needed to jail the retired former dictator, and try him for war crimes.

Eh. Who the Hell knows. I still have a bone to pick with that ending (All my allies didn't do diddly? Really? No heads up from the Not CIA?)... But whatever. Guess the bitterness I feel is accurate to the circumstance. LOL

I may give the game another go-round after I get tired of Cyberpunk 2077.

 

[Cordelier]

To be fair, the country is a parliamentary system, with several different parties in the elections. What I did isn't too terribly different than what political parties under such systems do all the time.

After asking around on some forums, I think the issue was that I didn't give my generals enough to do (there's apparently a war you can start with a belligerent rival nation that you can easily win with the right allies), and they were pissed that I cut them out of law enforcement? I may have also needed to jail the retired former dictator, and try him for war crimes.

Eh. Who the Hell knows. I still have a bone to pick with that ending (All my allies didn't do diddly? Really? No heads up from the Not CIA?)... But whatever. Guess the bitterness I feel is accurate to the circumstance. LOL

I may give the game another go-round after I get tired of Cyberpunk 2077.

In parliamentary systems, though, you only typically see national unity governments in times of crisis (ie, the Great Depression, World War II, etc.)... if you get one when times are good, it's usually perceived as a power grab. Never underestimate the importance of a loyal opposition.

That being said, I don't blame you for feeling bitter... now you know how Margaret Thatcher must have felt. When you make the job look easy, everyone gets the impression they could do it just as well themselves.