Seven Kingdoms: Ancient Adversaries (Game Review)

Of all times for the right-click on my mouse to break it had to be now. Since last night, I've been playing this game I used to play when I was a kid: Seven Kingdoms Ancient Adversaries. At the time, it didn't matter to me as much. It was just another war game where I had to win by defeating all other kingdoms. But now that I get a chance to play it again, now that I've become wiser and more mature (just kidding), I actually see the deeper aspect of the game's concept.

You're basically a king of a kingdom deciding more than just control of your people but more importantly dealing with the different policies involved with other nations. It's a bit simplified and basic, of course. Obviously, reality is so much more complex and has thousands of unpredictable variables. To me though, it has somehow captured the essence of foreign affairs itself.

It's actually pretty libertarian (or at least it's how I try to play it as). But of course militarism, nation-building, and conscription is part of your power as the monarch so I would say it has a bit of the typical neoconservative/establishment position that you can be the policeman of the world and "spread democracy". For many parts, though, I see so much resemblance with libertarianism and how it can lead to peace and prosperity.

When playing the game, I do follow the advice of the US founders of befriending other nations and trading with them and not making entangling alliances. And even when I disagree with the policies or beliefs of another kingdom, I still make it a point to always have the ability to trade with each other. Ron Paul is right, sanctions are acts of war. Restricting trade has so many unintended consequences. I am reminded of the embargo on Cuba, that obviously has been the trade policy for decades but still has not worked. Trading with them, on the other hand, just as the US did with Vietnam, will give them a glimpse at the products and innovations in a capitalist society. And, as freedom is such a viral thing, could help make them rethink their policies and political philosophies.

In the game, if you trade with other kingdoms, you benefits so much. You get to have some of the natural resources that you don't. You get to make business and earn a profit for other agendas you have for your kingdom.

Well, there are so many things about the game that's not libertarian. It's interesting though that money is backed by gold and by other natural resources. It restrains me from keeping on expanding my kingdom even when I can't afford it, unlike the paper money nowadays that the Federal Reserve is printing that is helping to skyrocket government spending into the abyss of eternal debt and economic collapse.

I wish there was a game that simulates dealing with the affairs of contemporary nations. Also, I wish it wasn't as boxed as having war, militarism, and nation-building as requirements of the game. Peace and prosperity can be achieved through diplomacy. Remember how Khrushchev had 30,000 nuclear missiles but it was dealt with peacefully and diplomatically. The Cuban missile crisis is proof of why the Bush Doctrine is a failure and preemptive wars and undeclared wars are very dangerous, creates more enemies and blowback, and eventually bankrupts the country.

Well, so now I can't play it because the right-click of my mouse is broken and that's essential to the game. Since I'm awake early anyway I figured I should just right about the game and what I think of it.

I don't know if it's recommendable. Nostalgia is one factor why I love it so much. It is quite dated and I'm sure there are tons of games in the market right now that are of the same concept but better because of how technology and gaming has changed so much since then.

One advantage is that it's really small and it'll surely work even on systems that aren't so powerful Wish me luck as I pretend to know how to open up and fix my stupid mouse's right-click button.