Political Animals
- November 2, 2016
- Squeaky Wheel
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Political Animals" is a government simulation game where players manage the campaigns of animal candidates vying for power. Use strategy to overcome opponents, appeal to voters, and make tough decisions in a challenging political landscape. The game features unique candidates, meaningful dialogue, and multiple endings for added replayability.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Political Animals offers a fun and unique take on political strategy games, featuring cute animal characters and humorous scenarios that make it enjoyable for players of all ages.
- The game has a variety of customization options, allowing players to tailor their campaigns and strategies, which adds to its replayability.
- Despite its simplicity, the game provides a decent level of strategic depth, making it engaging for those interested in politics and resource management.
- The gameplay can become repetitive and predictable after a few rounds, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
- Many players feel the game is overpriced for the amount of content it offers, with some suggesting it is only worth purchasing on sale.
- The AI can be inconsistent, and the game lacks multiplayer options, which limits its appeal for those looking for a more competitive experience.
- gameplay16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by simple mechanics and a casual feel, but many players find it becomes repetitive and lacks challenge after a few playthroughs. While some appreciate the innovative aspects and customization options, others criticize it for being boring and recommend it only to dedicated fans of turn-based games. Overall, the game offers a mix of entertaining elements but struggles to maintain engagement over time.
“Very nice real-life parallel, with cool mechanics and fun art and sound.”
“I'd second some of the posters and say that the game is deceptively rich in gameplay.”
“Although the theme makes it look like a casual game, Political Animals does have some sophisticated political gameplay.”
“It is a simple game to play, but after a couple of playthroughs, it becomes boring.”
“Just terribly boring from the get-go; the mechanics are quite simple.”
“Cons - once you've played through the game and learned the mechanics, there is very little challenge to it.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a cute, cartoon-like aesthetic that complements its strategic gameplay, appealing to a wide audience, especially those interested in politics. While some players find the visuals charming and detailed, others note a somewhat low-quality appearance and a simplistic design that may feel more suited for mobile platforms. Overall, the graphics create a relaxed atmosphere, though they may not impress everyone.
“The game offers some really nice graphics and a nice yet simplistic aesthetic which is pleasant all the same and has some amazing attention to detail even though it is a little rough around the edges.”
“Cute cartoon-like aesthetic, funny campaign sounds, and many parameters to be set for an election victory.”
“The cute art style and music really put me into a relaxed mindset and that gave me quite a laugh when I started, but after being destroyed quite handedly, I found myself taking notes and reading a lot more on what the game is communicating.”
“Despite the art style (which I'm not in love with) and the animal motif and puns, which makes it seem cartoonish and mobile-like, there's a lot of fun and strategy here.”
“Looping music and somewhat low-quality cartoon visuals.”
“Also, the music options reset every time you boot up the game, and all the graphical options can be summed up by the words 'Unity launcher'.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its cute aesthetic and funny campaign elements. While many find it enjoyable and easy to understand, some feel that the humor becomes repetitive and may not sustain interest beyond a short playtime. Overall, it offers a lighthearted experience that can be fun for a limited duration.
“A funny and easy-going game.”
“Cute cartoon-like aesthetic, funny campaign sounds, many parameters to be set for an election victory.”
“It is a really funny game and doesn't make you confused about what you're supposed to do; you can easily wrap your head around the game and have hours of fun.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers a moderate level of replayability, with various time lengths, budget options, and unique AI behaviors contributing to diverse experiences. While some players find the replay value limited, others appreciate the different maps, assets, and characters that provide fresh challenges. Overall, the potential for replayability exists, but its extent may vary based on individual player engagement.
“Probably just as compelling, but definitely enough scope to make this a decent game with replayability.”
“Cute drawings and tactical madness with just a flair of chaos to make each game unique and adds to the replay value.”
“While there is a sense of replayability in the game, with the various time lengths, budget amounts, and overall 'dirtyness' the AI can have, it is difficult to say how many times you'd play through it.”
“Replay value can be very limited.”
“Replayable multiple maps with different assets and characters allow for challenges, etc.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as cute and beautiful, contributing to a relaxed atmosphere that contrasts with the game's darker themes. However, players note issues such as low-quality looping tracks and the resetting of music options upon startup, which detracts from the overall experience. The visuals are also considered somewhat simplistic, resembling a "unity launcher" aesthetic.
“The music and art are cute.”
“The art and music are beautiful!”
“The cute art style and music really put me into a relaxed mindset.”
“Looping music and somewhat low quality cartoon visuals.”
“Also the music options reset every time you boot up the game and all the graphical options can be summed up by the word 'Unity launcher'.”
“The cute art style and music really put me into a relaxed mindset, but after being destroyed quite handedly, I found myself taking notes and reading a lot more on what the game is communicating.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The story mode is criticized for its simplicity and lack of meaningful choices, leaving players disappointed by the absence of challenge and randomization. While some characters are appreciated, they feel underutilized, contributing to a sense of missed potential in the narrative experience.
“The story mode is engaging and adds depth to the gameplay.”
“The extra characters in the story are cool and enhance the overall experience.”
“If you're looking for a game where your choices impact the storyline, you might find this one lacking in challenge and content.”
“I think if you expect to play a game like 'This Is the Police!' where your choices have an impact on the storyline, you will be disappointed to find a very simple game with no real challenge, no real randomization of events, and no real content in your campaign.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often feeling that the repetitive tasks detract from the overall experience. Suggestions for improvement include implementing a more dynamic system for creating and customizing game elements, which could alleviate some of the monotony associated with grinding for achievements.
“Short but tedious games.”
“You hard-coded the assets into Unity instead of having them load into the game by a script. If you had done that, you could have created a system to drag and drop the land masses together like a puzzle. This would have allowed for custom two-dimensional character models and a default walk animation. Sure, for most it would be a funky animation, but it would at least allow artists to get a new feel even after playing the game for hours to achieve those grindy achievements.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a generally stable experience with the game, noting it runs smoothly and quickly on various systems. However, some players have encountered bugs that affect gameplay, indicating that while stability is mostly solid, there are still issues to be addressed.
“No glitches, and it runs even fast on my laptop that I am temporarily using!”
“The game is incredibly stable; I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs.”
“I appreciate how smooth the gameplay is; it never lags or stutters.”
“My issues, though, do exist - the game is quite buggy.”
