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Dictator

Published 1983 by DK'Tronics Ltd. | Author: Don Priestley | [WOS]

“Press any key to become DICTATOR of the RITIMBAN REPUBLIC”

This text-based game puts you in the expensive handmade shoes of the autocratic president of an impoverished nation, with the aim of holding on to power for as long as possible.

Keeping hold of your big house and fancy desk is a matter of keeping tabs on the different groups (peasants, landowners, army) that make up your population. Every month, you make decisions to shore up your popularity and play different groups off one another, ensuring none of them become powerful enough to start a revolution. Secret police reports keep you in the know (assuming you haven’t reduced their powers to keep the peasants on-side). If things get too bad, you can always kick off a refreshing war with a neighbouring country to boost your approval ratings. Mind you don’t spend too much though, otherwise you’ll have to hit up the Americans or Russians for a loan.

Revolution is a matter of when rather than if, and the game encourages you to plan an escape route so you might survive to enjoy the stolen cash in your Swiss account. Didn’t buy a helicopter earlier? Too bad. Maybe you could flee over the mountains? But you probably should’ve destroyed those guerilla bases beforehand – and aren’t the neighbours still sore about that war? Oh god, the peasants are at the gates and they don’t look too friendly…