Which do you think is the best political computer game?

[dude58677]

The one most realistic for promoting freedom!

 

[enoch150]

Rome: Total War. I always lower a city's taxes after conquering it. Of course, I always choose to massacre them, so there aren't many people left. On the other hand, I've also overthrown entire nations simply by assassinating all of its leaders, so that means fewer battles and that saves a lot lives, at least for my own country. Some of their cities riot when they have no leaders or after I torch their temples, and people die in those, and then there's the whole massacring thing when I finally do move in, so it isn't all great for them.

 

[V3n]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_War_(video_game)

 

[Christian Liberty]

I'm not sure it "promotes" freedom but I used to love Civ IV. Its view of anarchy is of course unrealistic, looking more like the Purge than Porcfest And since its a game, warmongering is fun. You can win without ever attacking anyone as well, however.

 

[TomtheTinker]

Rome total war or any of the games in total war series is certainly my favorite. It brings real time and turn based strategy together. Kind of age of the empires crossed with civ rev.
. If you are interested in this sort of game you should check it out.

Disclaimer: will steal your life.

 

[thoughtomator]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_War_(video_game)

Before becoming a video game, that was card game - one I played as a kid. It's a good suggestion but I would pick a different card game - Illuminati.

 

[DamianTV]

Which one does not require a permanent online connection? I know Sim City, the new one, does require you to be online at all times, even during single player...

 

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

those games are "political" computer games?

 

[nobody's_hero]

The poll doesn't include the best political game of all:

I don't know how realistic it was, but I really enjoyed Tropico. I'm sure you can find a demo out there on the internet somewhere. You might have a bit of trouble getting the original to work on a modern PC, though. It came out in 2001. I found a copy on ebay for about 3 or 4 dollars, after I sold my original at a yard sale (regrettably), and I managed to get it working on Windows 7 but I can't remember what I did to get it working.

Back before I found out about Ron Paul, I played original Tropico and would try to see just how tyrannical I could be on the hardest difficulty setting without getting booted from power. The U.S. would always send troops before the people even revolted. (and if either the U.S. or USSR invaded it was instant game-over for your regime, just like in real life). You could build an embassy to increase relations with the superpowers and keep them off your back . . . for a while, at least.

You could have elections and try to please enough people to win, or you could cancel elections and face a possible uprising from your people. Of course, if you created a leader who starts out with low democratic expectations (you can create your own dictator at the start and pick your characteristics), then the people won't be all that upset if you cancel the elections (which usually don't happen anyway, lol.)

There were various factions you had to try to keep happy. You could build schools to please the 'intellectuals', but they were typically the ones who demanded better pay, jobs, and housing. The 'religious' faction wanted churches and policies like alcohol bans, which was costly because churches weren't cheap and rum was one of the most-profitable goods you could produce and export, but the religious faction was usually one of the largest factions so you had to throw them a bone one way or another.

I bought tropico 3 but found it a bit too easy. Now they've just released Tropico 5, so I'm a bit behind. I prefer the original, though. The original was created by Pop-Top, the game developer who also created the Railroad Tycoon series, which had a really fun use of the stock-market to try to buy up shares and buy out competing railroads.

 

[Antischism]

Solitaire.

 

[Tywysog Cymru]

Out of all of those I'd choose Civ V as IV has the annoying UN resolutions at the end (has V added this in the expansions)? Civ V has a warmonger penalty, so if you're going to be an imperialist, you're going to face blowback. But my personal favorite PC game is Civilization III, the first one I discovered. It was made in 2001 but I still love it, there's just something great about the way it feels.

@nobaody's hero, Tropico is a fun game, but it assumes central planning.

 

[torchbearer]

In Victoria II, you can engourage the growth of anarcho-capitalist and at least change the government type to a full libertarian, free market, government does nothing but defense type stuff- build trading partners and win by building influence... or you can turn it full blown Fascist dictatorship and take over the world.

 

[dude58677]

Out of all of those I'd choose Civ V as IV has the annoying UN resolutions at the end (has V added this in the expansions)? Civ V has a warmonger penalty, so if you're going to be an imperialist, you're going to face blowback. But my personal favorite PC game is Civilization III, the first one I discovered. It was made in 2001 but I still love it, there's just something great about the way it feels.

@nobaody's hero, Tropico is a fun game, but it assumes central planning.

In Masters of the World you can leave the UN, bring troops home from all over the world, end foreign aid, privatize the press, reduce presidents salary and number of terms and shorten the terms, you can try to limit congressional terms but congress refuses, you can pardon people for all crimes and this game called it amnesty, you can lower compulsory schooling laws, expand school vacations, end government curriculum, repeal all gun and drug laws, dismantle all nukes, etc. It pretty much simulates what a Rand Paul Presidency would be like.

 

[angelatc]

The best game will not come close to knocking on doors.

 

[RabbitMan]

Europa Universalis IV or Victoria II or Democracy 3 or anything but the games mentioned in the OP.

And to whomever posted above me...come on dude, this is an entertainment thread. Don't bog it down with some guilt.

 

[EBounding]

 

[Feeding the Abscess]

Europa Universalis IV or Victoria II or Democracy 3 or anything but the games mentioned in the OP.

And to whomever posted above me...come on dude, this is an entertainment thread. Don't bog it down with some guilt.

This and Torch's posts are correct.

 

[pcosmar]

 

[James Madison]

Empire Earth. I just pretend I'm the Founding Fathers fighting off the British...with lasers.

I also really liked Zeus and Poseidon back in the day. You can turn off all taxation and generate your revenue with trade.

 

[juleswin]

Bioshock game series if we were in bizarro world