History VideoGame / HiddenAgenda1988

* Mob War: Between Colonel Ehrlich (the US-backed military commander) and Sub-Commandante Correa (the Soviet-backed commander). They jointly run the military even though they hate each other, and keeping them both around is VERY tricky. One will oust the other 99% of the time, and that will dictate Chimerica's political alliances for the rest of the game.

* PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny: If you run as the candidate of either the Christian Reform or Popular Stability parties, the army will assassinate all of the civilian election officials and assume control of the election itself. Of course, the actual popular will becomes irrelevant at that point.

* TortureTechnician: Padilla, Farsante's chief interrogator, was nicknamed "Blowtorch Bob" for his favorite implement.

%% * DeliberatelyMonochrome: All of the photographs.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: Popular Stability supports torturers and death squads. National Liberation is better, but they don't really care about such things as "democracy" or "free elections" any more than the PS people do. Christian Reform's members are an ineffective joke who consistently support doing nothing about Popular Stability and America's illegal actions because the alternative is rocking the boat. And you ''can't'' have a free or fair election or have a military that will actually obey orders.

** The in-game newspapers are rife with propaganda, particularly ''USA Yesterday''[[note]]The Americans are so paranoid of Soviet communism that they're willing to completely overlook the right-wing Chimerican death squads butchering civilians[[/note]], ''El Independiente''[[note]]radical left-wing[[/note]], and ''Chimerica Ahora''[[note]]radical right-wing[[/note]].

* TheGreatPoliticsMessUp: Narrowly dodged. The game was released in 1988, and takes place over three years of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. However, no dates are given, so it reads today as an [[TheEighties Eighties]] period piece. (The manual implies a mid-[[TheNineties Nineties]] setting, but it also [[ManualMisprint gets several characters' names wrong]].) Strangely enough, see the encyclopedia's edition above as US Tricentennial, implying a publication date of at least 2076 (perhaps [[TechnologyMarchesOn encyclopedias in book form come back into style]]).

* TheGreatPoliticsMessUp: Narrowly dodged. The game was released in 1988, and takes place over three years of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. However, no dates are given, so it reads today as an [[TheEighties Eighties]] period piece. (The manual implies a mid-[[TheNineties Nineties]] setting, but it also [[ManualMisprint gets several characters' names wrong]].) Strangely enough, the end write-up is from a future encyclopedia said to be released over a century later, labeled the U.S. Tricentennial Edition, implying a publication date of at least 2076 (perhaps [[TechnologyMarchesOn encyclopedias in book form come back into style]]).

* TheGreatPoliticsMessUp: Narrowly dodged. The game was released in 1988, and takes place over three years of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. However, no dates are given, so it reads today as an [[TheEighties Eighties]] period piece. (The manual implies a mid-[[TheNineties Nineties]] setting, but it also [[ManualMisprint gets several characters' names wrong]].)

%% ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: Popular Stability supports torturers and death squads. National Liberation is better, but they don't really care about such things as "democracy" or "free elections" any more than the PS people do. Christian Reform's members are an ineffective joke whp consistently support doing nothing about Popular Stability and America's illegal actions because the alternative is rocking the boat. And you ''can't'' have a free or fair election or have a military that will actually obey orders.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating -- Farsante. Practically everyone turned against him regardless of their position on the political spectrum. However, the trope is also subverted in that a few of the major characters only turned against Farsante to save their own skins...
* AllThereInTheManual -- A detailed history of Chimerica.
* BilingualBonus -- Each ministry has a Spanish motto.

* BlatantLies

* ButThouMust -- Your only choice in a crisis situation is between the demand on the table and the relevant minister's advice. If the minister agrees with the demand, or no minister is assigned, you have no choice but to implement the proposed policy. (This can lead to a chain reaction where other groups outraged by your "decisions" immediately demand that you reverse them, and without a minister, you'll be forced to cave in every time.)
* CapitalCity -- Poyais, home of the National Palace.
* DeliberatelyMonochrome -- All of the photographs.
* DoNotAdjustYourSet -- Insurgents can seize Radio Chimerica and proclaim your downfall.
* EndGameResultsScreen -- ''[[EncyclopediaExposita Encyclopedia PaxAmericana]] (US Tricentennial Edition)'' delivers the verdict of history on your rule.
* FascistsBedTime -- You can enact a curfew.
* FictionalPoliticalParty -- National Liberation is left-wing, Christian Reform is centrist, and Popular Stability is right-wing. Each offers three nominees for your cabinet, which has four positions to fill--so you'll need to hire from at least two parties.
* TheGreatPoliticsMessUp -- Narrowly dodged. The game was released in 1988, and takes place over three years of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar. However, no dates are given, so it reads today as an [[TheEighties Eighties]] period piece. (The manual implies a mid-[[TheNineties Nineties]] setting, but it also [[ManualMisprint gets several characters' names wrong]].)
* HelloInsertNameHere -- You're asked for a first, last, and mother's maiden name (which is customarily appended in Latin America). If you skip this step, you become Juan Incognito Anonymous.
* LetsPlay -- [[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=55273.0 Let's Horribly Break Hidden Agenda]]
* MeaningfulName

