Democracy 4

About

Democracy 4 is a single player economy turn-based strategy game with economy and business themes. It was developed by cliffski and was released on January 13, 2022. It received positive reviews from players.

"Democracy 4" is a political simulation game where you serve as a country's leader, making policy decisions and managing national affairs. Its unique feature is a neural network model of citizens' opinions, allowing for a more realistic and in-depth political simulation. The game also includes new features such as media reports, coalition governments, and emergency powers, with a focus on modern policy ideas and current political topics. Gameplay takes place on a vector-graphics engine for a cleaner user interface.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,798 reviews

gameplay118 positive mentions

stability86 negative mentions

Engaging and complex political simulation that allows players to explore various policies and their consequences.
Improved UI and mechanics over previous versions, making it easier to navigate and understand.
Offers a variety of countries and scenarios, providing replayability and opportunities for different political strategies.

Can become repetitive and lacks depth after a few playthroughs, especially for experienced players of the series.
Some mechanics, such as the popularity system and cabinet loyalty, can feel unbalanced and unrealistic.
Frequent bugs and performance issues, including crashes and lag, detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
530 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
74%
4%
The gameplay of Democracy 4 has been described as a mix of engaging simulation and frustrating simplicity, with many players noting that it feels similar to its predecessor, Democracy 3, with only minor improvements. While the game offers a user-friendly interface and a variety of political mechanics, it often becomes repetitive and lacks depth, leading to a sense of monotony after a few playthroughs. Overall, it provides an interesting political simulation experience, but many players desire more complexity and variety in gameplay options.
- “In summary, Democracy 4 is an extraordinary simulation that combines deep strategic gameplay with a masterful sense of humor.”
- “Engaging gameplay for a strategy game, would highly recommend.”
- “The gameplay loop in Democracy 4 is pretty simple, each turn you have an amount of funds and political influence that you can use to support or oppose certain social policies, which in turn affect a variety of factors such as health, education, GDP, etc. The UI can be a little daunting at first, but once you realize how to look at things and see what connects to what, it's actually quite elegant.”
- “The gameplay is mostly just clicking.”
- “Game has a fantastic premise; however, the gameplay feels monotonous after a few playthroughs.”
- “This game is not special and likes to use charts to appear nuanced and informative but in reality there are only a relative few gameplay options and policies available to you making it too simplistic.”
graphics
186 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
86%
2%
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the interface is slick and the minimalistic design allows for smooth performance on various hardware, the overall visual quality is lacking. Critics have pointed out awkward and clunky backgrounds, poor illustrations of characters, and a general sense that the graphics do not enhance the gameplay experience, which is primarily focused on strategy and data analysis. Despite these shortcomings, some players appreciate the game's ability to convey complex political simulations through its graphical representation, even if it feels more like an Excel spreadsheet than a visually engaging experience.
- “The slick interface, vector graphics, and quality of production is truly remarkable.”
- “With its realistic visuals and intricate gameplay, it captivates both strategy enthusiasts and newcomers.”
- “They've used both 2D graphics for the portraits and stylized 3D backgrounds that go well together.”
- “The illustrations of people are not good, especially of the politicians you can hire as aides. I know this is not a game where graphics are important, and I'm judging it as such—the graphics are off enough for me to have a problem with them when I already wasn't expecting great things. Well, they're static drawings, so in that respect they could easily be much better.”
- “Many of the new graphical backgrounds for the various demographic screens are awkward, clunky, and downright ugly.”
- “The options have been updated but the visuals are still very poor.”
stability
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent freezes, crashes, and various bugs that hinder gameplay. While some players note minor glitches that don't break the game, many express frustration over the overall performance, describing it as a "buggy mess" and "unplayable" at times. Despite these issues, a few users appreciate the game's potential and the developers' responsiveness to feedback, indicating hope for future improvements.
- “I love Democracy 4, and it runs great on Steam Deck!”
- “I love Democracy 4, and it runs great on Steam Deck!”
- “A buggy mess that doesn't offer anything new to justify its own existence.”
- “The game freezes a lot for something I paid for, and this isn't the result of my PC because I play games like Cyberpunk and Call of Duty on it without it freezing.”
- “This game was released unfinished and still has a few game-breaking glitches.”
replayability
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
55%
10%
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising its depth, complexity, and the thriving modding community that enhances replay value through custom content and varied scenarios. However, some users express disappointment, noting limited replayability due to a lack of challenges and dynamic content, suggesting that enjoyment may depend on individual playstyles and preferences. Overall, while there is significant potential for replayability, it varies widely among players.
- “Additionally, the game's modding community is thriving, offering a wealth of custom scenarios and content that further expand the game's replayability and depth.”
- “The amount of policies and choices and other options and events make replay value super high.”
- “Lots of replayability, and there always seems to be more than one way to meet your goals.”
- “I really enjoyed the hours I did put into the game, but it just has very limited replayability, and that's why I'm not recommending it.”
- “Basically no replayability since there's no real challenge to becoming an autocrat after your first term.”
