For the People
- August 13, 2020
- Brezg Studio
- 4h median play time
Get on SteamFor the People is an acute social novel with strategic elements, in which you take control of the newly appointed mayor of a small city. Will the party provide for the people, or are the people just cogs in its machine? The choice is yours, comrade!
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features a compelling story set in a unique communist-like era, with interesting characters and multiple endings.
- The visual style and atmosphere are well-crafted, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
- There is a significant amount of lore and detail in the world-building, which adds depth to the narrative.
- Gameplay mechanics are overly complicated and poorly explained, leading to confusion and frustration.
- The game is very short, with many players feeling it lacks sufficient content for the price.
- Player choices often feel meaningless, with limited impact on the story and outcomes, making it hard to engage with the narrative.
- story60 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as compelling and immersive, with engaging themes and memorable characters, particularly in its exploration of life in a socialist city. However, many reviewers criticize the narrative for being underdeveloped, with limited branching paths and a lack of meaningful choices, leading to a frustrating experience. While the visual novel style and political context are appreciated, the overall execution leaves players wanting a longer, more cohesive storyline that better integrates gameplay mechanics with the narrative.
“Well to end on a positive note - I love the themes and story of this game.”
“The story is compelling and the characters are memorable.”
“An engaging, immersive story about life in a socialist city.”
“The plot is not much so, it feels like the devs tried to bite off more than they could chew, so many of the storylines are under-developed, forced, and boring.”
“Story barely makes any sense and isn't well translated to English.”
“Most of the decisions don't make any sense and the branching of the main story is very limited.”
- gameplay30 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it overly complicated and opaque, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. While some appreciate the core mechanics and decision-making elements, others criticize the lack of clear explanations and the linear nature of the game, which diminishes replayability. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a blend of interesting concepts hampered by clunky execution and a steep learning curve.
“Nice concept, nice plot, nice mechanics.”
“Core gameplay is entertaining and well-enough executed.”
“Interesting gameplay with a necessity to balance interests between those of different factions.”
“It can be extremely frustrating, and while the story elements are quite compelling, the game slows right down when additional boring mechanics crop up.”
“However, this game just feels clunky mechanically; it does not explain its mechanics well (if at all). Half the time, it is a guessing game.”
“This game is total crap, completely unplayable, and full of complicated, confusing mechanics.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their distinctive art style and compelling cold war aesthetic, contributing to an engaging atmosphere. However, some players find the colorless gray palette unnecessary and feel that it detracts from the overall experience, leading to mixed opinions on the visual presentation. Overall, the artwork is considered a strong point, enhancing the narrative despite some critiques regarding its execution.
“The artwork is amazing.”
“Love the overall atmosphere created by witty writing, distinctive art style, and music.”
“Verdict: nice art and visuals as well as a good linear story makes the game worthy of its price.”
“I also don't know if the colorless gray aesthetic is really necessary to have in a game about a city bureaucrat; it's not like I actually want to feel more bored reading reports in a room.”
“With lackluster visuals and hand-holding, the game didn't engage me.”
“---{graphics}---”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its authenticity and humor, effectively capturing the essence of life in a socialist state through witty writing, distinctive art, and music. Reviewers note that it balances a lighter tone compared to similar titles, while still conveying themes of corruption and oppression, creating a tense yet engaging environment. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that enhances the gaming experience.
“Love the overall atmosphere created by witty writing, distinctive art style, and music.”
“The game is very well-written; it has humor and atmosphere in it.”
“Thumbs up for capturing the atmosphere, corruption, and life-destroying maliciousness of a government driven by left-wing ideology.”
“Fill your lungs with the industrial atmosphere of a people's state, free of its former imperial oppression.”
“As a C-party member, I recommend this game to anyone who is curious about 'what is the atmosphere of living in a socialist country.'”
- replayability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game offers some replay value, though it is relatively short, leading to a mixed perception of its replayability. While players find it enjoyable enough to consider revisiting, it doesn't reach the same level of replayability as other titles like "Papers, Please." Overall, it may be worth a single replay for most players.
“Lots of replay value.”
“Very enjoyable, very short, and somewhat replayable.”
“I suppose the game's rather short and its replayability is rather minor, but oh well, I got what I came for here.”
“Yes, it is replayable, but not to the same extent as 'Papers, Please', for example.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often unnecessary, with some content feeling overly detailed and irrelevant, particularly after the initial playthrough. This leads to a sense of frustration as the narrative becomes diluted by excessive focus on bureaucratic elements. Overall, the grinding can detract from the enjoyment of the story.
“Grinding in this game is rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is challenging but ultimately satisfying.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The report part is so-so; there's some great and fun stuff there, while other parts are more tedious and irrelevant to read, especially after the first playthrough.”
“This might seem somewhat understandable given River's local position as a city manager, but it's a bit tedious to read and makes the actual story feel thinner, as the relationship between the party, unions, and bureaucracy is still left ambiguous compared to the less necessary geopolitics.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, contributing positively to the overall atmosphere with its distinctive style and ability to enhance tension and provide closure to the endings, even if it may not always be prominent.
“I love the overall atmosphere created by witty writing, distinctive art style, and music.”
“By the way, it also has nice musical accompaniment.”
“The music and sound, while not very noticeable, are acceptable to good and add to a mostly tense atmosphere, while giving closure to the endings.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a lighter atmosphere compared to "Beholder," with well-crafted humor and witty dialogue that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the blend of humor and atmosphere, noting its effective writing.
“It has a lighter atmosphere than Beholder and more funny sentences.”
“The game is very well-written; it has humor and atmosphere in it.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted through the poignant letters received by the city government, reflecting the deep personal struggles and sentiments of the citizens. However, the narrative also emphasizes the tension between these heartfelt expressions and the bureaucratic responsibility of the city party committee to prioritize stability over individual concerns.
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, particularly with the mouse cursor freezing or lagging when moved quickly, and the inability to enable a hardware cursor prevents the game from launching altogether.
“The mouse cursor freezes or lags if you move it faster than a snail's pace, and you can't enable the hardware cursor; otherwise, the game won't even start.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the overall experience.”
