Political idealists see our presidential elections as a beacon of our democratic prowess; our peaceful ability to transfer the power of our leader from one person to another. The political cynics see a shallow, callous, and mostly pointless game that never ends up changing anything. The Political Machine 2008 is the virtual manifestation of the latter belief; a simple if shallow simulation of the presidential election.

Players start by selecting from a slew of notable politicians including Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton, and Dick Cheney. Players can also try out historic candidates like John F. Kennedy or just create their own from scratch The gameplay consists of sending your chosen candidate around the US giving speeches, raising campaign funds, and running ads. Raising your poll numbers is as easy as checking the issues most valued in a state and hammering that message hard. The stats of your character (experience, stamina, etc.), the operatives you hire (Smear Merchant, Spin Doctor, etc.), and the consistency of your message hardly seem to matter. For example, a candidate can support the Iraq War in one state while opposing it in another with seemingly little retribution. And the idea that a Republican can win Massachusetts or a Democrat win in Idaho are close to ludicrous. Each campaign you play though feels nearly the same, regardless of your political party, strategy, or candidate. Where are the “October Surprises”, the gaffes the derail a campaign? Variety just isn’t present.

While political junkies might get a kick out of running through the 2008 presidential or seeing if John Kerry could beat Ulysses S. Grant, the game fails to be detailed enough for the politicos or compelling enough for the casual player. Give the newly released free “Express” version a try before you buy.

3/5 Stars

For PC