''Oil God'' is a 2006

newsgame Newsgames are a genre of video games that attempt to apply journalistic principles to their gameplay. Newsgames can provide context to complex situations which might be hard to explain without experiencing the situation firsthand.According to "News ...

created by

Persuasive Games Persuasive Games is a video game developer founded by Ian Bogost and Gerard LaFond in 2003. The company focuses on making advergames with strong opinions. Their first game, ''Howard Dean for Iowa'' is about trying to get Howard Dean to win the I ...

dealing with the relationship between the gas prices at the pump and the way the oil industry works. It has been likened to a simpler version of the strategy game '' Black & White''. The lead designer was

Ian Bogost Ian Bogost is an American academic and video game designer, most known for the game ''Cow Clicker''. He holds a joint professorship at Washington University as director and professor of the Film and Media Studies program in Arts & Sciences and ...

. The reception was mediocre; James Ransom-Wiley of

Engadget ''Engadget'' ( ) is a multilingual technology blog network with daily coverage of gadgets and consumer electronics. ''Engadget'' manages ten blogs four of which are written in English and six have international versions with independent editori ...

called it "a crude experience, pumped with superficial cynicism

hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

fails to deliver "news" about the real world oil biz."

References

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