Democracy 3

 PC
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 172 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 172
  2. Mixed: 56 out of 172
  3. Negative: 28 out of 172

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  1. rainman8
    Oct 12, 2014
    8
    Good value for €7 if your into politics and economics. There are no graphics to speak of and is a very basic game in that sense but gameplay feels a little complex and overwhelming at the beginning. One thing that annoys me is when you start doing really well (eg getting 80% of the vote) then you start having extremist (eg plots from liberals, religious, conservative etc) wanting toGood value for €7 if your into politics and economics. There are no graphics to speak of and is a very basic game in that sense but gameplay feels a little complex and overwhelming at the beginning. One thing that annoys me is when you start doing really well (eg getting 80% of the vote) then you start having extremist (eg plots from liberals, religious, conservative etc) wanting to assasinate you, and they usually do, it ruins the game for me. At least just have an attempted assination once every year or two instead of every turn (evetually they are successful). If the Trade Unions are against you you should have them organising strikes, or if the religious are after you have them get you excommunicated from the vatican or something instead of this everyone are assasins blanket policy.

    It doesn't make sense to me that your voter popularity at the very start of the game starts out at zero when you are first elected either, and the other side has like 40%. Maybe if you lose an election you could be in opposition and watch the other party in government reverse all your hard work and you can gain votes with opposition policy.
    At the moment I don't see much replay value after you've played each country once. And once you have your utopia (or as close as you can get to it) you are assasinated!!! Can get repetitive. Its a good idea and a good start though.    … Expand
  2. davidmitchell
    Nov 18, 2013
    10
    great game, tons of depth, very interesting to find yourself passing laws and changing policies that at the start you swore you would never do :D Its very welcome to see indie devs making games like this which you know EA or the other big companies would never touch. Definitely recommended.
  3. patrick_hamblet
    Nov 16, 2013
    10
    Fantastic game, tons to do here, the depth is incredible. Unlike other turn-based games it isn't so much a 'click-click-click' style of play, but more of a 'let me carefully weigh up a dozen different options' each time, which means the amount of time you can sink into it is extraordinary.
    I have spent many an evening trying to turn the USA into an atheist, liberal state, or convert    Fantastic game, tons to do here, the depth is incredible. Unlike other turn-based games it isn't so much a 'click-click-click' style of play, but more of a 'let me carefully weigh up a dozen different options' each time, which means the amount of time you can sink into it is extraordinary.
    I have spent many an evening trying to turn the USA into an atheist, liberal state, or convert France to hardcore capitalism, sometimes with mixed (even deadly!) results, but always enjoyed it. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a cerebral game that treats you like an adult and challenges your beliefs and opinions when it comes to politics.    … Expand
  4. rjtipton
    Nov 17, 2013
    10
    Great fun, I thought the game was cool BEFORE I realised there was a political compass built into it. Now I'm having a pretty amusing battle with some steam friends seeing who can win an election as far to the left or right as possible. So far my skills as a communist outweigh my skills as a fascist. I think once modders have really got going with adding extra policies it will be betterGreat fun, I thought the game was cool BEFORE I realised there was a political compass built into it. Now I'm having a pretty amusing battle with some steam friends seeing who can win an election as far to the left or right as possible. So far my skills as a communist outweigh my skills as a fascist. I think once modders have really got going with adding extra policies it will be better still. It's not a cheap game, but given the hours I've spent playing it, I've easily got my moneys worth from it already :D… Expand
  5. Genevaman
    Nov 13, 2013
    8
    A fun simulator for anyone who has ever wondered how their ideal system would work in real life. The fun is in experimenting rather than trying solely to stay in office. Whether you want to turn the US into a socialist utopia or open Britain into a free market libertarian state this game provides potential hours of fun with charts, graphs and policies galore. Pursuing a more centristA fun simulator for anyone who has ever wondered how their ideal system would work in real life. The fun is in experimenting rather than trying solely to stay in office. Whether you want to turn the US into a socialist utopia or open Britain into a free market libertarian state this game provides potential hours of fun with charts, graphs and policies galore. Pursuing a more centrist regime tends to be the easiest and those with an educational background in politics will probably find the game less of a challenge on its default difficulty but this is all about practicing the hypotheticals and, really, that's half the fun.… Expand
  6. bluemonkey93
    Oct 24, 2013
    9
    I was fascinated by this game! I played it straight since I downloaded it last night I just got so absorbed into the game. The achievements are a little easy depending on your beliefs and values but the ability to play around with multiple different possibilities is great. I can see exactly where I want my country and political views to go in the real world and be able to predict possibleI was fascinated by this game! I played it straight since I downloaded it last night I just got so absorbed into the game. The achievements are a little easy depending on your beliefs and values but the ability to play around with multiple different possibilities is great. I can see exactly where I want my country and political views to go in the real world and be able to predict possible results in a shorter amount of time. Only players that are into politics and the strategy behind it will truly enjoy this game. Does seem lacking but having been so absorbed that I stayed up all night seems to remedy that for me.… Expand
  7. PeppyPanda
    Oct 22, 2013
    10
    I really enjoyed my experience with the game and most of the problems people have with this game will be balanced out in the near future. This is one of the best games of this sort out there and you can really get sucked into the game.
  8. GamersResolve
    Nov 13, 2013
    10
    I really enjoyed this game, i can agree with other views about it needing polishing and it is being polished. Some people say its boring and repetitive, if so you can easily change some of the sliders, try running a country on 200% difficulty and trying to manage social services vs your debt, its hard but very fun. It is similar to Democracy 2 but its graphics and interface have beenI really enjoyed this game, i can agree with other views about it needing polishing and it is being polished. Some people say its boring and repetitive, if so you can easily change some of the sliders, try running a country on 200% difficulty and trying to manage social services vs your debt, its hard but very fun. It is similar to Democracy 2 but its graphics and interface have been updated quite a bit and its now very visually appealing. The polices would be the same but there are some new ones with room to turn it into a proper socialist or police state than you could in D2. Overall £18.99 is a good price for this game and with mods for new countries and policies coming out rapidly you can always play beyond what the vanilla game can provide and you can easily mod and add your own countries too.… Expand
  9. GamingHeretic
    Nov 20, 2013
    8
    Democracy 3 showcases the best that can be achieved when a game makes learning fun. Positech’s game sits you as head of a country with the ability to change policy. Whether you are the United States, United Kingdom, or any of the other countries you’ll get the chance to move a country in any political position you want.

