Democracy 4, the sequel in the long-running series which simulates trying to effectively run government, is out now in Steam Early Access. In this early build, players will have the chance to take control of various nations, including the USA, UK, Germany, Canada and French governments available on day one, with more planned during the development pipeline.
The game's focus has long been on not just winning election, like a game such as The Political Machine, but also maintaining popular support, working with other branches of government that may not share your values, and appealing to your citizens with actions that reflect the worldview of the majority. In short, it's everything the modern-day GOP is not, but at least in this case there are fewer consequences and they aren't nearly as far-reaching.
The game, according to its creators at Positech, "presents political simulation unlike any other title, and offers room for growth in literacy on the subject," meaning through play you may come to better understand the inner workings of government, be it your own or those abroad in the real world.
Perfectly keeping with the game's title and premise, early access players can actually vote on where the studio should put their focus in future updates. Yes, Democracy 4 doesn't just simulate the form of government. It runs on it. As before in the series, mods will be encouraged and supported greatly and the team must be excited to see what the community comes up with after a seven-year gap between the last game and this new sequel.
It's certainly not a game for everyone, but for the political junkies and civics nerds of the world, I dare say I've not seen a game go deeper on this subject matter. It's out now in early access exclusively on Steam with an introductory price of $26.99. Prospective players are encouraged to vote with their wallets - and wishlists.
