One of them is a mole intent on destroying you and the world. ![]() ![]() At first glance, they function in the same way as Shadow President, but with one major game-changing difference. These consultants also have call buttons at the bottom of the screen for quick access. Clockwise from the top, these are the Map Sector, the CIA World Factbook, the Budget Sector, the System Menu, the War Room and the Adisors. The most important areas are found in what the game refers to as the Jump Point Icons which are almost always present on the top right of the screen. The layout of isn't exactly the most obvious, with information hidden behind multiple layers of icons and images. When speaking to your advisors, you head directly to their virtual office, their avatar appearing on the empty chair as you click on it. Much of the core stat-driven gameplay remains the same, but the visual presentation is night and day. It does take place in CyberSpace after all. Three years later, it's sequel came out and the difference in visual fidelity is dramatic. Shadow President was released in 1993, it eschews the VGA graphics that were more or less the norm at the time so isn't much of a looker. Their quality of life is represented by how beautiful the green park at the front is, while the structures on the right represent the military complex arms production, military troops, and nuclear capacity. The houses on the left represents wealth of the average citizen whether it be a barren wasteland or a sprawling suburb. The more buildings in the city represnts GNP or Gross National Product. ![]() There's also a visual representation of their might by way of a four-quadrant image of a city giving a little reprise from charts and graphs. In the ensuing graph, the red bars represent that country while the yellow lines reflect your own. You can compare your standing with any country by clicking on its location on the map. No matter what action you choose, your performance will be graded in four categories, ethical behaviour, ambition level, quality of life for citizens, and total world influence. Each one can all chip in on any pressing matter, giving their two cents based on their own goals and perspectives. You have the National Security Advisor, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, your Press Secretary, the Director of the CIA, and the Econoimic Advisor at your desposal. I know one of these sounds more tempting than the others, but put those thoughts to one side for a minute. The White House Chief of Staff will warn you of escalating situations and you can select a variety of responses, from a political coup d'etat to a deployment of troops to a FULL SCALE NUCLEAR STRIKE. Budgets need managing, foreign aid needs sending and wars need fighting. So, with the Berlin Wall toppled the year prior, Cold War sentiments lingering on and Kuwait on the cusp of being invaded by Iraq it looks like this won't be an easy term after all.Īs tempting as it would be to just sit back and bomb Norway, there's some real work to do to earn re-election - Shadow President's ultimate goal. God forbid any world events arise that need a steady and thoughtful hand. They'll let just about anyone do that apparently. The year is 1990 and you have been elected POTUS. True's duology of political simulators, Shadow President and its sequel Cyber Judas from 19 respectively put you in the shoes of the President of the United States during a time where the batshit craziness of it all now seems quaint. ![]() I don't know about all of you, but I've had enough politicking in the real world of late, so let's do it in a fictional one instead! D.C.
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