Realpolitiks
- February 16, 2017
- Jujubee S.A.
- 43h median play time
Get on Steam"Realpolitiks" is a single-player historical strategy game that offers a realistic experience of being a contemporary world leader, with the ability to try out the demo before purchasing. However, the game has been reported to have bugs and may require updates. Completion of the game takes approximately 43 hours.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Linux
PlayStation
Reviews
- Deep and engaging gameplay with a focus on modern geopolitics.
- Variety of scenarios and challenges that keep the gameplay fresh.
- Well-optimized performance with quick load times and stable performance.
- Steep learning curve for newcomers, with a lack of comprehensive tutorials.
- Shallow mechanics in diplomacy and warfare, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- Numerous bugs and balance issues that detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay168 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a complex system of policies and international relations, appealing to veterans of the strategy genre, though beginners may struggle due to a lack of tutorials and a confusing interface. While some players appreciate the depth and potential for strategic variety, many criticize the mechanics as shallow, poorly explained, and often frustrating, particularly in combat and diplomacy. Overall, the game offers an interesting concept but suffers from implementation issues that detract from the overall experience.
“The depth of the gameplay lies in its intricate system of policies, economic management, and international relations.”
“These scenarios provide different goals and obstacles, keeping the gameplay fresh.”
“Deep and engaging gameplay with a focus on modern geopolitics.”
“The idea of this game is awesome, but the implementation of the gameplay is awful.”
“The gameplay is extremely slow and boring, especially the formation of blocks (alliances) and research of new tech.”
“Boring gameplay, no clue what I was supposed to do, and most of all, you can never win a single war, not a single.”
- graphics36 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of "realpolitiks" are generally described as functional but not groundbreaking, featuring simple 2D/3D models and a basic map design. While some players appreciate the charming art style and find the visuals adequate for gameplay, others criticize the lack of detail and poor performance. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose but are not a standout feature of the game.
“I have mixed feelings about this game; first of all, it's a great introduction to the concept of realpolitics, geopolitics, etc., and I truly enjoy the art and visuals.”
“It still is a fun game and the graphics, for what they are, are pretty good.”
“While not the most robust strategy game out there, it can be entertaining and has a charming art style.”
“Forget the fact it performs poorly with terrible graphics.”
“Graphically, not much to talk about; it's a simple map and basic 2D/3D models on the map that can be altered by in-game options.”
“After all, these are the only visuals you get.”
- story36 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in "Realpolitiks" is non-linear, featuring various scenarios and challenges rooted in both real-world and fictional geopolitical contexts. Players engage in diplomatic relations and espionage missions, but the execution often feels limited and scripted, leading to frustration with mechanics like spy missions that have high failure rates. While the setting and potential outcomes are intriguing, many players find the narrative elements underdeveloped and the DLC content largely ineffective.
“The game wants you to have a specific experience which really makes it feel like you're playing a character in a story, not a nation in a sandbox.”
“The actions you make have a very big impact on the gameplay and story.”
“This goes from spy missions, making allies, battles, and getting countries to agree with you on simple matters, and there isn't much for you to alter the odds unlike most other games.”
“International politics are poorly written and based mostly on simple scripts; for example, the Olympics or space colonization missions are just a 'throw money at it', and so is most of the remaining game interaction.”
“The next issue I have with it is the way the game handles spy missions; a 99% rate of failure, which I have confirmed even with the research into spying maxed out, gets old and fairly annoying, and sometimes angering, very quickly.”
“There are some story-based features that are unrealistic.”
- stability22 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including game-breaking issues like unresponsive AI during peace negotiations. While some players note that the game runs smoothly on certain systems, the overall consensus is that it feels unfinished and lacks polish, often resembling an early access title. Players should be prepared for a frustrating experience due to these stability issues.
“Runs great on my old MacBook Pro Retina 13.”
“A buggy mess.”
“Constantly freezes up.”
“Game is buggy with occasional game-breaking glitches such as when you send a peace offer and the AI doesn't reject or accept, preventing you from sending another peace offer.”
- optimization18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is generally well-optimized, featuring quick load times and stable performance even in complex scenarios. However, some users noted a lack of clarity on performance improvement options and expressed a desire for better optimization in certain areas.
“It's well-optimized, with quick load times and stable performance even during complex scenarios with numerous active elements.”
“Well-optimized performance”
“The lack of higher speeds is especially strange considering the performance seemed pretty good most of the time.”
“Right off the bat needs better optimization.”
“- War is boring, and it's never clear how I can improve my performance, as performance isn't listed.”
“- War is boring, and it's never clear how I can improve my performance, as performance isn't listed.”
- music18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The music in "realpolitiks" receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it nostalgic and fitting for the game's themes, while others describe it as loud, jarring, and inappropriate, leading to frustration and a desire to mute it. Overall, the soundtrack fails to create a cohesive atmosphere, detracting from the gaming experience for many users.
“The sound design in 'realpolitiks' is adequate, with a suitable soundtrack that complements the game's political and strategic themes.”
“And most of the time after not playing a game for a while and you launch the game and hear the music, you instantly feel nostalgic and want to hop into the game.”
“The soundtrack, my goodness, sounds like epic music from Hans Zimmer!”
“Forget the terrible soundtrack, the poor scaling, which makes certain text unreadable.”
“But instead I hear this loud obnoxious music and it makes me leave the game and uninstall again.”
“The music is jarring and does not fit with the game, and my impulse after 15 minutes was to turn it off and play other music in the background.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its replayability, with many players finding it highly addictive and enjoyable. While some reviewers note that it may not reach the complexity of other titles in the genre, such as Europa, they still appreciate its charm and value for the price. Many agree that it offers a good amount of replay value, making it a worthwhile purchase.
“This is a highly addictive game with great replayability value.”
“It's perhaps not as intricate as some of the others in the genre, but I feel it has good replay value, and for the price, it's a great buy.”
“It has a couple of issues for my liking regarding replayability.”
“Well, its replayability isn't as high as Europa, but it's got some charm to it.”
“Buying this game, I thought I would find a more playable alternative to the 'Geopolitical Simulator' series.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as a strong point, with players enjoying the witty diplomatic and economic commentary, as well as amusing artwork featuring political figures like Angela Merkel, Obama, and Putin. However, some find the war aspect lacking, with humorous headings that contrast sharply with the gameplay's seriousness. Overall, the game is described as funny and challenging, though it could benefit from more depth in certain areas.
“Good game, maybe only a little short with some features, but still funny and challenging.”
“Take your classic paradox-style turn-based strategy game, pump some steroids and humor into it, and you'll be close to understanding what realpolitiks here.”
“Best part about this is the loading screen art is funny.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and stressful, with repetitive tasks that detract from the overall enjoyment. The simplification of gameplay has led to a shallow experience, making the grind feel both boring and frustrating, particularly during war combat where players must repeatedly confirm attack plans.
“The playability factor is about fifty percent; this is because you will find that after some time of playing, it can become very tedious and stressful. The game itself is simple, and there is not a lot to talk about in relation to world domination.”
“But to streamline the game, they cut out both fun things and tedious things alike, so Realpolitiks is both shallow and boring.”
“The war combat is also extremely tedious; you have to choose an attack plan so many times and after each, close a confirm dialog, and repeat.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews suggest that monetization in games often mirrors broader societal influences, where advertising and strategic practices shape player behavior and opinions, rather than overt coercion. This reflects a nuanced approach to monetization that relies on subtle persuasion rather than direct manipulation.