* MixedAncestry -- According to the manual, Chimerica has a largely [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mestizo mestizo]] population.
* OffTheChart -- Glitches can cause this. 108% of your population is starving!
* PressXToDie -- Surrendering to a coup has a 100% chance to end your game. There's also a certain decision that will trigger a GameBreakingBug and leave you with no option but to exit the game.
* [[PretentiousLatinMotto Pretentious Semi-Latin Motto]] -- ''Político Ex Machina''.
* ThePurge -- Elements of the military will do this, if you empower them to. Or if they decide to [[DragonWithAnAgenda empower themselves]] to do it. The only way to prevent this is with a Purge of your own.
* {{Realpolitik}} -- The tug-of-war between US and Soviet influence is a major theme. Even within Chimerica, it's impossible to make everyone happy..
* SinisterShades -- Major Padilla and Colonel Ehrlich.
* TheStarscream -- Be prepared to defend against coups from ministers who dislike your policies.
* TortureTechnician -- Padilla, Farsante's chief interrogator, was nicknamed "Blowtorch Bob" for his favorite implement.
* VoteEarlyVoteOften -- How Farsante is alleged to have stayed in power.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: Popular Stability supports torturers and death squads. National Liberation is better, but they don't really care about such things as "democracy" or "free elections" any more than the PS people do. Christian Reform's members are an ineffective joke who fail to actually support any kind of change. And you ''can't'' have a free or fair election or have a military that will actually obey orders.

* TheGreatPoliticsMessUp -- Narrowly dodged. The game was released in 1988, and takes place over three years of the ColdWar. However, no dates are given, so it reads today as an [[TheEighties Eighties]] period piece. (The manual implies a mid-[[TheNineties Nineties]] setting, but it also [[ManualMisprint gets several characters' names wrong]].)

A GovernmentProcedural set in the BananaRepublic of Chimerica, which is struggling to get back on its feet after 40 years of dictatorial rule. As Presidente, you must balance the demands coming at you from all sectors of society with Chimerica's vulnerable position as a Third World country in the middle of the ColdWar.

* TheStarscream -- Be prepared to defend against coups from ministers who dislike your policies. Ehrlich in particular just loves this.

* {{Realpolitik}} -- The tug-of-war between US and Soviet influence is a major theme. Even within Chimerica, it's impossible to make everyone happy.
* SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou -- The opening animation freezeframes on an assassin drawing a bead.

* ProfessionalButtKisser -- General Alejos's dossier claims he is independent-minded. However, if you let him have his way he'll become a shameless toady to the Americans.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Farsante. Practically everyone turned against him regardless of their position on the political spectrum. However, the trope is also subverted in that a few of the major characters only turned against Farsante only to save their own skins...

* ProfessionalButtKisser: General Alejos's dossier claims he is independent-minded. However, if you let him have his way he'll become a shameless toady to the Americans.

** The in-game newspapers are rife with propaganda, particularly ''USA Yesterday''[[note]]The Americans are so paranoid of Soviet communism that they're willing to completely overlook the right-wing Chimerican death squads butchering civilians[[/note]] and ''El Independiente''[[note]]Seems to think that Cuba is a shining beacon of freedom.[[/note]]
** If your ministers dislike you, they might say they'll obey your orders, but implement their own favored policy instead.

* PressXToDie -- Surrendering to a coup has a 100% chance to end your game. It's also possible to make a decision that will disable your options to proceed, leaving you no option but to quit the game (presumably implying resignation from the presidency).

--> '''External Affairs:''' ''Jamas dice 'tio' ''(Never say 'uncle'

** The in-game newspapers are rife with propaganda, particularly ''USA Yesterday''[[note]]The Americans are so paranoid of Soviet communism that they're willing to completely overlook the right-wing Chimerican death squads butchering civilians[[/note]] ''El Independiente''[[note]]Seems to think that Cuba is a shining beacon of freedom.[[/note]]

* OffTheChart -- Glitches can cause this. [[http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/1770/agenda480.png 108% of your population is starving!]]

--> '''External Affairs:''' ''Jamas dice 'tio' ''(Never say 'uncle')

* EncyclopediaExposita -- ''Encyclopedia [=PaxAmericana=] (US Tricentennial Edition)'' delivers the verdict of history on your rule.

* ThePurge -- Elements of the military will do this, if you empower them to.

* PlayerPunch -- [[spoiler:Some of the most sympathetic characters, like the human rights activist, can be killed as a side effect of your actions.]]

* ButThouMust -- In a crisis situation, you ''have'' to render a decision, and your ''only'' choice is between the demand on the table and the relevant minister's advice. If the minister approves of the demand, or no minister is assigned, you have no choice but to implement the proposed policy. (This can lead to a chain reaction where other groups outraged by your "decisions" immediately demand that you reverse them, which you might ''also'' have no choice but to do.)