    The game is simplistic in scope, but offers a wealth of    Democracy 3 showcases the best that can be achieved when a game makes learning fun. Positech’s game sits you as head of a country with the ability to change policy. Whether you are the United States, United Kingdom, or any of the other countries you’ll get the chance to move a country in any political position you want.

    The game is simplistic in scope, but offers a wealth of information. Political capital will be the currency and determines everything that can be done in a turn. The amount of political capital will be based on the previous turn. The population will respond based on what you’ve done and the current political spectrum of the Nation. As an example, Playing as the United States I completely disenfranchised most of the population in the nation by removing all welfare benefits.

    The game is a point and click with turns. Every turn advances the game so many months until an election occurs. The election is straight forward, showing your base and the base of your opposition to see how energized they are. A graph dictates who is head and the winner. You can even have a display and break it down by type of voter, and reason they voted.

    There is a litany of information that can be garnered throughout the turn. You can see where voters are based on their type (liberal, Patriot, etc.), by issue, and other statistics.

    You will be forced to choose between a rising deficit, deficit reduction, popular opinion, and your own conscious in the decisions made. There are realistic consequences and the countries react relatively as well as you expect them to.

    The only real ‘gripes’ you can have about the game is perhaps that it is a point and click game meaning that this is more a relaxed feel. I would suggest listening or watching something while you play. Additionally, the game does sometimes can show bias. I found that capitalist and conservatives were far more willing to assonate then any other counterpart. This was even when I ran highly conservative and capitalist regime. It seemed stacked and gave an inaccurate message.
    The only other piece is the price tag. 24.99 is a bit steep for a point and click. Especially when you consider the price of alternative games are ten dollars lower. That being said, the game is well worth the money if you can afford.

    Pros:

    - Fun game play, interesting concept
    - Challenging, high replayability
    - A lot of strategy
    - Beautifully put together.

    Cons:

    - Price tag, a bit overpriced for what is offered.
    - Game can seem biased    … Expand
  10. BalicanBreeze
    Aug 1, 2014
    8
    It's a great game, with an easy to use interface and a good modding scene, really extending the lifespan of the game. There are a few very unrealistic consequences to doing too well, which kinda makes the game stop up completely if you get into those situation, but if you try to play average instead of creating an utopia, you'll be fine.
  11. yusep
    Jan 28, 2015
    9
    This game is a must have if you like politics and you like complex data analysis. Downloading the Spain Mod and solving the crisis situation was a really challenging and rewarding experience.
  12. TheWalkingFat
    Apr 13, 2014
    10
    Though, not for everyone. It is a complex and wonderfully fun game with a great modding community. It has a complex yet simple layout with each country having very different qualities, I'd recommend it for those who love politics or elections. It does need to be harder though.
  13. dondavidml
    Jul 7, 2014
    9
    In english at the bottom...

    Si te gustan juegos como mech commander, romance of the three kingdoms, civilization, age of empieries, caesar y te gusta solucionar los problemas de manera pacifica, y los juegos dificiles? este es tu juego. Es un juegos de simulacion de decisiones politicas, puedes apoyar a tus creencias politicas, apoyar las energias renovables, proponer un sistema de    In english at the bottom...

