Run your own country !

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at running your business or even your own country? Does the prospect of coordinating a mass-scale war effort interest you? eRepublik offers the opportunity for all three and more.

I'm surprised this gem managed to evade my attention for so long. Currently on its 544th day, eRepublik's leading countries (Romania, Indonesia, Hungary and the USA) have already established competing newspapers, companies and political parties. Battles and sometimes multi-front wars are a daily thing and alliances have already been determined, though their ties are often shaky at best.

Fortunately, many countries have set up programs to accommodate fresh blood, with the USA leading the way. Through groups like the eNational Guard and Meals on Wheels, the groundwork has been laid for active citizens to expand rapidly. Most of the essentials are already provided and eUSA's leadership ensures you're well-paid.

If you prefer to take a more-active role in the community, beyond working day-to-day, training and fighting in battles, you're given the option of joining a political party where you can run for country-specific political bodies. In eUSA's case, Congress or President. It's even possible to begin your own fledgling nation, though the few I've seen rise in the two weeks I've been playing have been short-lived.

Many of the game's major newspapers are run by citizens who eschew political affiliation and instead attempt to guide and keep honest the existing political parties. In some cases, the quality journalism you'll find would equal or rival most real publications. The forum community is equally active and, while some discussions degenerate into drama, the handful of trolls that drag them into the dirt should in no way represent the eRepublik community as a whole.

As far as browser games go, this is one of the better ones and most certainly one of the more unique. If you join eUSA, I suggest Florida as it's one of the states with maxed infrastructure, including a five-star hospital. You can choose other areas or other countries, but living there and building the province into something useful can be a challenge that you may not want as a new player.

Original: Here