Suzerain is a new game coming near the end of 2020 that tackles a heavy, and not an oft-explored concept in video games. The game is a political management RPG. Though that might sound like a strange idea, it seems like it has some legs to stand on. Simulation games and Grand Strategy titles have placed players into the position of a head of state before. But usually, that’s in the service of some grand war machine or balancing opinions of constituents.
Where Suzerain differs from titles like Democracy 4 and Crusader Kings 3, is that it dives into the real business of running a nation in decline. By managing the economy and political turmoil of a failing nation, the player has to make tough choices and hope to survive. Players will have to maintain order and economic health by both making policy choices and planning for the future. You take the role of President Rayn, the newly-elected leader of a nation on the brink.
The gameplay looks very much akin to the grand strategy titles we mentioned earlier, but rather than dealing with a grand war, you’re struggling to put down insurrections and deal with the economic fallout from previous disasters. You could also dig yourself into too big a hole by massively reforming the electrical process. But if you want to descend into chaos, you can certainly do that, just don’t expect your rule to last too long.
The choices you make as the newest president in 1953’s version of the fictional country will also play out on the world stage. Aligning yourself with various factions and ideologies can impact both the outcome of your own policies and what options open up in the future. The player will be reprised of their progress and the outcome of their decisions via daily newspaper updates, it’s all very Geo-Political Simulator in here. Let’s just hope this game manages to avoid the buggy mess which that particular series is known for.
Check out the trailer for this game down below. Suzerain comes out for PC via Steam on December 4.
