Kremlingames
TypeStudio
IndustryVideo games
Founded2014 (2014)
MembersMaxim Chornobuk
Vasiliy Kostylev
Websiteen.kremlingames.com

Kremlingames is an indie game development cooperative founded in 2014.[1] They specialize in making geopolitical strategy games in which the player is given the opportunity to rewrite the history of the Soviet Union (USSR) and other countries. The studio is co-owned by Maxim Chornobuk and Vasiliy Kostylev, with other members contributing to important decisions.[2][3][4]

Kremlingames has created several games including Crisis in the Kremlin (2017), Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall and China: Mao's Legacy, in which players control the Soviet Union, one of the many Eastern Bloc nations or several other socialist states, and the People's Republic of China (PRC), respectively.[5]

Kremlingames is a bilingual developer, releasing games in both Russian and English. Their games tend to revolve around managing a country politically and economically during the Cold War. Their most recent game is titled Collapse: A Political Simulator.[6][7][8][9][10]

Games

Crisis in the Kremlin (2017)

Kremlingames' first game, Crisis in the Kremlin (Russian: Кризис в Кремле), is a remake of a game of the same title created in 1991.[11] The player acts as the leader of the Soviet Union.[12] The game primarily takes place during the Perestroika period of the USSR.[4] Unlike the original, the goal is not just to preserve the USSR and the Warsaw Pact; the player is able to pursue a myriad of other victory conditions, including the expansion of the communist bloc.[13] In this game, it is possible to win the Cold War by weakening the United States until it no longer is a superpower.[14] The game introduced additional factions, which included Stalinist, conservative, moderate, reformist, and liberal. It also introduced multiple endings, such as perestroika, nuclear war, world communism, and parades of sovereignty. The economic, domestic, and diplomatic systems were also made more complex.[12]

Since its release, Crisis in the Kremlin has been updated regularly and has received downloadable content (DLC), including Homeland of the Revolution and The Accident.

Development and reception

The game was developed on the Unity engine.[15] By February 2016, a schematic system of internal politics permitted the establishment of doctrines and adoption of laws. Foreign policy is presented in the form of a detailed map of the world (Europe, Asia/Oceania, Africa, and both Americas) with buttons for interaction with countries, doctrines, and events, as well as indicators of relations with the United States and China.[16] The game has the ability to reform the Soviet government, budget allocation, and detailed statistics.[17] The game is turn-based: the player modifies policy, changes the budget, and moves on to the next month via an event.[18]

The game was released on March 20, 2017.[19]

It received overwhelmingly positive feedback on Steam (9/10)[20] and has been noted by Game World Navigator as a good successor to the 1991 version, especially for its depth and attention to detail.[21][4] However, it is not without its fair share of criticism, most notably over its perceived overall clunkiness and confusing user interface.[11][22] The prominent Russian gaming magazine Game World Navigator gave the game a rating of 6.2/10, and criticized the game for its user interface, [14] Another prominent Russian gaming magazine, Igromania, rated the game 8/10, complimenting the game on its complex and detailed interactions but noted the graphics as "terrifying".[21]

On August 22, 2017, The Accident DLC was released, which saw players take control of the Soviet Republic of Ukraine. Its storylines include the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident and Gorbachev's implementation of Perestroika.[23] On March 12, 2020, this was followed by the Homeland of the Revolution DLC, which saw players take control of the RSFSR in 1989–1991, following the political struggle between Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin and the parade of sovereignties.[24][2]

Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall

In the summer of 2017, with the unexpected success of Crisis in the Kremlin, Kremlingames began work on Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall. Like its predecessor, it follows the events of the Cold War and focuses on the nations of the Communist bloc in 1989–1990. Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall diverges from Crisis in the Kremlin in several ways. It operates in real-time with new functions to expand diplomacy and create buildings.[3][25] The player can play as East Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, or Romania in the base game with each expansion adding more nations, each having its own unique struggles.[26] It was released on March 25, 2018.[27]

The object of the game is to stay in power until the end of 1992.[28] During this time, players can either accelerate or prevent the collapse of the socialist camp.[29] Players make decisions regarding strengthening their leftist regimes or reforming government.[30] The game also allows players to help the conservatives in the PRC and the USSR to roll back or accelerate reforms.

