Rogue State Revolution is an indie political Turn-Based Strategy game by Little Red Dog Games and published by Modern Wolf. A sequel to the studio's previous title, Rogue State, it puts you in the middle of a highly challenging roguelike geopolitical thriller.
Taking place in the fictional Middle Eastern state of Basenji, you take the role of its Glorious Leader, who suddenly awakens on the day of their inauguration after being killed. Quickly realizing that you have another chance to set things right, you seek to turn the People's Republic into another new political, economic and cultural hotspot. But when you have five unruly provinces to take care of, ministers with varying degrees of trustworthiness, and a volatile landscape that could erupt at any moment, trying to win the next election might be the least of your worries.
The game left Steam's Early Access on March 18th 2021.
Provides examples of:
- 0% Approval Rating: Tick off too many people, or leave provinces neglected for too long, and you'll be faced with open revolt, if not an overseas invasion that Basenji has no hope of winning. Even your military will defect to the rebels if their loyalty runs low.
- All There in the Manual: Basenji's history and background is mostly told in loading screen texts and the game's encyclopedia.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?:
- The chain of events that led to the collapse of Basenji's old monarchy are an amalgamation of the 1958 Iraqi military coup and the Arab Spring.
- If you piss off a world power, they will begin throwing accusations and rationales for "intervention" before outright invading, calling to mind both Operation Desert Storm and Russian involvement in Syria.
- From Bad to Worse: Basic problems like lack of luxury goods or inadequate health services can spiral rapidly into widespread instability if not open chaos if left neglected for too long.
- Full-Circle Revolution: By the time the game starts, Basenji has barely weathered through a rebellion and civil war that ended in the autocratic monarchy's collapse. You could wind up being just as bad, if not much worse.
- Invading Refugees: If neighboring countries become unstable for whatever reason, illegal immigrants and refugees will start crossing into Basenji, potentially causing civil unrest if not addressed quickly.
- Live-Action Cutscene: Many of the cutscenes are live-action interludes, mostly featuring your advisors trying (and potentially failing) to salvage your rule.
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Nintendo Hard: Even with the tutorials, it doesn't take long before you're forced to contend with keeping a semi-functional country from collapse. And that's before crises, from insurgencies to pandemics, start rearing their heads. - Not Using the "Z" Word: The dominant religion is known only as the "Old Ways," which is all but stated to be Islam.
- Mundane Fantastic: The game's universe is fairly grounded and seemingly set in the modern day. It's also one where bipedal mechs and time travel can be researched, while the neighboring country of Chickenistan is ruled by sentient chickens.
- My Greatest Second Chance: Rogue State Revolution's premise is you getting another shot at leading your country, though it's implied to not be the first time you've been in that position.
- People's Republic of Tyranny: While the People's Republic of Basenji is a dysfunctional democracy at the start, it's possible to pull it off in different political shades, albeit difficult.
- Qurac: Basenji is pretty much an amalgamation of various Middle Eastern countries, particularly Iraq, Syria and the Gulf states. This also extends to the use of Arabic script and naming conventions.
- Realpolitik: On top of Basenji's neighbors, you also have to contend with the Americans, Chinese, and Russians, who all have geopolitical interests in the region. Tick one of them off, especially without the patronage of another power, can lead to a Desert Storm-type invasion.
- Rogue Like: While Basenji's five provinces and neighboring countries are constants, everything from cities to resources is procedurally generated.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
- Most improvements, policies, and reforms will have tradeoffs that will incite some segment of the population. Even if you play your cards right, it's not guaranteed that you could stop the local insurgency, let alone please everyone.
- Though you could invest in a potent military force, if a foreign power like the US or Russia is dissatisfied enough, they may launch an invasion that will end in your defeat if not death. Did you seriously expect to take on a world power and win?
- We ARE Struggling Together: In addition to the various social and political factions within the country, you also have to contend with the competing interests (and loyalties) of your own ministers, some of whom may have aspirations for seizing power themselves.
