The Political Machine 2008

 PC
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
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  1. GamePro
    90
    Political junkies will almost certainly find themselves sucked in, along with those who have only a smattering of knowledge about the American political process.
  2. Armchair Empire
    85
    The game’s straightforward interface, light sense of humor and cute graphics might be sufficiently charming to engage and possibly teach a thing or two to players who are moderately interested in electoral politics.
  3. PC Gamer
    81
    PM08's sense of humor, topical subject matter, and discount price ($19.99) make it a candidate I'd happily endorse. [Sept 2008, p.75]
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  5. PC Zone UK
    81
    Makes you feel clever. [Oct 2008, p.64]
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  6. PC Format
    79
    Occasionally veers on gimmickery, but it's genuinely a smart, novel strategy game. Well worth a turn on your rig. [Sept 2008, p.112]
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  7. Worth Playing
    78
    An excellent addition to a strategy fan's library. Though is forgoes the engines of war most often associated with those titles, it offers an intensely interesting, fast-paced and addictive distraction.
  8. Cheat Code Central
    76
    Folks whose interest piques upon hearing the words “political simulator” and missed the original would do well to give the 2008 edition a shot.
  9. GameSpot
    75
    Political junkies and board-game fans should love The Political Machine 2008, even if it is a bit too close for comfort to its predecessor.
  10. GameShark
    75
    Still, at 20 bucks it’s a safe bet for political junkies who want to test their mettle and there is a solid strategy game underneath all of the cutesy bobbleheads.

Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best PC Game of 2008

User Reviews

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User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 2 out of 6
  1. Andrew
    Jul 23, 2008
    3
    This is a game that has great potential. The first version of the game was pretty simplistic, but still a lot of fun. This time around,This is a game that has great potential. The first version of the game was pretty simplistic, but still a lot of fun. This time around, everyone expected a more refined version, with deeper features.
    Unfortunately that didn't happen. The game is (somehow) a resource hog - largely because of the "patriotic glow" on the map, and the animated bobble heads. I have no idea why they would demand so many resources, but regardless.
    Secondly, the game dynamics are pretty much exactly the same. The same endorsements, the same political hires, mostly the same issues. The determinations as to who is "strong" on what issue are still very arbitrary.
    There are no debates. There are no primaries. There are very few questions on the "TV Interviews" that you can have. There are no independent happenings or events that impact the campaign.
    This game had great potential, but they didn't bother to actually act on it. Sad.    … Full Review »
  2. DrIron
    Sep 16, 2011
    3
    The Political Machine 2008 is, sadly, the one awful game (beyond its predecessor) to come from Stardock, a blemish on an otherwise goodThe Political Machine 2008 is, sadly, the one awful game (beyond its predecessor) to come from Stardock, a blemish on an otherwise good company history.
    It's graphically ugly: The interface is atrocious and the bobbleheads hardly look like anyone they're supposed to.
    The game mechanics are clunky and at times confusing, there's some horrible balance issues, the candidate creator is terrible...
    All together this feels like an alpha for a game we never got. I refuse to believe this is really a finished game.    … Full Review »
  3. CharlesLentz
    Jul 28, 2008
    9
    For a $20 political game, you get quite a lot of gameplay. The single player experience is pretty cool and the 3D bobble heads and map areFor a $20 political game, you get quite a lot of gameplay. The single player experience is pretty cool and the 3D bobble heads and map are nice updates from PM2004. The candidate editor is great. There's more replay-ability than before with the campaign mode and a few different scenarios. Then you can play LAN or online multiplayer. Since release, the developers have added some features, tweaks, bug fixes, and more candidate body parts. Updates are always appreciated.

    I'll give it a 9/10, because there's always room for improvement.    … Full Review »
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