Play Electoral Pacman in the streets of Stornoway

By Commodore Stu Campbell ATA RI, our Ancient Video Games Correspondent

pacmanAs we approach the General Election in May, Dundee games developers Rock Steady Polls have just released a new video game which is dripping with political intrigue and campaign fun.

Set in the Hebridean hamlet of Stornoway, the game has a haunting similarity to the classic arcade game Pacman, but this time features an SNP canvasser tramping the mean streets of the city in search of votes.

However, as in real life, finding new SNP supporters is the easy part. Our hero must also sign up new members (cherries) while avoiding the Labour candidate Alasdair Morrison (in red) and all three of his island Activists. The developers have cast the Labour guys as ghosts in honour of the imminent death of their party in Scotlandshire.

The spectral SLab four desperately pursue our man round the town, chanting: "the largest party always gets to form the government: FACT", while tearing down his posters and trying to steal his canvass returns before they can be added to the Activate database.

"It is so real you almost forget you are in a game", says reviewer Jim Morphy. "At first I thought the SNP guy was picking up eggs and I nearly ran screaming from the room like a wee Jessie. But once I realised he was only collecting votes I became much more relaxed. We can always sort that out with the postals, I thought to myself. 4 Irn-Bru cans."

A spokesgamer from the SNP said: "It would have been more authentic if the Labour administration on the Comhairle had lined the streets with Union Flags, just like they did during the Indyref, but it still feels very much like the real thing.

"There is no room for complacency, and we're still a long way from the election, but our wee guy seems to be picking up all of the votes. 5 tin helmets."

 


 

To play the game for yourself, click here to open the town map then click on the Pacman symbol on the bottom left of the screen.

You can also reposition the map then hover over the game icon to choose your favourite streets to canvass.

Good luck and many happy returns.

 


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