The core game is quite free-form and consists of winning grassroots support, gaining political capital, and undermining opposing factions, but there's no getting around having to do missions to advance the story and, eventually, decide the fate of Novistrana. A new game kicks off with a questionnaire to determine your character's base stats and political leanings and then drops you in the small provincial city of Ekaterine, where your budding faction has some clout in a single district. There isn't a dedicated tutorial section to explain basic concepts like how the district colors (red, blue, and yellow) match up with their political leanings (force, influence, and wealth) or how gaining control over these districts earns you the game's three corresponding resources. You'll have to read the manual for that. But, accompanied by some static in-game screens to explain the interface, the early missions do guide a new player through some of the steps necessary to grow from these very humble beginnings to become a dominant force in the city.
Republic doesn't adopt standard game conventions, so it can take some work to learn the game's interface and figure out what's involved in playing it. There are two main views: A 3D view of the large clockwork cities lets you zoom in on any of the buildings, cars, or inhabitants, while the 2D overhead view makes it easier to schedule and track actions throughout a city. Even though the 3D close-ups are clearly more visually appealing, the vast majority of the game is actually played in the overhead view, which provides essential information, such as the support levels each party enjoys in a given city district, the locations of operatives, and much more.
Other Helpful Reviews for Republic: The Revolution
This game was made for the more intelligent class, so if you are used to shot kill gore explosion fast paced strategy games, of course, don't buy this game. This game take critical thinking, patience, and time. Yes this ... Read Full Review
In Republic: The Revolution, you are trying to start a revolution (surprised?) with politics. Sadly, this degenerates into a waiting game (and a long one at that) which really tests your patience. The graphics are ... Read Full Review
