Previous Next

This is a simulation of the economy of a small rural kingdom involving producing corn, preserving or starving the population, and, if you can amass enough cash, buying power stations and factories. If, after five years, you have honoured your election promises, you survive. If not, suicide!

Playing the game is good fun, though not easy until you realise that the king is easily worked round and that some of the population must go in order to build up the cash! It's always interesting to see what political assumptions are incorporated in games and that one is all too familiar!

Variable factors are built in, like the effect of the weather on crops, invasion, and the discovery of oil. The rest is up to you.

Sadly, the screen presentation is ordinary, and the game itself reminiscent of a magazine listing. None of the humour or sound/visual effects of Dictator, nor the sophistication of Great Britain Ltd is here. There appears to be only a rudimentary attempt to trap input errors, and the Basic listing is easily persuaded to reveal its secrets.

Two years ago, this would have been acceptable, but users have come to expect more now.

D.M.