Shadow President is a geopolitical simulation game released in 1993 for MS-DOS. The game was designed by Robert Antonick and Brad Stock and is loosely based on the early 1990s and the Cold War.
The game also includes the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait as another scenario that runs parallel to the main Cold War scenario. In the game, you play as the President of the United States of America and start off with your popularity at 50%. The objective of the game is to maintain your popularity so that you can be reelected and therefore “win” the game. The game has a variety of statistics for each region, such as the “quality of life”, the average income per person, the populations’ primary concerns, and much more.
Here is a brief how-to-play guide for Shadow President:
Start the game by selecting “New Game” from the main menu.
Choose your difficulty level and select the scenario you want to play.
You will start the game with a popularity rating of 50%. Your goal is to maintain or increase this rating so that you can be reelected.
Use the various statistics available to you to make decisions about how to run the country. For example, if the “quality of life” in a particular region is low, you may want to invest in that region to improve the lives of the people living there.
Keep an eye on your budget and make sure you are not overspending. If you run out of money, you will not be able to make any more investments.
Be prepared to make tough decisions, such as whether or not to use military force to resolve a conflict.
If you are not reelected, the game is over.
Overall, Shadow President is a complex game that requires significant learning time and playing time from the player. The game is challenging but rewarding, and it offers a unique perspective on the geopolitical landscape of the early 1990s. If you enjoy strategy games and are interested in politics, Shadow President is definitely worth checking out.
