Overview: Nations is a neat little text-based political simulator. It’s got no flashy graphics, no timers or gifts or quests, just “issues” that come up – little multiple-choice questions, and the answers to them determine the political shape of your nation.

At first you choose the name of your nation and your own title – either President or Ruler. Then you choose how often you want to deal with issues – two a day at most, and if Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is all you can handle, that’s an option too. Then you rate a set of questions like “people should always be able to freely decide what religion to follow” and “the government should not interfere with the operation of the free market” – your answers will determine the starting stats of your nation.

The issues that land on your desk have a similar tone – for example, you find out that small businesses in your nation are struggling. Do you pass tax reform to give them a hand and make big corporations bear more of the burden, let the free market play, or hike taxes on those snotty shopkeepers just to make sure they know their place? Your answers affect your rating in 15 different stats, from Military Strength to Environment to Political Freedom.

As you resolve more and more issues, your stats weigh more heavily in different areas. You can unlock new titles for yourself and your nation – if you want to be The Dude, you can! You can make alliances and enemies if you wish, but there’s no competition except in comparing your various stats for bragging rights. The real appeal of the game is in the issues themselves, and seeing how a particular pattern of choices affects all of the interlocking factors involved. It’s an interesting exercise with a very low time commitment – if politics are your thing, Nations should definitely catch your interest.