#RIOT CIVIL UNREST REVIEW PS4 PC#
#RIOT CIVIL UNREST REVIEW PS4 SIMULATOR#

While the game hasnвЂ™t hit mobiles yet, Riot would feel right at home with touch controls.

#RIOT CIVIL UNREST REVIEW PS4 PC#

On a PC with mouse controls, the gameplay feels more natural and precise, but using a control pad just felt less refined. Aiming or selecting specific points on the map, such as trying to set up a barrier, is clumsy and twitchy. This, in turn, makes the already chaotic action even more confusing to track.ДЄnother issue, particularly on the Switch, is that the controls are a little loose. While the pixel art is well animated and as detailed as this art style could be, it makes it hard to differentiate between tiny humans. There are several set levels of zoom, but the camera isnвЂ™t directly controllable, unfortunately. Since the scenarios are timed to achieve the objective within a few minutes, the pace is brisk, which helps keep the action frantic. Doing all the scenarios from both sides does illustrate the very different dynamics at work in civil riots, even if the play mechanics are consistent. Similar tactics can be used on the police force side, such as forming a blockade, but they can also push forward, arrest protestors, and have more options for use of force (either deadly or not, neither of which will help your public rating). The left stick directly moves the selected group for more exacting placement. This can include bolstering morale by rallying others, forming a human wall (either standing or kneeling), using social media to call reinforcements, or even engaging in more aggressive tactics.

Playing the game on the Switch, the right analogue stick switches between the smaller groups, while the buttons each relate to a different action. If the police get too aggressive or morale gets too low, the protestors are more likely to become afraid and run, and vice versa. Where this really comes into play is how any given individual will react to fear and violence. This means that even within a specific group, each member has a chance to behave differently than the others. However, every character is treated in some capacity as a unique AI.

The scenarios divide all the participants into smaller groups that can be moved independently. How the game is actually played, however, is somewhat hit and miss. Without public support, you ultimately canвЂ™t achieve the goal of peace вЂ“ or whatever passes for it. Conversely, while violent means might lead to an easy scenario вЂњwinвЂќ (especially from the police side of the equation), the longer-term repercussions can be dire. If you can manage to achieve success without hurting anyone or resorting to violence (or force in general), the public will be more inclined to take your side. To represent the idea that your actions have consequences, Riot uses the concept of public support to dictate how successful youвЂ™ll be across the campaign. RiotвЂ™s developers sincerely tried to realistically portray an important real-world issue that has unpredictable, wide-ranging consequences. Levels arenвЂ™t simply about succeeding and moving on. From the Oakland, California riots to Caracas, Egypt, Greece, Italy, and other places, the game covers the globe allowing players to get up close and personal with an aspect of our history that is seldom covered in depth. How you decide to achieve the specific mission goals plays an important role in your overall success for a given campaign.ДЄn important distinction between Riot and other games that take on this theme (like Anarcute and even the wonderfully offbeat De Blob games) is each level is based on an actual real-world event.

Each side has very different (timed) objectives, tools, and methods. Each scenario lets you pick the side of either the protestors or the police forces trying to maintain order вЂ“ by any means necessary.

The game is hitting PC, Xbox, PS4, and Switch, and its decidedly retro, yet detailed pixel art gives it a distinct appeal.Д®ssentially a very unusual real-time strategy game, Riot: Civil Unrest offers 30 scenarios across four campaigns.

#RIOT CIVIL UNREST REVIEW PS4 SIMULATOR#

As the name suggests, this is literally a civil riot simulator and, as such, probably has an incredibly limited audience. Riot: Civil Unrest, like most things in life, is decidedly political, although it does its level best to be equitable about it.

Riot civil unrest review ps4