Before playing this game, I was already familiar with the history of the coup and its awful aftermath (the reign of the Shah and his secret police), but I had never given much thought to Mossadegh the man before. A sound recording of one of Mossadegh's speeches (announcing the nationalization of Iran's oil industry - an act that galvanized the oil-hungry USA and Britain to plot his downfall) also struck a nerve. On a personal level, I was very struck by the opening image of Mossadegh as an old man, lying on his deathbed more than a decade after his overthrow. Unless you have a pathological aversion to anything that could even remotely be construed as an "art" game, I would recommend giving it a whirl. And seeing as it only costs two dollars, there's very little risk of suffering buyer's remorse. Given how short it is, it definitely doesn't outstay its welcome. I've learned that the main influences on its style were the Iranian illustrator Ardeshir Mohasses and the Japanese artist Mitsumasa Anno I've never seen another game that looks like this one before. It's very short (I finished it in 30 minutes without rushing) and boasts a unique art style: a mash-up of Persian motifs and Western surrealism, with a few agitprop touches along the way. Gameplay-wise, it's a bit like walking through a picture book, with a few simple environmental puzzles to solve along the way. (The game also wisely sticks to basic facts rather than inundating folks wth obscure historical details). No specialized knowledge is required before playing the focus is mainly on feeling, as conveyed through its trippy but melancholy visuals. I could imagine some players might be intimidated by the idea of a game about imperial meddling in Iran it sounds kinda like homework, doesn't it? But I assure you that The Cat and the Coup is not a dry lecture. It doesn't upgrade the basic mechanics in a noticeable way, but the improved graphics and sound are worth the tiny cost. Though I very much enjoyed the original, I'd strongly recommend skipping straight to the remastered version if you've never played this game before. This "4K Remaster" is an upgraded version of the original, which is also available (for free) here on Steam. ![]() The Cat and the Coup tells the true story of the Western-backed overthrow of Mohammed Mossadegh, the first (and arguably only) democratically-elected Prime Minister of Iran. ![]() ![]() And let me assure you that this review is not unduly influenced by the sweet $1.99 that I saved. Prior to that, I'd never had any contact with them. Full disclosure: I was given a free key to this game by the developer after shouting out my admiration for the original (pre-remaster) version on Twitter.
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