Think you'd be a star on the 2016 campaign trail? Now you can test out your skills with PC game that will leave you thinking about the serious issues facing our country... and maybe chuckling a little.
The Political Machine 2016 gives players the opportunity to fight for the presidency. This strategy game is the brainchild of Stardock, a Michigan-based software and gaming company.
"I think as you watch the political campaign…if you’re like us, you believe 'I could do that better, these people are all crazy, let me step in,'" joked Stardock's Vice President of Entertainment Derek Paxton.
Players can choose from a number of different candidates to start. In the 2016 version of the game, choices include Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders--you get the idea.
If no one really strikes your fancy, you can even create your own custom candidate—choosing their avatar, political party and hometown.
While tongue-in-cheek at times, the game forces you to take a stance on issues like gun control, climate change and student loan reform. Can your candidate handle the pressure?
Players have to travel state to state, set up their political headquarters, give speeches, survive media interviews and deal with unexpected events on the trail.
"All of the states are simulated as close as we can get them on the actual issues," said Paxton.
Win the rounds and you'll be hailed as the new commander-in-chief.
So far, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are the most sought after candidates in the game, according to Paxton.
The game is available on Steam for $9.99. More information here.
