Riot civil unrest review
![riot civil unrest review riot civil unrest review](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Dew9ESabiv4/maxresdefault.jpg)
Laser pens, homemade smoke bombs, backpacks full of rocks, fireworks, and the power of social media are all at your disposal, along with more passive approaches such as simply sitting on the ground and chanting. The lead developer has seen riots unfold with his own eyes, and this first-hand experience has led to a skill list as long as it is creative. It seems the developers really struggled with the HUD, as it’s prone to glitching too.Įach group can be assigned four abilities or items, some of which should only be used if you’re willing to let things turn ugly. This can result in using the wrong ability at the wrong time. It also doesn’t help that the HUD is extremely crude, to the point that some of the item icons – particularly for the police – are hard to distinguish. Now seems a good time to mention that there’s no tutorial, which made for a poor first impression. Most missions – which entail protecting or destroying structures, pushing the police back (off the screen), or simply holding your ground for five minutes – put four or five groups of rioters under your control. Rioters always outnumber the police, often three times over. It’s possible to play through each campaign as either the rioters or the police, both of which have their own strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. The four short campaigns – lasting 20-30 minutes each, complete with pixel-art cut-scenes – are set in such locations as Egypt, Greece, Italy, and Spain.
![riot civil unrest review riot civil unrest review](https://www.thegamecollection.net/media/cms/landing_pages/130/riotcivil3.jpg)
The police use live ammo so rarely that the first time they opened fire it left us rather shocked. Riots can become wildly unpredictable in these instances, too. This is when things become messy and chaotic, and all feeling of being in control is lost.
![riot civil unrest review riot civil unrest review](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LwwAM7Rpte4/maxresdefault.jpg)
You can, however, use violence to swing things in your favour. Very few riots entail brutality, and using harmless tactics is encouraged. It’s an intriguing concept, and unlike similar games released over the years (remember State of Emergency on PS2?) the developer isn’t out to generate controversy. It taps into the messy, unpredictable, nature of organised riots, making you guess as to whether the police are going to retaliate, or to contemplate resorting to violence yourself.
#Riot civil unrest review simulator#
Who’s to blame? Well, this is seemingly something the press decides – this rioting simulator definitely makes a few bold statements. The police take aim with rubber bullets and in a matter of seconds there’s hysteria on the streets. A projectile lobbed too hard, a push becoming a shove, or some looney turning up to a quiet demonstration with a backpack full of fireworks. The same can also be said for turning a peaceful protest into a full-blown riot.