Democracy 4

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,399 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • stability
Democracy 4 Game Cover
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Democracy 4 lets you take the role of President / Prime minister, govern the country (choosing its policies, laws and other actions), and both transform the country as you see fit, while trying to retain enough popularity to get re-elected...Built on a custom-built neural network designed to model the opinions, beliefs, thoughts and biases of thousands of virtual citizens, Democracy 4 is the state…

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Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,399 reviews
gameplay59 positive mentions
stability43 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.
  • Technical issues, including crashes and lag, can detract from the overall experience.
  • gameplay265 mentions

    The gameplay of Democracy 4 is characterized by a blend of strategic decision-making and simulation mechanics, allowing players to navigate complex governance issues. While many appreciate the game's depth and engaging interface, criticisms arise regarding its repetitiveness, simplicity, and lack of substantial new mechanics compared to its predecessor, Democracy 3. Overall, the game offers an enjoyable experience for fans of political simulations, but it may feel limited and predictable after several playthroughs.

    • “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.”
    • “The game is too repetitive with no variety in gameplay.”
    • “It lacks political party management, election campaign management, deeper economy model, and some parliament mechanics.”
  • graphics93 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the minimalistic design allows for smooth performance on various hardware, the overall quality is lacking, particularly in character illustrations and background designs. Some users appreciate the clean interface and vector graphics, but others criticize the static and awkward visuals, describing them as clunky and unappealing. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose in conveying information, but they are not a standout feature of the game, often feeling outdated or poorly executed.

    • “The slick interface, vector graphics, and quality of production is truly remarkable.”
    • “For how simple the graphics are and how strange the premise is, I'm surprised how much I like this game.”
    • “Graphically, the game looks great.”
    • “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.”
  • stability44 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and various glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. While some players acknowledge minor issues and express enjoyment of the game, the overall consensus is that it feels unfinished and buggy, detracting from the experience. Despite improvements noted in some areas, many still find it hard to recommend due to its instability.

    • “I love Democracy 4, and it runs great on Steam Deck!”
    • “The game is incredibly stable, with no crashes or bugs during my playthrough.”
    • “I've experienced smooth gameplay throughout, which really enhances the overall experience.”
    • “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.”
    • “Extremely buggy and crashes half the time.”
  • replayability40 mentions

    The game's replayability is generally viewed as high, particularly due to a thriving modding community that offers custom scenarios and content, as well as a variety of policies and choices that enhance gameplay depth. However, some players note limitations in replay value, citing a lack of challenges and dynamic content, which can lead to boredom after extended play. Overall, while many find the game enjoyable and replayable, opinions vary significantly based on individual play styles and preferences.

    • “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.”
  • story34 mentions

    The game's story aspect is largely perceived as lacking, with many players noting the absence of a defined narrative and suggesting that the storytelling emerges organically from player decisions. While some appreciate the freedom to create their own motives and backstories, there is a consensus that the game would benefit from more structured storylines, diverse missions, and deeper narratives that reflect the consequences of policy decisions. Overall, players desire a richer storytelling experience to enhance immersion and engagement.

    • “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.”
    • “☑ 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.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it simplistic and repetitive, while others appreciate its thematic appropriateness and overall quality. There are mentions of a limited variety of tracks, with some players suggesting that the music could benefit from more complexity. Overall, while the music may not be spectacular, it is often described as enriching to the gameplay experience.

    • “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.”
  • humor17 mentions

    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 encounters. Players appreciate the clever commentary on contemporary issues, often finding themselves laughing at the absurdity of scenarios and outcomes, which adds to the game's addictive nature. Overall, the humor is a standout feature, making the simulation both intellectually stimulating and genuinely funny.

    • “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.”
    • “The simulation is hilarious, especially because even knowing it's an approximation, one can't stop thinking about how real it ends up being.”
  • grinding17 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized, with many users noting that it requires an excessive time commitment, often feeling like a second job. While the initial gameplay can be enjoyable, it quickly becomes repetitive and tedious as players find themselves implementing the same strategies repeatedly, leading to a loss of engagement over time.

    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “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.”
    • “However, this game, even though in concept it is great, is very much too tedious and has flaws.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews. While some players appreciate the smooth performance on lower-end devices due to its 2D menu design, others report significant performance issues and imbalances, particularly in policy effectiveness and gameplay dynamics. Many users feel that the game is not fully optimized, especially in its early release state, leading to frustration with its performance and strategic depth.

    • “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.”
    • “Every choice has an impact on your approval, budget, and country performance.”
    • “So far the game seems to run smoothly, thanks Positech for another wonderful democracy game!”
    • “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.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy, particularly through DLCs, is viewed negatively, with many considering them to be cash grabs that lack value. Additionally, there is a suggestion to incorporate political advertising as a potential monetization avenue, utilizing funds from fundraising and party donations.

    • “DLCs are mostly just cash grabs and not worth taking.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative and prioritizes profit over player experience.”
    • “In-game purchases are overpriced and offer little value for the money spent.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players report that the emotional aspect of the game effectively immerses them in the role of a political leader, creating a sense of confusion and responsibility that mirrors real-life decision-making. The mechanics, such as the influence points system, contribute to this emotional engagement, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “I was confused the whole time, which made me feel like a real political leader.”
    • “The emotional weight of my decisions lingered long after I finished playing.”
    • “I felt a deep connection to the characters, as their struggles mirrored my own experiences.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique character designs while others feel that the depth and growth of the characters are lacking. Overall, the visual appeal is noted, but the narrative progression and emotional engagement may not meet all players' expectations.

    • “The character development in this game is incredibly deep, allowing players to truly connect with each character's journey.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their growth feel authentic and rewarding.”
    • “The backstories and personal arcs of the characters are so well-crafted that I found myself emotionally invested in their fates.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”
    • “The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs don't evolve in a way that feels satisfying or engaging.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game features a highly realistic political model that enhances the atmosphere, making it particularly enjoyable for serious players.

    • “The game contains one of the most realistic political models in video games, creating an enjoyable atmosphere for serious players.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
19hAverage play time
4-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs

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