Discussion VideoGame / CrisisInTheKremlin

The game is obviously ideological, but this is based upon Kremlingames having all of their political simulators generally favor the anti-capitalist path and have an automation system lead to the best ending. Other things like achievements mocking Gorbachev and company show a contempt for market reforms. I'm sure you could get a direct statement if you asked them on Steam.

I really think your premise is flawed. All paths are valid. The game is more nuanced than to depict all attempt at reforms as 'bad' and all efforts to be a hardline communist as 'good'. If trying to be a reformer only ever led to a "game over," and being a hardline automation communist always made you a "winner," then the author tract entry would have more credence. Including it as it is sounds a little bit comparable to putting in a Call of Duty article: "Author tract: The game makers believe intervention of the US military is a good thing." It seems like it's true, but is it, necessarily? Is that what they hope to teach you through having you play? The achievements are mostly humorous. They include things like "Reform to a Western style system, then have NATO invade you" or "Make the entire world pro-Soviet, then destroy the USSR." They're meant to be funny. Gorbachev's one achievement (not including the DLC) has an unflattering picture, but that's it. I propose deletion of the 'author tract' entry. As it reads now, it makes it sound like the game exists only to be anti-capitalist didactic propaganda. Or perhaps if not deletion, then changing it to something sounding more neutral and informal, like: "If you didn't know what the soviet OGAS program was, the game will teach you." (Though even with the good effects the OGAS gives the player, there are downsides to implementing it in full. The entire government, KGB, and Army trying to overthrow you, for example. Again, it's completely valid to not implement OGAS, or not even develop it.)