Impact Games' PeaceMaker challenges players to find a solution to the middle east conflict and create a peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians.
It's 4 a.m.
I should be asleep.
But I can't get there. I'm tossing and turning. There's still conflict in the middle east.
Determined to do something about it, I roll over and switch on my laptop.
Rather than launch missile strikes on Palestinian militants, I actually reduce the number of Israeli military check-points and see positive change already.
No, I haven't hacked the Mossad's computer system. I'm playing PeaceMaker, a politically charged and socially conscious game from Impact Games.
PeaceMaker challenges players to make decisions that will lead to peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians.
I had played several times throughout the day and had only succeeded in starting the third Infantada. This time I was determined to get things right.
Gameplay
Before the game begins, you have to decide whether you'll play as the Israeli prime minister or the Palestinian president. Playing as either side brings its own set of challenges.
As play begins, you're faced with a map of the countryside where events like protests or suicide bombings will be highlighted with red circles as they happen. Neutral or positive events will be highlighted by blue circles.
At the bottom of the screen, you can see the opinion of your own people, the other side, the world and various groups.
However, interaction comes from the toolbar on the left side of the screen where you can take action. Between each choice you make, a week will pass and then you'll see how it affected everything else.
Actions and Consequences
I began play as the Israeli prime minister. The first event you need to react to is a suicide bombing.
There are many choices you can make. Clamp down on security, build a bigger wall or even launch a missile strike.
Or you can ease travel restrictions for Palestinians, send the other leader aid money or make speeches.
Every move you make causes the opinions of either side to go up or down. The key is balance. You need to keep your own people happy and secure, otherwise their approval drops when you try to make concessions. Worse yet, if their approval is too low, your own government will reverse your decisions, angering everyone.
Through careful balance, I was able to achieve milestones, like a train running through Gaza. By 5 a.m., I was a Nobel Peace Prize winner and ready to pass out.
Seeing Things From the Other Side
Playing as the Palestinian leader gives you new challenges entirely.
You can't gain goodwill by funding a hospital in Israel since, well, you don't have any money. A good deal of the game is spent requesting money from other nations.
You've also got to try to keep your more militant factions in line (while this is also an issue playing as Israel, it's not as big of a problem.)
But after a lot of careful negotiations, I was able to convince the Israeli leader to give me control of the borders to allow tourism and do joint patrols for militants with troops from both sides.
Conclusions
I was shocked when I first tried to play as the Palestinian leader and saw how limited my resources were. The game is eye-opening, but remains entertaining while making its point.
Initially, I was interested in PeaceMaker strictly from a political point of view. Could the creators really succeed in pulling this off without boring gamers to tears, as so many creators of educational titles have before?
However, the game is still fast-paced without requiring a shooting interfacing and things can go downhill fast. It provided a challenge that literally kept me up at night.
PeaceMaker can be played in English, but language settings for Hebrew and Arabic are also in there. It would be interesting to find out how the title is being received in the conflicted areas, where Israeli gamers now have the chance to play through a Palestinian viewpoint and vice versa.
