5 reviews
The Westport Independent
"The Westport Independent is a censorship simulator about the last weeks on an independent newspaper which is to be dismantled according to a new government bill. You play an editor in charge of choosing what will be printed in the paper, making sure that the content is nice and proper according to the government guidelines. With rebellions agains...
Details
- Released
- January 21, 2016
- Developer
- Double Zero One Zero
- Genres
- Simulator · Turn-based strategy (TBS) · Indie
- Publisher
- Coffee Stain Studios
- Platforms
- PC
Player pulse
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The Westport Independent Reviews
Professional reviews from gaming critics
Overall, The Westport Independent looked to be a boring, simple, repetitive game, but after hardly any play time it becomes so much more. Reminiscent of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, it’s ideal for hardcore gamers, casual gamers, journalists, writers, editors, and anyone who wants to learn more about real-world political issues, censorship, and how the media influences us, while also discovering their own political persuasions.
The Westport Independent is a game that's notable for what it tries to do. It is fun to play and mildly thought provoking. The price tag is a bit hefty on Steam for the amount of game you're actually getting, so we'd suggest you wait for a sale or pick it up on tablet if this sort of game interests you.
The Westport Independent is an intriguing but underwhelming examination of censorship.
So, you say you want to start a revolution? As we've seen through history, the press has helped facilitate change by informing the public of corruption. The Westport Independent gives you the intriguing duty of managing an independent newspaper in the final weeks before a government censorship bill passes. Will you make your last days matter by printing the real issues and exposing extortion or will you try to stay on the government's good side to avoid a total shutdown?
There are so many smart ideas in here, and the concept is neat, even if obviously derivative. But the execution doesn't hold it together, with disappointing responses to extremes, and a strangely anticlimactic progression. I feel like if this were given another six months, the game could be as interesting to play as it is in ambition. But as it is, it's not there.