Since its release, Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall has had several expansions including Legacy of Hoxha (adding Albania, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia), Fall of the Curtain (adding North Korea, Cuba, and Afghanistan), and Disorder in Yugoslavia (adding three small republics in former Yugoslavia, which includes Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina).[31][32]

Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall and its expansions have received positive reviews from players on Steam (9/10).[33] The game won 2nd place in the Fan Favorite category in the 2018 Game Development World Championship awards.[34] The game was also reviewed favorably by the East German periodical Neues Deutschland.[35]

China: Mao's Legacy

China: Mao's Legacy is a political strategy game that follows the People's Republic of China from 1976 to 1985 in the turbulent period during and after the death of Mao Zedong.[36][37] The game focuses on maintaining the country both economically and politically while preventing a non-peaceful transfer of power.[38] Players are faced with numerous choices, such as whether to invade Vietnam, imprison the Gang of Four, integrate Hong Kong, interfere in various skirmishes, and restore relations with the USSR.[39][40] All parameters of China can be controlled—its political system, economy, army, special services, family policies, doctrine of Freedoms, and much more.[41][42]

The game features a new system of politicians, including actual Chinese politicians of that period as well as game-generated characters.[43] The fate of these characters' careers is entirely under the player's control.

Development and reception

China: Mao's Legacy began development in Spring 2018. It was developed using the engine of its predecessor (Unity) and used the economic functions of the DLC The Accident from Crisis in the Kremlin. The game was released on May 25, 2019.[44]

The game received, in general, positive feedback from players on Steam (9/10)[45] but was blocked in the PRC.[46] The Hong Kong-based news organization Initium Media in its book Game On: 歡迎進入遊戲世界 regarded the subject matter sad and the game as difficult but also rewarding in allowing the player to change history.[42]

Collapse: A Political Simulator

Collapse: A Political Simulator is a political simulator and strategy game focused around managing a fictional former Soviet Republic—aptly named "Republic"—following the collapse of the USSR.[8][9] The game allows you to take control as the leader of one of the major political parties of Republic and attempt to win offices in and control of the various regions of the country.[10] The game takes place between the years of 1992 and 2004.[7] Republic starts off in a dire situation and it is up to the player whether or not conditions improve in the country.[7] The game was released on Feb 23, 2021.[6]

Other games and projects

Euromaidan

Euromaidan is a game dedicated to Euromaidan and Revolution of Dignity, released in 2015. The player could play as the legitimate President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, or contenders for his position during the Euromaidan demonstrations. The game is similar to Crisis in the Kremlin but also has the capacity for multiplayer.[47][48]

The first version of the game, allegedly, in many ways brought some fame to the company, spreading "from hand to hand."[49]

Kremlinocracy

Kremlinocracy is a game released in 2015. Kremlinocracy plays similarly to the psychological verbal game Mafia. The player's goal is to seize power and maintain it for at least three years. There are three featured scenarios:[50][51]

  1. The death of Lenin,
  2. The death of Brezhnev, and
  3. Alternate reality Russia, where Medvedev continued Yeltsin's policy.[50][51]

Empire: Paths of History

Empire: Paths of History (Russian: Империя: Пути истории) is a text-based game with Soviet, German, and Perestroika campaigns and a script editor. In the game, the player takes the role of the head of a secret organization. The player has access to the statistics of the country and the opportunity to choose between candidates for the presidency, with the corresponding consequences—in the German campaign there is a choice between the Ost plan and the Ribbentrop plan, and in the campaign dedicated to Perestroika, reform options are offered.[52][53]

