Some things in life are doomed to never work. Things like my car, drunken men’s chat up lines, and certain operating systems, which shall remain nameless for fear of persecution/assassination. Another is Communism. Sure, everything’s great in theory, with everyone backslapping and dishing out the vodka and potatoes in equal and fair amounts. But pretty soon, it all turns pear shaped as the budding Bolsheviks remember that most intrinsic of human values – greed. And so everything goes tits-up.

If only Marx had consulted me before embarking upon his Magnum Opus – we’d have all been saved the bother of the Cold War, and our Eastern European neighbours could have been pigging out on MacDonald’s years ago (and that's a good thing because..? - Ed).

The important thing is, however, that the foolish commies have realised the error of their ways, and have now embarked on a capitalist voyage of discovery. Which is where Elixir Studios’ Republic: The Revolution comes in. I’m sure that most of you reading this will have already heard most of these details, but for those of you who have not, here’s a recap.

Republic is set in a fictional former Soviet republic called Novistrana. This new nation has just broken off from the USSR, and everything is up for grabs. Your role is to try to seize political power any way you can, using a bewildering array of techniques, both legitimate and illegal. You begin with a single supporter, and a small, secret HQ. The goal is to gradually increase in popularity and influence until you can oust the current President, and claim the position for yourself. You will be able to play as one of five different types of leader – politician, religious leader, criminal mastermind, businessman, or military general.