Manchester based indie developer, Ben Brewis, has created the satirical political survival game, No. 10: Full Confidence. Since its release on the 20th of May it has climbed the UK Apple App Store Charts reaching No.1 in the paid strategy game category.
Ben, based in Manchester, has been developing apps in his spare time for the past 10 years, but this is the first time any of his iOS apps have had viral success. Ben, cites its success to a combination of a lucky feature by Apple in the ‘New Games We Love’ category, its extremely topical relevance to the current UK political climate, and its unique hand crafted design and simple but fun gameplay mechanics, that keep users returning to try and top their highscore.
The game itself has players taking on the role of Prime Minister where they must balance the competing demands of Cabinet, Backbenchers, the Media, and Public Opinion. Each game month a new ridiculous crisis lands, from expenses scandals and MP meltdowns to environmental incidents and diplomatic blunders, and every decision pleases one faction and infuriates another. If any faction hits zero, it’s over and a new Prime Minister inherits the mess. The average player currently survives 35 months in office, longer than the past three real Prime Ministers, and only just short of Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
Ben started working on the game in January after initially having the idea for a satirical game inspired by the ever turbulent UK politics, last year. That inspiration, a love for UK politics and many long weekends of designing and coding the game meant he could release it just four months later in May. Wanting the game to stand out against an increasingly competitive landscape flooded with AI-generated games, having a unique hand-designed visual style was key for Ben. By using a simple view of a building, inspired by the Prime Minister’s residence, and quirky silhouettes for the different in-game factions, he believes his charming design, that feels synonymous with British politics, has helped the game stand out.
Commenting on the success of the game, Ben states: “I just can’t believe how well the game has done since launch. I’m overwhelmed with all of the positive feedback and suggestions that I’ve received from players. It really is a pinch me moment seeing everyone play it and actually enjoy the game!”
Ensuring the game stays current, Ben is committed to frequently updating the game, adding he aptly titled ‘Queen of the Humber’ storyline which lets players navigate a challenge from an emerging talent in the North of England, across a series of narrative-driven scenarios. Along with this, the update also brought several new random crises to encounter and a huge range of bug fixes to the core gameplay.
No. 10: Full Confidence can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, costing £2.99 with no ads or subscriptions.