How would you deal with the credit crunch? What would you do about global warming? How would you manage a global flu epidemic?To investigate these questions and mark the launch of the new 2009 PC Geo-simulator Commander in Chief, masked Gordon Brown impersonators hit the street around Parliament to see whether members of the public felt they could do a better job at running the government than the current Prime Minister. The results found that 36% of the respondents reported that they believed they would personally make for a better Prime Minister.
Members of the British public now have their chance to prove it, though they will be stepping into the Prime Minister’s shoes in the virtual world.
Commander in Chief is a comprehensive geo-political simulation game for PCs where players face the same complex issues confronting leaders like Gordon Brown on a day-to-day basis. The great detail and depth of the simulator reveals the complexities of managing a government and the challenging decisions they must make. In the game, as in real life, every decision has consequences and balancing all of the demands is no simple task.
Are you a warmonger or a diplomat, would you bail out the banks, could you avoid scandals and political pitfalls, should you sign the Kyoto protocol and develop environmental solutions to a threatened world?
From decisions on current issues of terrorism to unemployment, epidemics to alternative energy policy, players can test their ability to deal with issues domestically or on the world stage, responding to actions taken by fellow global leaders. Like in real life, players need to consult daily newspapers to gauge the public and international response to their policies and use their virtual laptop or phone to communicate with other government officials, leaders or the 50 international organisations like the UN, NATO or OPEC.
According to Louis-Marie Rocques, from the game developer Eversim, "One of the key points when designing the game was for us to achieve the highest degree of realistic simulation, while making the seriousness of politics a challenging and entertaining experience." Striking this balance correctly has a strong pay-off for bringing the challenges of politics to life. Steven Ross, Professor of History, University of Southern California, states, “I think this is a great thing for getting people really hooked in politics. The challenges that players face blur the lines between politics and entertainment.”
The Gazette gives the game “Four stars out of five’ and Honestgamers.com says, "The game is a smooth, sublime experience about running a nation in the present era."
Can you handle the burden of the world on your shoulders? Can you become one of the world’s great leaders? Can you do better than Gordon Brown?
Commander in Chief is available online and in stores across the UK. For more information visit: www.commander-in-chief.co.uk