The Collapse

The game-novel Collapse was announced shortly after the release of Crisis in the Kremlin. The player would assume the role of a KGB officer in the midst of the events of 1991 who must investigate the death of an important officer of the state security agencies. Kremlingames suspended and then froze its development indefinitely to focus on Ostalgie. In September 2019, the project was terminated.[49][54][55]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Кризис в Кремле" (in Russian). Kremlingames. 26 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Kremlingames". en.kremlingames.com. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 "An Interview with BrutalPin of Kremlingames, developers of "Crisis in the Kremlin" and the upcoming release, "China: Mao's Legacy"" (Interview). Political Simulators Unite!. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2021 – via Medium.
  4. 1 2 3 Денис, Давыдов (12 July 2017). ""Хоть где-то можно сохранить СССР": набирает популярность компьютерная игра "Кризис в Кремле"". www.nakanune.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  5. ↑ "Игры от Kremlingames – список лучших, даты выхода новых игр – Издатели и разработчики". www.igromania.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  6. 1 2 MMO13 (18 February 2021). "Collapse: A Political Simulator — дата выхода, системные требования и обзор игры Collapse: A Political Simulator, гайды, официальный сайт, видео и скриншоты". mmo13.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 18 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 3 Джабраилов, Камиль (19 January 2021). "Вышел дебютный трейлер политического симулятора The Collapse: A Political Simulator". gorodovoy.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  8. 1 2 Джабраилов, Камиль. "Вышел дебютный трейлер политического симулятора The Collapse: A Political Simulator". sanktpeterburg.bezformata.com. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Дебютный трейлер политического симулятора - The Collapse: A Political Simulator". PlayGround.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  10. 1 2 Bagatin, Luca (28 February 2021). "Videogame. "Collapse: A Political Simulator", ovvero il destino di una repubblica post-sovietica". LiberalCafe' (since 2004) (in Italian). Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  11. 1 2 Lessel, Alon (5 April 2017). "Crisis In the Kremlin Review". Steam Shovelers. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  12. 1 2 Сабуров, Сергей (23 March 2017). "Когда всё может пойти не так: обзор "Кризис в Кремле" — Офтоп на DTF". DTF (in Russian). Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  13. ↑ Millerbertinho (17 May 2017). "REVIEW: Crisis in the Kremlin". Save or Quit. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  14. 1 2 Алаев, Андрей (15 April 2017). "Рецензия: Crisis in the Kremlin" [Review: Crisis in the Kremlin]. Навигатор игрового мира (in Russian). Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  15. ↑ Crisis in the Kremlin. Kremlingames. 2017.
  16. ↑ 南戈 (31 March 2017). "《克里姆林宫危机》：历史永远出人意料". 知乎专栏 (in Chinese). 触乐. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  17. ↑ Васильев, Никита. "Crisis in the Kremlin: А как вы развалите Советский Союз?" [Crisis in the Kremlin: How do you destroy the Soviet Union?]. kiozk (in Russian). Игромания. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  18. ↑ Bagatin, Luca (22 July 2017). "Crisis in the Kremlin: un videogame sugli ultimi anni dell'Unione Sovietica » Pensalibero.it". Pensalibero.it, Informazione laica on line (in Italian). Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  19. ↑ "Crisis in the Kremlin (2017) - обзоры и оценки игры, даты выхода DLC, трейлеры, описание". www.igromania.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  20. ↑ "Crisis in the Kremlin on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  21. 1 2 Васильев, Никита (30 March 2017). Обзор Crisis in the Kremlin. А как вы развалите Советский Союз? [Review of Crisis in the Kremlin. How do you destroy the Soviet Union?] (in Russian). Игромания (Igromania). pp. 60–61. ISBN 9785040586073. Retrieved 4 February 2021. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  22. ↑ "Review: Crisis in the Kremlin (2017)". A Phuulish Fellow. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  23. ↑ Crisis in the Kremlin: The Accident. (Video game) Kremlingames. 2017.
  24. ↑ Crisis in the Kremlin: Homeland of the Revolution. (Video game) Kremlingames. 2020.
