President for a Day - Corruption
- August 5, 2015
- Serious Games Interactive
Get on Steam"President for a Day - Corruption" is a simulation game that lets you play as an African president, facing controversial decisions on topics like corruption, democracy, and foreign aid. The game features four diverse scenarios based on real African events, and addresses issues such as human rights, cultural differences, and governance. Your choices will impact the country's development, as you deal with challenges such as famine, foreign intervention, and ethnic conflicts.
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Reviews
- The game offers an interesting concept that attempts to address serious issues facing African nations through its gameplay mechanics.
- Despite its simplicity, the game can be challenging and requires strategic thinking to navigate the dilemmas presented.
- It is affordably priced, making it accessible for players looking for a casual gaming experience.
- The game is very short, with only a few scenarios that can be completed in under an hour, leading to a lack of depth and replayability.
- Gameplay is often frustrating due to poorly explained mechanics and a lack of clear objectives, making it difficult for players to understand what to do.
- The graphics and overall presentation are minimalistic and lack polish, which detracts from the gaming experience.
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally criticized for being simplistic and repetitive, primarily involving basic decision-making and interactions with advisors, which may appeal more to mobile gamers. While it attempts to incorporate social commentary through its mechanics, many players find it unsatisfying and lacking in depth, with some noting that it can be frustrating and short-lived. Overall, the game struggles to engage players looking for a more complex strategy experience.
“Short and occasionally frustrating/unsatisfying, but if you want a strategy game with mechanics based on social commentary, consider checking this out.”
“If I am correct, the thing that distinguishes this game is how it tries to convey the really challenging situations that many African nations have had to deal with in modern times through its game mechanics.”
“It's simple with simple mechanics, yet (similar to Democracy 3) it's really easy to mess everything up.”
“The gameplay itself is boring; clicking a few options is the whole gameplay of this game.”
“The gameplay consists of skipping along turns and talking to various advisors/petitioners more than anything else, the kind of thing that appeals to mobile gamers.”
“Mechanics are rather uninventive and lack focus.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely criticized for being very basic and lacking animations, resembling a simple text-based interface created with rudimentary software. While some users noted improvements in the map and building systems, the overall aesthetic remains underwhelming, making it unsuitable for those seeking a visually engaging experience.
“Graphic is improved from flooding with a nice map and building system; I liked it very much.”
“Graphically, it is very poor; there are no animations and everything is based on clicking the appropriate options.”
“Little text game with very basic visuals, drawn in some 'paint'-like software.”
“Basically a democracy clone with lackluster graphics and without most of the changeable elements.”
- story6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story emphasizes resilience and the unpredictability of life, highlighting the importance of perseverance in the face of challenges. Set in Africa, players lead different countries through missions that vary in difficulty, though the quests can become repetitive and simplistic, often involving minor stat adjustments with penalties. Overall, while the narrative offers a moral lesson, the gameplay elements may detract from a more engaging story experience.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“The quests get repetitive and usually just involve a +stat to one gauge but with a penalty to another.”
“The game is set in Africa and you lead a different country in the missions, which differ in their difficulty - I think that the easiest mission is the most ridiculous mission.”
“Also, you have a fixed time for every mission, e.g. 13 turns, which means you can only make 13 different moves with one army.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability due to its finite number of scenarios, but the variety of presidents and their unique conditions provide a semblance of replay value. Players may find themselves revisiting scenarios to explore different decision outcomes, though the overall experience is relatively short, encouraging a few playthroughs to fully engage with the content.
“You have several presidents, including the corrupt elite, the military dictator, the Nelson Mandela-esque character, and so on, each of which has a different bonus condition and a different benefit for achieving it, which grants at least the appearance of replayability.”
“Though it has only 4 scenarios to choose from, your own decisions dictate the further ongoings, which increases the game's replayability.”
“Limited replayability once you have completed all scenarios and know the results of the different decisions.”
“You have several presidents, including the corrupt elite, the military dictator, and the Nelson Mandela-esque character, each of which has a different bonus condition and benefit for achieving it, which grants at least the appearance of replayability.”
“Very short game, but with some replayability and enough challenge to make you want to play through each scenario two or three times. The length is well judged so that they all end leaving you feeling like you're just getting into your stride, and you might well try each a couple of times to work out how to beat them.”
- stability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly without significant bugs or glitches. However, some users have noted occasional illogical resolutions that may appear buggy.
“The animations are nice, and as far as I can tell, the game is bug-free.”
“The resolutions aren't always logical and sometimes seem buggy.”
“The game frequently crashes, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game includes in-game advertising, which has frustrated some players who feel that paying for the game should exempt them from such promotions. Users express disappointment over being directed to external websites for additional games, likening the experience to that of a free mobile or browser game rather than a paid title.
“One thing that concerns me is the fact that after doing an awesome job on one playthrough, I was presented with an advertisement for another game by the same company on a website that is foreign to the Steam network.”
“This is really upsetting because at this point it felt like I paid five dollars for what could have been a phone app or a browser game that, even though I’ve paid fair and square for the game, is presenting in-game advertising directing to a website off the Steam network for more cheap-looking games.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its relaxing qualities, providing a soothing backdrop that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the calming effect it has, making it a pleasant addition to their gameplay.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“But better put some music on while you play this.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game "President for a Day" is noted for its lack of optimization, particularly across its various difficulty stages, which may hinder the overall gameplay experience.
“With several difficulty stages, 'President for a Day' is not the best-optimized game.”
“The game suffers from severe performance issues, making it frustrating to play.”
“Loading times are excessively long, which disrupts the overall gaming experience.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently described as diverting and funny, providing an enjoyable and lighthearted experience for players.
“The humor in this game is both diverting and hilarious, keeping me entertained throughout.”
“I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and clever puns sprinkled throughout the gameplay.”
“The comedic timing of the characters is spot on, making even the simplest interactions a joy to experience.”
