Relaxing by Stabilizing a Country

A few weeks ago, I bought the game Rebel Inc. for my iPhone/iPad. I had played a previous game from the same company, Ndemic, and enjoyed the game mechanics a lot (that game was Plague Inc., where your goal is to try to wipe out all of human civilization).

Their latest variation is a little less destructive, and centers around trying to stabilize a country (battling against various forces that will cause it to descend into chaos). The mechanics are somewhat familiar, but a little different from their previous game.

Overall, there’s not a lot of animation or action. There is some interaction with the map (in terms of where you deploy military forces), but the bulk of the game centers around resource management. You have to determine what you want to prioritize (should I improve roads and schools vs training more military vs prioritizing free elections).

I’m not sure if most people would define the replayability of this game as high, but I definitely do. There are a lot of different advisers that get unlocked as you progress, as well as as lot of different leader styles. So if you’re wanting to go a completist route, there’s a lot to choose from here.

The game feels a little grind-y after a while, but it’s a nice escape for me at the end of the day. There’s just a little bit of repetition and just enough strategy that it doesn’t feel like doing the same thing over and over (though some part of that is the draw for me, weirdly).

Every so often, Liz will look over at me playing this and ask “So how’s the war going? Is it relaxing?”

Usually, the war is not going well. But it definitely is relaxing.

Related:
Remembering WarGames

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