- “Unless you're really into roleplaying or playing different playstyles by pandering to different groups, there is little reason to continue and not much replayability.”
story
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
79%
15%
The game's story aspect is largely perceived as lacking, with many players noting the absence of a structured narrative and suggesting that the storytelling relies heavily on player-driven decisions. While some enjoy the emergent storytelling from their choices, there is a strong desire for more defined storylines, branching narratives, and immersive missions that could enhance the overall experience. Players express a need for deeper narratives that reflect the consequences of policy decisions and technological advancements.
- “I enjoy the game and the storytelling that naturally unfolds from whatever decisions you make for your nation, and I think the UI is clever.”
- “With gameplay for opposition parties, you'd even be able to play a rags to riches story, building a party from nothing, over many years, until you can assume direct control.”
- “☑ no story”
- “I feel this game requires you to build your own motive and backstory to really flesh out its depth.”
- “Whilst there needs to be a deeper narrative and story in the game, with more newsworthy insights into policy decisions and how they impact the game.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
73%
9%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it repetitive and simplistic, while others appreciate its thematic appropriateness and overall quality. Notably, the in-game music often plays briefly before stopping, leading some to suggest that players might prefer to listen to their own music or podcasts during gameplay. Despite these criticisms, a few users highlight the soundtrack as a strong point, enhancing the game's atmosphere.
- “Don't hesitate, definitely worth buying, and the music's great too!”
- “The music is awesome, and the scaling of icons tells you where the money is at a glance.”
- “Other than that, great soundtrack, great mechanics, fantastic game.”
- “The music is appalling; it is just one track.”
- “The music is mind-numbingly simple and repetitive.”
- “Maybe it wouldn't matter if it was an RPG, but in a game that is slow, casual, and analytical, you definitely need that alt+tab so you can run some podcast, movie, or music in the background and change it without the game collapsing on you.”
humor
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by sharp political satire and witty dialogue, transforming potentially dry gameplay into a series of entertaining and thought-provoking scenarios. Players appreciate the clever commentary on contemporary issues, often finding themselves laughing at the absurdities of political situations and the game's mechanics. Overall, the humor adds a delightful layer to the strategic experience, making it both engaging and memorable.
- “The humor embedded in the game’s dialogue and scenarios provides a sharp, witty commentary on contemporary political issues.”
- “It’s clear that the developers have a keen sense of humor and a knack for political satire, turning what could be a dry experience into a series of delightful and often hilarious encounters.”
- “In summary, Democracy 4 is an extraordinary simulation that combines deep strategic gameplay with a masterful sense of humor.”
grinding
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
53%
41%
The reviews consistently highlight that grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, with many players feeling it requires "a second life" to manage effectively. While the game offers initial enjoyment, it quickly becomes repetitive and tedious as players repeatedly implement the same strategies and policies, leading to a decline in overall engagement.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “It's fun for a couple of playthroughs but then you figure out how to 'win' and the game becomes sort of tedious.”
- “It has the same tedious cabinet mechanic, the same bizarre and lopsided election mechanics, and the same issues with being far too easy and repetitive once you've learned the systems.”
- “It becomes tedious after a while to be implementing the same policies over and over again no matter what ideology you try to play as.”
optimization
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players noting that its 2D menu design allows for better performance and battery life compared to more demanding titles. However, many users report significant performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, and express disappointment with the game's balance and depth, suggesting that it feels unoptimized and lacks new content. Early access players have highlighted the need for further improvements to address these concerns.
- “That the game is basically just 2D menus also means the performance and battery life are much less of a drain on your deck than something like Civilization, and that's a big plus.”
- “So far the game seems to run smoothly, thanks Positech for another wonderful democracy game!”
- “Every choice has an impact on your approval, budget, and country performance.”
- “My laptop has 8GB RAM; I don't think a game like this should be causing this many performance issues.”
- “Horribly unoptimized.”
- “However, I don't think this early release is optimized yet.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy in the game has been criticized for relying heavily on DLCs, which many players view as cash grabs that do not offer significant value. Additionally, there are suggestions for incorporating political advertising as a potential revenue stream.
- “DLCs are mostly just cash grabs and not worth taking.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that the game effectively immerses them in the emotional complexities of political decision-making, often leaving them feeling confused yet engaged, akin to the experience of a real political leader. The mechanics, while sometimes frustrating, contribute to a deeper emotional connection to the game's themes.
- “Was confused the whole time, made me feel like a real political leader”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding character development, with a focus on character design. While some users appreciate the aesthetic aspects, the overall depth and growth of the characters seem to be lacking, leading to an average rating.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its highly realistic political model, which contributes to an engaging and immersive atmosphere, particularly appealing to serious players.
- “The game contains one of the most realistic political models in video games, creating an enjoyable atmosphere for serious players.”