Dictator Simulator: 1984

About Inside Dictator Simulator: 1984

By Maksim Popov | A Cold War-inspired political strategy game

Welcome to Gatskolka: Where Power Is Absolute, and So Is Paranoia

In Dictator Simulator: 1984, you take on the role of Supreme Leader of a grim, fictional Eastern European country gripped by fear, control, and barely-contained chaos. As the iron-willed Gatskolka, it’s your job to hold the nation together - or rule it into the ground.

Developed by Maksim Popov, this political strategy game draws chilling inspiration from real-world totalitarian regimes, delivering a darkly satirical take on absolute power and the price it demands.

Every Day Is a Crisis

There are no quiet days in the People’s Republic. Citizens beg for food, generals demand funding, ministers whisper schemes, and your own daughter wants a pony—all before breakfast.

Each day throws moral and political dilemmas at your desk. Will you silence protestors or negotiate? Fund the military or raise living standards? Every choice alters your four fragile pillars of power: population morale, treasury funds, state authority, and living standards. Let one collapse, and so does your regime.

The Tools of Tyranny: Bribe. Threaten. Lie. Repeat.

To maintain your grasp on the crumbling nation, you’ll need to master the dark arts of dictatorship. Use bribes to quiet ministers, unleash propaganda to stir patriotism, or play favorites to keep the powerful happy. No decision is without consequences, and sometimes the “right” choice is the one that keeps you alive.

Your personal relationships can be just as dangerous as political ones. Keep your inner circle loyal, or at least scared. One wrong move and it’s not the people who’ll rise up - it’s your own allies.

A Satire with Sharp Teeth

Dictator Simulator: 1984 doesn’t pull its punches. With grim humor and brutal honesty, it forces players to confront the messy, morally gray reality of unchecked power. This is not about building a utopia - it’s about keeping your grip on a nation teetering on the edge, and seeing how far you'll go to stay on top.

Final Verdict: Oppress to Impress

If you enjoy games like Papers, Please or Beholder, Dictator Simulator: 1984 offers an engrossing and cynical look at authoritarian leadership. It’s bleak. It’s brilliant. And it dares to ask: what kind of dictator would you be?