"Move in fast, do whatever it takes!"
"That man is on fire. Like, literally, a protester is on fire."
— Raptor, realizing that those protesters failed a Molotov throw.
Riot: Civil Unrest is an indie game produced by the Italian Leonard Menchiari, and focus on real riots and protesters that happened during the time span of 2011-2014, like the No TAV protests in Italy, the Tahrir Revolution in Egypt, the Indignados movement in Spain and the Battle of Keratea in Greece.
The original project started in 2014 with an Indiegogo campaign, and was published on Steam December 6 2017 in early access. Was published as a complete project in February 12 2019.
The game let the player choose between the Rioters and the Police, in an asymmetrical clash between the firsts, less organized and less resistant but that can use the advantage of numbers, and the seconds, more organized and armed with more powerful gear but clearly outnumbered by the protesters.
After a protest or riot, the game will evaluate the performance of each group by Military Points and Political Points, the first evaluate the success in completing the objectives, like destroying equipment, occupying or liberating an area or pushing the other team away, while the latter will evaluate the violence used by both factions, detracting points for any act like a charge, an injured bystander or a protester or officer killed.
Riot: Civil Unrest contains examples of:
- Abnormal Ammo: Downplayed: Shotguns of the Ballistic Units of the Police can be loaded with Beanbag ammo and Rubber bullets. They are actually used by Riot Police and SWAT teams all around the world as a less lethal alternative to live ammunition.
- Another Side, Another Story: The game let you play as both the Rioters and the Police, in the same maps with opposite objectives.
- Awesome, but Impractical: Heavy equipment like shotguns and heavy batons are very powerful but they are very likely to injure protesters, damaging your Political score. Also having the Police armed with heavier gear will increase the numbers of the Rioters.
On the other side, Rioters can arm themselves with improvised explosives and gear up with more protection, but will reduce the numbers of participants, diminishing the numerical advantage against the Police. - Boring, but Practical: Tactical units of the Police are the perfect example.
Unlike the Assault and Ballistic unit, that both have offensive abilities, the Tactical unit has the defensive ability "Testudo" that makes the officers slower, compact and more resistant.
Even if they are not that exciting, a Tactical unit in Testudo formation can slowly push the Rioters out of a zone without a single drip of blood or deny them entry to a sector without violence. - Cop Killer: The Rioters can became that if they became violent. This will destroy their score, and give a massive advantage to the Police in the next game.
- Cop Killer Manhunt: Implied: In the newspaper, if an officer was killed, there is a declaration by the police chief that there will be consequences for the offender.
- Disproportionate Retribution: All the campaign cutscenes is filled with these.
One example: in the opening cutscene of the mission Friday of Anger, first mission of the Arab Spring campaign, a group of people is protesting in front of a government building right before the police use smoke grenades and a charge to dispended the crowd. A bystander that is just standing there is then beaten senselessly by an officer. - Grenade Launcher: One of the equipment that can be used by Ballistic units of the Police team.
- Improvised Weapon: A big part of the Rioters weaponry is improvised. Some example are: Molotovs, Paper Bombs, Fireworks shot through a plastic tube and DIY Smoke Grenades.
When Rioters get aggressive they will also throw anything they have to the officers, like chairs, bicycles, signs, rocks, flags, etcetera. - Lawman Baton: Standard equipment of the Tactical and Assault unit of the Police team.
- Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: The Police Tactical unit is equipped with man-sized shields and can enter in Testudo formation, reducing their movement speed but making the officers more resistant to objects thrown by Rioters.
- Molotov Cocktail: The Rioters have them available as one of their equipment. Very effective against a compact groups of officers.
- Police Brutality: Police squads can be ordered to act in two modes: Defensive and Offensive.
In Offensive mode they will actively hit protesters in their range with batons and shields, not caring about possibly injuring them. Ballistic units can also be armed with weapons loaded with live ammunition.
The chief officer will also point it out: "Careful men, the press will eat us alive if we are too forceful." - Revenge: On the top of the screen there is the perception that the population and the media have of both factions. These are Pacific, Provocative and Violent. If one group get Violent and the the other start fighting back, the perception of the population after Provocative is not Violent, is Payback. At this stage any violent act against the other team is excused as rightful retaliation and will not detract any Political Points from the final evaluation.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Both Rioters groups and Police units can break down and try to escape if their morale is too low.
- Tank Goodness: In the final mission of the Arab Spring campaign, We won't go! He will go!, the Police is equipped with a tank. The tank can't shoot but it's a perfect vehicle to move away protesters too stubborn to move.
- Unfriendly Fire: Other officers can be hit and wounded by the bullets fired by Ballistic units, if they don't have a gas mask smoke grenades will also force officers to break the line and move out of the area as they, like the protestors, don't have any protection. They can also be shoved to the ground by water jets from their water cannons.
Rioters should also pay attention as paper bombs, fireworks and Molotovs can damage or panic their owns if they are thrown badly. - Video Game Cruelty Potential: The game won't stop you from throwing Molotovs, burning down vehicles, shooting bystanders, charging protesters, and making of peaceful protests a bloodbath...
- Video Game Cruelty Punishment: ...but if you go too much with an heavy-handed approach there is the possibility of losing the game due to slashing your Political score so low that it cancel your Military score.
Tropers Victory
Troper was able to reach the end of the page
TV Tropes moved cautiously,
Troper was peaceful.
Troper was able to reach the end of the page
TV Tropes moved cautiously,
Troper was peaceful.
