Stardock has been releasing versions of its US presidential election sim game The Political Machine every four years since 2004. Today, the developer and publisher has officially released the latest edition, The Political Machine 2024.
For this year"s edition, the game is adding some major new features. The biggest is the primary race for the US presidential candidates. Players can try to get their party"s nomination for US President by going through the state primary election process against three rivals for the nomination. You can still skip the primaries and go through the game"s Presidential mode, where you will try to win the big job against one opponent.
Another major new addition is holding presidential debates. In the Presidential mode of the game, a highly contested state can be selected as a location for a debate between the two candidates. Players can discuss the issues with opponents or even attack their views during the debate.
The game has also added a digital card RPG-like feature called Political Action Cards. When played, they can increase your candidate"s funds, capital, and more. Other cards can have negative effects on other candidates, or even take away cards from them. You can also play the game in a mode that does not include these cards if you so choose.
You will be able to play the game with AI opponents, or you can go online and play against real people as well. There"s also the custom candidate creator where you can make your own US presidential hopeful. The game will get Steam Workshop support so players can download other player"s custom candidates. There will also be 21 Steam achievements to unlock as well.
The Political Machine 2024 is now available to purchase from Steam and also directly from Stardock for $19.99.
Disclaimer: Neowin"s relationship to Stardock