Video games provide an excellent outlet for this, as there are a number of games that show the intricacies of political systems and the impacts certain decisions can have on society. Whether it’s modern-day politics, royal courts or ancient territorial disputes, games have many ways for players to be the rules they feel they deserve to be.
8 Democracy
The Democracy series represents modern-day politics by placing the player in the shoes of the President or Prime Minister of their chosen nation. From there, they are presented a series of interconnected bubbles that include a number of political situations, such as homelessness or high crime rates, and tasked with setting policies that can fix these problems.
Of course, the difficulty in Democracy comes from the constantly competing needs of the populace, as some decisions can please capitalists but anger environmentalists, for example. The challenge comes from balancing these needs in a way that keeps the books balanced and addresses society’s ills in a meaningful way without getting yourself voted out at the next election.
7 Papers, Please
Papers, Please isn’t a simulation of what it’s like to be in charge of a government, but instead it simulates what it’s like to be part of a government system that shows little regard for the people stuck inside it. Players take the role of an immigration officer in a fictional Soviet-era nation called Arstotzka, where they must make decisions about anyone crossing the border by viewing their paperwork.
Due to harsh government policies, the player is often forced to make difficult decisions about people passing through, often sending innocent people to jail or turning away the desperate. However, players can’t simply rebel against the government, as they have a family to feed, and this balance between what’s right and being able to survive is a huge part of the game’s challenge.
6 Victoria
The Victoria series is a deep political strategy set during the time of the British Empire, although the game doesn’t require players to be in charge of the empire itself. It’s a game that balances two distinct threads in running a country during the age of colonization and rapid industrialization – players must use diplomacy to encourage good relations with other nations, while also keeping the economy of their own nation in a healthy position.
The Victoria games are beloved by strategy fans, with many citing its deep economic systems to be among the best in the genre. Its focus on resource management and industry, along with a deep market system mean that players can really delve into the intricacies of 19th century politics to their heart’s content.
5 Romance Of The Three Kingdoms
Much like Victoria, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a historical strategy series about managing an empire. However, Koei Tecmo’s series goes even further back, placing the player in charge of imperial China during the fall of the Han Dynasty in the second and third centuries, drawing a lot of influence from the famed historical text also titled The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
As imperial leaders, players must manage the food supplies of their cities, deal with the damage caused by natural disasters, and maintain the loyalty of the populace, all while waging war with rival kingdoms in a show of dominance.
4 Tropico
The Tropico series sees the player placed in the shoes of El Presidente of a banana republic during the Cold War, where the goal is to remain in charge indefinitely. The game’s goals mostly involve keeping the populace happy so that they don’t violently overthrow the regime, usually by providing the pretense of democracy while secretly rigging the results.
The island nation can also charm either of the major superpowers, whether that’s the USA or the Soviet Union, in order to gain monetary and military aid, and prevent them from enforcing their own rule. It’s a series full of deep political systems all layered with a satirical sense of humor keeping it all together.
3 SimCity
While most of these entries focus on managing a nation or even an entire empire, SimCity shrinks its politics to a local level. In these games, the player is the mayor of a fledgling city who must keep it functioning as it grows.
While not as deep as the more expansive political sims out there, SimCity offers up an insight into how decisions are made on a local level. Managing water systems and transport may not be as glamorous as building a vast international trade network or charming world leaders, but SimCity makes it just as compelling.
2 Crusader Kings
The Crusader Kings franchise simulates medieval politics, spreading across the world. This puts the player into the shoes of a king or a land baron with designs on becoming king, spreading their influence to grow their kingdom.
What makes Crusader Kings stand out over other similar games is its emphasis on relationship politics. The player gains influence by charming members of their court, winning over rulers of other kingdoms and forming alliances through marriages and favors. A player could see themselves assassinated by rival political groups or usurped by their own heir, while a strategic marriage choice could lead to a territorial gain.
1 Civilization
While Civilization isn’t a purely political sim, it’s certainly one of the best games to simulate international politics on a grand scale. The objective is to build a great nation and rule the world through military might, scientific advancement, cultural dominance or religious power.
Civilization covers many aspects of international politics from trade to diplomacy, and from resource management to simply making sure the population remains fed. Not to mention all of this can be done while playing as famous world leaders from history, including Gandhi, British monarchs, US presidents and Roman emperors.
More: Comparing Victoria 3 to Civilization 6