    Si te gustan juegos como mech commander, romance of the three kingdoms, civilization, age of empieries, caesar y te gusta solucionar los problemas de manera pacifica, y los juegos dificiles? este es tu juego.

    Es un juegos de simulacion de decisiones politicas, puedes apoyar a tus creencias politicas, apoyar las energias renovables, proponer un sistema de salud y educacion gratuito, incrementar el bienestar de tus electores o perjudicarlos, puedes adoptar medidas populistas e incluso te pueden matar (alguien recuerda a kennedy?)

    si buscas un juego de accion, buena musica, excelentes graficos y multijugador, este no es tu juego.

    ----

    If you like games like MechCommander, romance of the three kingdoms, civilization, age of empieries, caesar and like to solve problems peacefully, and if you like hard games, this is your game.

    It is a game simulation of policy decisions, you can to support your political beliefs, support renewable energies, propose a system health and free education, increase the welfare of your constituents or hurt them, you can adopt populist measures and may even kill you, do you remember Kennedy ?

    if you want an action game, good music, great graphics and multiplayer, this is not your game    … Expand
  14. noobyboymax
    Nov 16, 2014
    9
    For someone as interested in politics as I am, this game is everything I could have ever wanted in a political simulator. The interface is beautiful. The sliders are fun. The design is simple. The policy-making is easy. And the voting is smart. This game is a masterpiece.

    Despite this game's amazing replayability factor, I've found that the lack of different countries are a little bit    For someone as interested in politics as I am, this game is everything I could have ever wanted in a political simulator. The interface is beautiful. The sliders are fun. The design is simple. The policy-making is easy. And the voting is smart. This game is a masterpiece.

    Despite this game's amazing replayability factor, I've found that the lack of different countries are a little bit off-putting. There truly aren't many. In the end it doesn't really matter when you're playing but it can be a drag when you realize you've played every country at least 10 times. I know you can get mods but it looked like Cliffski relied on mod-makers too much.    … Expand
  15. Liuon
    Apr 17, 2016
    9
    This game is very very good, BUT only for a very small part of gamers who truly like this type of games. It's a true tycoon-management-political simulation game with tons of information to learn. If you are very young you may find it impossible to play, unless you are a true strategic freak. I think you have to give time to this game in order to appreciate its power and make full use ofThis game is very very good, BUT only for a very small part of gamers who truly like this type of games. It's a true tycoon-management-political simulation game with tons of information to learn. If you are very young you may find it impossible to play, unless you are a true strategic freak. I think you have to give time to this game in order to appreciate its power and make full use of its abilities.… Expand
  16. GriefSeed
    Dec 2, 2016
    8
    Democracy 3 is a great game that everyone should play, but it isn't very fun.

    A brilliant concept that unfortunately is somewhat self-limiting. The game does a great job of communicating the immense complexity of political action and the necessity of compromise. For this alone, I would recommend that everyone give the game a go at some point in their lives simply for the experience of    Democracy 3 is a great game that everyone should play, but it isn't very fun.

    A brilliant concept that unfortunately is somewhat self-limiting. The game does a great job of communicating the immense complexity of political action and the necessity of compromise. For this alone, I would recommend that everyone give the game a go at some point in their lives simply for the experience of being able to expand ones own perception of how government works. It's hard to have empathy for politicians, but this games almost makes it possible.

    The game's realism and depth simultaneously makes it frustrating to play. If you do as you wish, you will almost certainly get assassinated. If you do compromise, the only goal you are working toward is eventual re-election. Certain people will no doubt love creating there own goals and toying with the knobs and dials in and of themselves, but I felt I had gotten everything I could out of the game after only ten or so hours.    … Expand
  17. tastybaldeagle
    Feb 5, 2018
    8
    Not nearly complex enough for me personally, but I got a few hundred hours out of it, which is pretty impressive. Expansions have improved the game but didn't add any new core features.

Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Digitally Downloaded
    Mar 17, 2014
    70
    At its core, Democracy 3 is a mass of pretty spreadsheets that visualise an intimidating amount of data systems that are all linked to one another.
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  2. IGN Italia
    Mar 9, 2014
    61
    The idea is great, the realization not so. Democracy 3 fails to portray the nuanced inner workings of a democratic government, instead presenting the player with a sort of strategical puzzle that can and must be solved in a clear way.
    Read full review
  3. Gaming Nexus
    Feb 25, 2014
    88
    The first glance at Democracy 3 can cause an immediate "it's too complicated" reaction, but the well-designed interface enables a fairly quick understanding of how to manage the policies required to create your own personal political utopia. For those that are into this kind of thing, Democracy 3 is a great way to test pet political theories in a (mostly) consequence-free way.
    Read full review
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