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Political Machine 2008, The pc Game Reviews
Political Machine 2008, The
Critic Score
Metascore: 73 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
7.5 out of 10
based on 18 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 4 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

The Political Machine is a strategy game that takes the real world mechanics of political campaigning and uses it to create an award-winning strategy game. Raise money, hire spin-doctors, win the endorsements of important groups, go on TV interviews, take out ads, fight off smear merchants and much more in your quest to win the 270 electoral votes you need to get into the white house. [Stardock]

PUBLISHER: Stardock
DEVELOPER: Stardock
GENRE(S): Strategy
PLAYERS: 1
ESRB RATING: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)
RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2008

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90
GamePro
Political junkies will almost certainly find themselves sucked in, along with those who have only a smattering of knowledge about the American political process.
Read Full Review
85
Armchair Empire
The game’s straightforward interface, light sense of humor and cute graphics might be sufficiently charming to engage and possibly teach a thing or two to players who are moderately interested in electoral politics.
Read Full Review
81
PC Zone UK
Makes you feel clever. [Oct 2008, p.64]
81
PC Gamer
PM08's sense of humor, topical subject matter, and discount price ($19.99) make it a candidate I'd happily endorse. [Sept 2008, p.75]
79
PC Format
Occasionally veers on gimmickery, but it's genuinely a smart, novel strategy game. Well worth a turn on your rig. [Sept 2008, p.112]
76
Cheat Code Central
Folks whose interest piques upon hearing the words “political simulator” and missed the original would do well to give the 2008 edition a shot.
Read Full Review
75
GameShark
Still, at 20 bucks it’s a safe bet for political junkies who want to test their mettle and there is a solid strategy game underneath all of the cutesy bobbleheads.
Read Full Review
75
GameSpot
Political junkies and board-game fans should love The Political Machine 2008, even if it is a bit too close for comfort to its predecessor.
Read Full Review
73
IGN
For twenty bucks, The Political Machine 2008 isn't necessarily a bad deal, but it's a one-note affair that inhabits that misty gray region between comfortable familiarity and dull predictability.
Read Full Review
70
Wired
The combination of clever, strategic gameplay with hopelessly niche subject matter almost guarantees cult classic status for this one. But Political Machine 2008 is definitely worth playing, particularly if you're a fan of politics -- no other game to date better represents our embattled system.
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70
GameSpy
A really solid "beer & pretzels" strategy game.
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70
Computer Games Online RO
Political Machine has a major flaw, its low replay value, as each game varies very little, and aside the "unlockable" content, there are few reasons to play single-player.
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70
Gamervision
Aligning yourself with special interest groups, hiring different political aides, and participating in television interviews add even more depth to the already somewhat convoluted experience, but without these options it wouldn’t really feel like politics.
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70
Gamers' Temple
The Political Machine 2008 is best suited to those in the board game crowd with a decided interest in politics.
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70
Thunderbolt
You’ve a solid game that, whilst incredibly similar to its forerunner, brings the series up to date, especially in such a historic US election. Just don’t expect too much deviation as every play-through is anything but a winding road.
Read Full Review
67
Gaming Nexus
A new Political Machine for 2008, this turn-based election strategy game is light, fun, and amusing. While it may not have a lot of lasting appeal, it certainly makes for a fun way to spend a few afternoons.
Read Full Review
60
LEVEL (Czech Republic)
Simplified and exaggerated simulation of the most important elections in the world. You can learn a lot about the American electoral system, but if you are familiar to the previous installment you won’t find much new content. [Aug 2008]
50
1UP
With more focus on the real-world conflicts and unpredictable events that plague campaigns, running for office might be a bit less tiresome.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 7.5 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Discuss this game in our forums

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