Suzerain (2020)

Suzerain puts you in the shoes of the newly minted president of a fictional world. You have lots of choices to make as you decide the fate of the country.

Speaking of choices, that's essentially the game. During each turn you have a map of your country and the surrounding states, a news bulletin and a glossary to inform your decisions. The decision points that progress the story an calcify your choices - did I mention there is no save scumming? - come in a nice variety that see you wearing many different hats. One conversation might have you deciding where to pledge government resources with your cabinet while another finds you at a cocktail party, pulled aside by a business magnate with an offer that will boost your own personal wealth and status.

In a world where it is insinuated that your reformist predecessor met a demise because they took on the old guard, you might be tempted to make decisions to support the status quo and enrich yourself along the way. The endgame provides a summary of your actions and results and charts your legacy.

Taking in the screenshot above, I'm honestly surprised I wasn't assassinated nor did I take the country into a hot conflict.

Now that I've played a run making as many of the decisions that I myself would have likely made, I'm eager to go back for another playthrough roleplaying a despot, strident reformer or unabashed capitalist. Suzerain kept me glued to my computer and I hope this little reviews helps others find this gem of a game.