Simulation games have always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Becoming a god who can control the fate of people, zoos, cities and even Jurassic Park, is an enormous power rush, even more so than getting the perfect head shot against your alien attacker. And with such power, I of course always use it for pure evil. Nothing beats building the perfect city and unleashing a 100ft gorilla loose in it just for kicks or ‘accidentally’ forgetting to finish construction of that new roller coaster before opening it to the public. It’s this amount of absolute control over the world that I find defines a quality sim game.
However, newer games in the genre have taken this level of control to extremes with the ability to control every facet of your characters’ lives. Though many applaud these advancements, I find it more difficult to reach those satisfying moments of debauchery. I want my character to hook up with the next-door neighbor and use the hookah…errr, bubble blower, not whine about how he needs to eat, shower or use the bathroom every few seconds. It’s time we take a step back in the sim genre and realize there is a point where too much control equals boredom. This is what the developer of Kudos 2 chose to do, and the result is an enjoyable game that harkens back to the genre’s roots.
Continue reading ‘Kudos 2 for Mac: stuck in the horror of sim monogamy’
I sat down with my good friend Conor McArdle and discussed the joys and pains of Positech’s democracy simulator, Democracy 2.
Conor has completed a degree and a Masters in Politics, making him super qualified in reviewing Democracy 2. In fact, Conor only did his degree and Masters to review Democracy 2. Hardcore!
Me, I’m an uneducated bum who is only now doing a degree. I am softcore education wise, but have played many, many games. And I’m better at Democracy 2 than Conor. So there. Ha!
Continue reading ‘Democracy 2 for Mac’
Oh my, the hilarity! Kudos! For Kudos 2, Positech’s 20-30 years old life simulator! Wahaa!
Kudos 2 is now available on the Mac. As usual, I partnered with redmarblegames.com to handle porting the game, as I know little about Macs these days.
I’m mulling over the possibilities of an iphone port for the game, with a few people interested in doing it. I think it would do very well, but it would also need some redesign, and I don’t really have time for that right now.
I’ve been playing through Democracy 2 for Mac with my Most Educated Friend™, who studied Politics for his degree and then for a Masters. He is educated. I am less educated. Genius! Review shortly, just as soon as I put on my transcribing hat and transcribe. (Actually, I tell a lie, he’s not my Most Educated Friend™. I know a girl who has a PhD. But she’s not interested in games, only guinea pigs. So it’d be pointless to ask her thoughts on a simulator of the democratic process. Or would it…)
Download the demo of Kudos 2 for Mac or show your support for an outspoken UK indie developer and buy it straight away!
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