Suzerain

This is a brilliant political strategy game, very well written and full of gut-wrenching decisions. Only you will decide the fate of the Republic - and its embattled president.

Suzerain is unlike most things you can play that’s out right now. The choose your own adventure stylings are fascinating, with rabbit trail upon rabbit trail to investigate. Because of this, you’ll be able to play it again and again, and because they do such a great job with the setting and people you’re going to want to. While some sections can be long in tooth, they only make me appreciate what Suzerain is doing, creating a riveting narrative of what it’s like to be President.

Suzerain is a good experience that sometimes feels like it needs a little more game. Following the career path of President Rayne and facing the many challenges can be both thrilling and boring, with a side of frustrating at times. The developers clearly have a lot of talent for world-building and dialogue writing, which makes the game a treat for anyone willing to learn about the world and play with its possibilities. Come to Suzerain first for the feeling of power and the scheming, stay longer to discover the characters and the way choices are interlocked in an interesting way.

A political text adventure full of possibilities, great characters and interesting plots will engulf you and make you think about economic and human issues. [Issue#310]

Suzerain has problems with how it presents information as well as some logical holes, yet its non-linear narrative, moody atmosphere, the tingling feeling that everything will end badly, awesome soundtrack, and a well-developed world are all valid reasons to veto any criticisms and return to Sordland for more socio political experiments.

Suzerain is a compelling political drama/simulation and if you have the patience for great walls of text and often punishing decision-making, this is the game for you.

Suzerain is basically West Wing in game form, which is as awesome as it sounds. A game more akin to 80 Days than Civilization, Suzerain is a surprisingly compelling narrative that allows players to run a country with their own ideas about how things should be done to see if they’re right. I got to test out my theory of crime being a symptom of failings in other areas, pushing education and healthcare to the forefront; I was happy to see crime decrease as a response to increased access to necessary services. Suzerain may not seem exciting upon first glance due to its limited mechanics, but within minutes you’ll be hooked on Sordland’s history with a desire to shape its future. If you think you can run a country, prove it — grab Suzerain today.

Suzerain is an interesting game with some serious quality behind it. Those who want more machinations in their strategy games, particularly when tied to some characters with genuine depth, will find a lot to love.

Suzerain is a fascinating game told through incredibly dense and detailed writing with effective pacing and smart world-building. Its unique mix of player choices against a strategy backdrop make for a compelling adventure, even if presentation aspects are lacking. A game that is designed to challenge whatever political ideology you hold.

Suzerain would have benefited from the additional graphical flourish to really push the game up a level or two, but it is still a strong contender and will stand on its own. Well worth a play.