New PC simulation game lets players be Obama and either run the country respectably or send it into poverty and ruin. Who knows, maybe you'll catch the future president in a multiplayer match and teach him a thing or two.
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.
Out of Eight writes: "January 20, 2009, was a historic, landmark, monumental, and historic day (did I mention it was historic?). For the first time in American history, the President of the United States was...named "Barack." But if you though it's smooth sailing for the next four years, full of "smiles" and "big ears," you thought wrong: running a country is hard work. Commander in Chief allow you to step into the president's shoes and take the helm of any nation in today's volatile world (it's totally going to vaporize). This is an updated version of the Geo-Political Simulator that released in Europe about six months ago, and it's arrived here in the U.S. just in time for the typical two-week fascination with the new president. There have been a growing number of games granting you total control, from the near-future in Supreme Ruler 2020 to the not-near-past in Europa Universalis III. Commander in Chief certainly has depth (you can set the percentage of your budget dedicated to cryptography), but does it deliver a playable, total package?"
All in all, Commander in Chief doesn't only feel like a retread of last year's Geo-Political Simulator, but also a pretty hollow attempt to cash in on the recent Presidential elections. Even if you're a fan of this type of game, Commander in Chief is best avoided.
GZ Rating
Gameplay 5
Graphics 5
Sound 5
Difficulty Medium
Concept 4.5
Multiplayer 5
Overall 5.0
