There are some games which are simply meant for mobile. With the recent announcement of an imminent release for iPad, it’s suddenly very obvious that Democracy 3 is definitely one of those games.
As the name indicated, Democracy 3 is a surprisingly deep political simulator/strategy title. As the premier of any one of a number of nations of your choice, it is your job to shape and improve your nation, keeping people happy, strengthening the economy and, most importantly, gaining re-election.
If you’re in to your strategy games then you’re probably already convinced, but the title is accessible and addictive enough to be enjoyed by almost anyone. Its touch-friendly UI, which is essentially just a sprawling web of buttons and sliders, means that the game should port perfectly to the iPad. Every area of policy is manifested as a button, with its own connections to other areas of policy. As you create new legislation and adjust funding to certain areas, influences change and fluctuate, in turn eliciting a different reaction from your electorate and its numerous demographics. For example increasing CO2 tax might please environmentalists and decrease pollution, but it will also upset drivers and big corporations.
Rules, laws and inherent political leanings vary depending on which nation you choose to play within, too – for example America has a two-term limit whereas a British head of state can be re-elected over and over.
As good as the game is, though, it has been widely criticised for its high price-point on PC, Mac and Linux, so when it does eventually hit the iPad don’t expect it to come cheap.