Political Machine 2016 enters Early Access
Given the strategy and resource management that goes into campaign planning, I'm surprised there aren't more games that attempt to simulate election races. There's quite a big election race coming up next year, so the release of Political Machine 2016 on Early Access is timely indeed.
As in previous series entries, you guide your bobble-headed candidate around the US, take stances on big issues, launch smears and wobble your giant plastic head uncontrollably on live television debates. There are pre-made candidates, including Donald Trump, but you can make your own if you so wish.
The Early Access edition costs £6.99 / $9.99. The developers are aiming for a full release early next year, and will use the next few months to add multiplayer, build leaderboards and "incorporate the ongoing zaniness of the primary season into the game through new issues and events”. You can buy it on Steam, or directly from Stardock.
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Part of the UK team, Tom was with PC Gamer at the very beginning of the website's launch—first as a news writer, and then as online editor until his departure in 2020. His specialties are strategy games, action RPGs, hack ‘n slash games, digital card games… basically anything that he can fit on a hard drive. His final boss form is Deckard Cain.