Crisis in the Kremlin

These past few years we've seen that remakes are gaining more and more momentum all the time. They come in many shapes and forms, some developers like to use the original game as a base for basically a new game. And some make pretty much just a remastered version of the original title and change just a few small elements. Crisis in the Kremlin is a little bit of both actually.

Now, if you want to play a game set in the Soviet Union that isn’t an FPS or Papers Please. But do keep in mind this is not your usual strategy game, so with that out of the way, we can get started!

Keep calm and control it all

Crisis in the Kremlin is a game made for people that are deeply into politics and everything that represents keeping things in check. You get to be the Head of State of the Soviet Union, and with great power comes great responsibilities. This is a role of utmost importance in the development of an entire continent, and as such, you'll have to take care of various aspects.

As you progress in the game you are awarded political points which you can use to have even more control over the Union and beyond. You can choose whether you want to strengthen socialism and communism, or if you are willing to opt for a free market and a completely different take on the system. Of course, even with all your power, it won't be easy, as you have to keep your political adversaries in line too, and there's always the element that's external to the Soviet Union. You can choose a year to start the game (from 1985 to 1989) and play into the '90s and beyond if you're successful.

Is it really a remake?

Well, this is hardly a remake and more of a spiritual successor. However, even though they are both named exactly the same. Both games are basically the same thing but made very differently, and of course, the newer version is much newer and has more complex mechanics. There was some criticism for the first game released in 1991 that actually claimed the game was biased to lead to a failure in the USSR for the player. Ironically the Union actually dissolved the very same year the original title was released. The 2017 game is much more modern in every element, but at the same time, it feels like a simple evolution and modernization of the original game.

Crisis in the Kremlin is not a game for everybody, it can be quite tedious, complicated, and even boring. It can be very repetitive too, and the user interface is pretty odd. There are plenty of game screens and men menus that mix both Russian and English, so it is even more confusing for the player.

That and the fact that there is minimal guidance in terms of tutorials that will truly force you to get it all by yourself.

Pros

• Very Original
• Interesting to play
• Lots of cool mechanics
• Great for politics fans

Cons

• Confusing user interface
• Lacks tutorials
• Repetitive
• Bad visuals
• Boring
• Really buggy