Realpolitiks Demo

Being a politician nowadays is no easy task, because everyone is constantly watching you and judging your decisions. Back in the day, powerful people only had to say something and everyone would obey without question, which made it easier to command. Naturally, now you have to make sure everyone is pleased with your decisions, which is obviously a good thing, because it doesn’t allow people to become dictators as easily.

Realpolitiks is a 4x strategy game in which you get to pick a contemporary nation and play with it in the hopes of conquering the world, or achieve any other purpose you might wish. The game focuses on both real and fictional scenarios, so you have to deal with problems like the European Union splitting up, or a potential World War III breaking out. Thankfully, you have the freedom to handle each situation as you see fit.

As it’s always the case, certain nations have more power at the start, so it’s far easier to play as them instead of a smaller country. However, the whole game is streamlined to be as simple as possible, so even total newcomers can find their way around after a bit of tinkering. Granted, you can get into a few hardcore features as well, but don’t expect anything like Europa Universalis or the like.

Every now and again the game creates some sort of event that requires a quick solution, such as a nation asking for a loan, or various other such situations. Naturally, each playthrough is different depending on the choices you make when special events pop up, and it also depends on the nation you play as. It’s not a big deal when small countries hold a grudge against each other, but it’s quite dangerous if a superpower like Russia decides to defy Germany.

The interface is designed to be intuitive as well, but you still have to learn where every button and panel is. The map is fairly detailed and easy to navigate, although you cannot really zoom in too much or do anything of the sort. It’s worth noting that the loading screen artwork is incredible, not to mention amusing, since it features characters like Putin, Trump and a few others in unusual circumstances.

In the end, Realpolitiks may not be as complex as other 4x games out there, but that’s what makes it so approachable. Hence, even total beginners can have a blast with the game, and it seems like the formula doesn’t get repetitive too quickly, at least judging from what can be seen in the demo.