Legal Niches

Try Your Hand at Being an MP for a Week

By pete_gallagher

Tired of UK politicians? Think you could do a better job? An online game from the UK government allows players to take on the role of a backbench MP for a week.

The game, which is very well produced, begins by allowing players to choose a level of play, a party affiliation, an area of the UK to represent and a focus (local issues, world issues or money & finance). No focus on the games industry though sorry.

The game is aimed at 11-14 year olds and features eight types of activities—votes, questions, debates, speech editing, press conferences, messages and meetings. Players are charged with surviving the week without party or voter support dropping too low.

The game drew the support of the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA). ELSPA Director General Mike Rawlinson said about the game, 'We are pleased to see Parliament embracing videogames in this way and finally appreciating the relevance of videogames in many areas of work and play.'

Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on January 12, 2010 (boomark / email).