Final Ordeal: Rise of Power

Final Ordeal is a virtual Geo-political, role-playing strategy game franchise. The first game under this franchise is 'Rise of Power', whose storyline is co-incidentally similar to the recent worldwide wave of revolutions for democracy. The game offers multiple view-points to historical and geographical events with an inclination of winning the game by choosing the path of peace rather than violence.

It lets gamers experience the peaks and troughs of a revolution by choosing a role of a Head of State or an pro-democracy opposition of one of the fictional countries and achieve an Utopian status for the chosen nation.

When people rise for freedom, justice, basic needs and democracy, ruling a country is no longer so easy. However, ruling becomes easy when a nation turns prosperous, justice is served and democracy is attained. Would you be able to achieve all unmet needs of your people and transform your state into a nearly Utopian nation?

Partly based on the quest for democracy in several countries across the world, Final Ordeal: Rise of Democracy is a Geo-political role-playing strategy game. It puts you in the position of a Head of State of one of the fictional countries with all powers at your disposal - to manage and steer through the rising discontent. The ultimate goal of the game is to implement Democratic reforms and hold free and fair elections. Whether you do this by yourself while remaining in power or try to retain absolute powers (and transfer power to your offspring) is a decision that you will have to make.

The game starts in 2010 as a Head of State of a fictional nation, Tanesia*. After decades of oppression, corruption, rising unemployment and outdated policies, the citizens of your country are now starting to rise. According to some of your critics, your family has amassed a large wealth that should have rightly belonged to the country's treasures. With rising unemployment and inflation, people are more unhappy than ever. This, coupled with the fact that a youth in a Tanesian city self-immolated in protest against your repressive police, people have begun to raise their voice for freedom, justice and democracy. They are now demanding that you to quit from the office. Would you be able to stay in power? Or would you find a compromise solution? Would you adopt the way of peace and transform your nation into a prosperous one?

In a regional scenario mode, you will be playing as a Head of State (or as an opposition in one of the add-on) of one country after another until you complete the entire circuit.  Each virtual country is unique with its own set of cultures, political setup and outcomes.

• As a Head of State/President, you can manipulate the game by using your absolute and authoritative power, or try to use peace diplomacy. Your final aim is either to retain your iron fist rule by resisting changes or to retain power by legal means of free and fair elections. The game is inclined towards peaceful ways of achieving goals and you may not necessarily be able to win the game if you choose the path of repression.
  

• Just about anybody. If you were interested in the recent events and want to experience what it takes to transform a state into a near-Utopian state as a result of uprising/revolution, this is your turn!
• As a Head of State player, experience what it takes to manage a country under the most tense and "fluid" situations. Would you promise reforms and organize democratic elections by accepting people's demands or would you use force to curtail the discontent?
  
• As an opposition player, experience what it takes to achieve freedom, justice and democracy by overcoming the state's aggression and oppression and peacefully achieving the goal.
  
• Political science students, professors and institutions can also integrate this game in their curriculum to interactively learn and analyze revolutions, uprisings and unrest.
• As the AI is very accurately modeled based on more than hundred factors, it may also be possible to simulate scenarios by manipulating on various parameters.
  

While the final aim of the game (as either Head of State or opposition player) is to transform a nation into a prosperous and full-fledged democracy, there are several paths a gamer or Computer AI may take to fulfill this goal. 

As a Head of State of a country:

• You lose the game when you are ousted from power against your will. In addition to this, you may also be forced to flee the country in exile.
  
• You win a game goal with a 'Transformed President' recognition when you transform yourself and accept people's demands to bring 'genuine' democratic reforms. The game still continues until elections are held.
  
  • You win the game with 'People's President' recognition if you win the free and fair elections (i.e. you haven't rigged the elections). You will become the hero of masses for renewing power with the mandate of your people. 
  • You still win the game even if you lose free and fair elections. People reward you and like you for transforming their country peacefully. You retain your right to stay peacefully in your own country.
    
• You draw the game with an 'Authoritarian Ruler for Life' recognition when you are successful in crushing an uprising or revolution AND when there's no new situation of unrest or revolution occurring for next two months after crushing the previous uprising. 
  

• While the countries depicted in the game are partly based on real statistics and data, it is not necessarily a complete depiction of what has happened or may happen in real world.
• Some images used in the game and screenshots (appearing on the website or elsewhere) are used under a Creative Commons License. Copyright belongs to the respective owners.