  25. ↑ "Сводка новостей" [News bulletin] (in Russian). Kremlingames. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  26. ↑ "Ostalgie The Berlin Wall скачать (последняя версия) игру на компьютер". gofrag.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  27. ↑ "Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall - обзоры и оценки игры, даты выхода DLC, трейлеры, описание". www.igromania.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  28. ↑ "Обзор Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall". Стратегикон (in Russian). 20 December 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  29. ↑ Bagatin, Luca (26 March 2018). ""Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall": un videogame strategico e geopolitico che fa rivivere la fine della Guerra Fredda » Pensalibero.it". Pensalibero.it, Informazione laica on line (in Italian). Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  30. ↑ Prescott, Shaun; Marks, Tom (30 July 2018). "Five new Steam games you probably missed this week". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  31. ↑ Ostalgie: Legacy of Hoxha. (Video game). Kremlingames. 2018.
  32. ↑ Ostalgie: Fall of the Curtain. (Video game). Kremlingames. 2019.
  33. ↑ "Ostalgie: The Berlin Wall on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  34. ↑ "OSTALGIE: THE BERLIN WALL". GDWC 2020.
  35. ↑ Bähr, Sebastian. "Die DDR überlebt (neues deutschland)". www.neues-deutschland.de (in German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  36. ↑ "China: Mao's legacy вся информация об игре, читы, дата выхода, системные требования, купить игру China: Mao's legacy". ag.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  37. ↑ Сообщество Империал (30 March 2019). "Китай: Наследие Мао - Предрелизный обзор Предварительный обзор новой игры от Kremlingames". Yandex Zen (in Russian). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  38. ↑ Инди (30 March 2019). "Китай: Наследие Мао - Предрелизный обзор — Инди на DTF". DTF (in Russian). Рома Офицеров. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  39. ↑ "Россияне разрабатывают политическую стратегию "Китай: Наследие Мао"". ФОКУС (in Russian). 14 January 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  40. ↑ "中華ゲーム見聞録外伝：国家運営シミュ『China: Mao's legacy』毛沢東亡き後の冷戦時の中国を導け". Game*Spark - 国内・海外ゲーム情報サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  41. ↑ "China: Mao's legacy | Western Democracy Guide". Gamer Tag Zero. 7 June 2019. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  42. 1 2 Tierney, Sean (2020). "毛的遺產·我的國". GAME ON：歡迎進入遊戲世界 (in Traditional Chinese). Translated by 楊靜 (Traditional Chinese ed.). Hong Kong, People's Republic of China: Initium Media. ASIN B08P326RSM.
  43. ↑ ""Китай: Наследие Мао". Новая текстовая игра по эпохе 70-80-х выйдет весной". ЭКД (in Russian). 11 January 2019.
  44. ↑ MMO13 (21 February 2021). "China: Mao's legacy — дата выхода, системные требования и обзор игры China: Mao's legacy, гайды, официальный сайт, видео и скриншоты". mmo13.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 21 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  45. ↑ "China: Mao's legacy on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  46. ↑ Blokker, Chantal; Schmidt, Florent (17 August 2020). "Censorship as Part of Localization: Practice and Perception of Regional Changes in Japanese and Western Video Games" (PDF). Digitala Vetenskapliga Arkivet. Uppsala University Publications. DiVA, id: diva2:1457926 – via DiVA.
  47. ↑ Euromaidan. (Video game). Kremlingames. 2015.
  48. ↑ ""Євромайдан" - Kremlingames" [Euromaidan] (in Russian). Kremlingames. 12 October 2016. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  49. 1 2 Age of Kings (4 October 2017). "Другие игры компании Kremlingames". Сообщество Империал (in Russian). Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  50. 1 2 Kremlinocracy. (Video game). Kremlingames. 2015.
  51. 1 2 ""Kremlincracy" - Kremlingames" (in Russian). Kremlingames. 21 December 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  52. ↑ Империя: Пути истории. (Video Game) (in Russian) (German, Russian, and Perestroika Campaigns).
  53. ↑ ""Пути истории" - Kremlingames" [Empire: Paths of History] (in Russian). Kremlingames. 16 October 2016. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  54. ↑ "Коллапс - Kremlingames" [Collapse] (in Russian). Kremlingames. 20 December 2017. Archived from the original on 20 December 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  55. ↑ "The Collapse" (in Russian). Kremlingames. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
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