''CyberJudas'' is a presidential simulation video game for

MS-DOS MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few oper ...

-compatible computers, and is the sequel to ''

Shadow President ''Shadow President'' is a geopolitical simulation video game released in 1993 for the PC by DC True containing elements of cyberpunk and dark science fiction. The game has a sequel called '' CyberJudas''. Gameplay The game puts the player in ...

''. ''CyberJudas'' contains many of the same

cyberpunk Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian Futurism, futuristic setting that tends to focus on a "combination of low-life, lowlife and high tech", featuring futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial in ...

/dark

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...

elements of the original game, but adds themes of

espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information ( intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tang ...

and

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

Gameplay

The player takes the role of the

President of the United States of America The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United State ...

, and must handle an ongoing timeline of world events by making political decisions and engaging in diplomatic, economic and military interactions with other computer-controlled states. The player is attended by a cabinet of computer-controlled advisors, each with their own area of responsibility, who will offer advice on actions to be taken. The game features three modes of play. In the Presidential Simulator, the only goal is to remain in power by maintaining sufficient popularity to avoid

electoral An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated ...

defeat,

impeachment Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. I ...

assassination Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...

. If popularity is maintained, the player's term as president can continue beyond the US' real-life limit of two terms, however terms must be consecutive: being voted out ends the game. In the Presidential Simulator, the player's cabinet work in the player's interest and deliver relatively unbiased advice. The second mode is Cabinet Wars, in which each member of the player's cabinet has their own political perspective and agenda, and will attempt to manipulate the player's decisions for their own ends. The final mode, and the source of the game's title, is the CyberJudas Gambit. In this mode, one member of the cabinet is an outright traitor, working directly against the player and the US. In this mode, the 'CyberJudas' will attempt to create catastrophic situations for which the player will be blamed. As well as successfully managing the day-to-day concerns of the US, the player in this mode must also identify and defeat the CyberJudas.

Reception

Tasos Kaiafas of ''

Computer Game Review ''Computer Game Review'' was a print monthly magazine covering both computer gaming and video gaming. The magazine was started in 1991. Also known as ''Computer Game Review and 16-Bit Entertainment'', and then later as ''Computer Game Review and C ...

'' opined, "''CyberJudas'' does show its age, which may have a dual effect." He found it technically dated, but argued that its gameplay attains "a level that transcends today's viscerally oriented 3-D worlds."

References

External links

CyberJudas
at

Home of the Underdogs Home of the Underdogs (often called HotU) is an abandonware archive founded by Sarinee Achavanuntakul, in October 1998. Before shutting down the original version in 2009, the site provided reviews for over 5,300 games and offered downloads of so ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:CyberJudas 1996 video games Cyberpunk video games DOS games DOS-only games Government simulation video games Merit Studios games Single-player video games Video game sequels Video games developed in the United States Video games set in the 1990s