Politsia (I Done & II Done)

Politsia (I Done & II Done) is a compilation of two action games developed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The second part introduces detectives Irakli and Maya, who investigate a bank assault in Batumi. The game blends first-person shooter segments, where Irakli battles armed criminals to rescue Maya, with third-person adventure sections, where Maya explores the city to gather clues. Set in Georgia, the game features Georgian language with minor Russian and English elements, offering a mix of law enforcement themes and detective storytelling.

Politsia (I Done & II Done): A Unique Experiment in Propaganda and Game Design

Introduction: The Unlikeliest of Games

Few video games can claim to be as bizarrely fascinating as Politsia (I Done & II Done), a 2011 release developed by the MIA Operative-Technical Department of Georgia and published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. This is not a typo—this is a first-person shooter (FPS) and third-person adventure game created by a government agency, ostensibly as a recruitment tool and propaganda piece. It is a game that exists at the intersection of statecraft, law enforcement glorification, and video game design, making it a curiosity worthy of deep analysis.

At its core, Politsia is a two-part compilation: the first part, Politsia (2011), is a straightforward FPS, while the second, I Done & II Done, introduces a sequel with dual perspectives—one a shooter, the other an investigative adventure. The game is steeped in Georgian nationalism, with its narrative, dialogue, and aesthetics all serving to reinforce the image of the Georgian police as heroes. Yet, beneath its propagandistic veneer lies a game that, while flawed, offers a fascinating glimpse into how governments can use interactive media to shape public perception.

This review will dissect Politsia in its entirety—its development, narrative, gameplay, world-building, reception, and legacy—while contextualizing it within the broader landscape of video games as tools of state messaging.

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Development History & Context: A Game Born from Bureaucracy

The Studio Behind the Game: The MIA Operative-Technical Department

The development of Politsia is perhaps its most unusual aspect. Unlike most games, which emerge from independent studios or corporate publishers, Politsia was created by the Operative-Technical Department of Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). This was not a side project but an official initiative, commissioned in summer 2010 and released in February 2011 (for the first part) and October 2011 (for the compilation).

The game was built using the Unreal Engine 3, leveraging the Unreal Development Kit (UDK), a free version of Epic Games’ engine. This choice was pragmatic—UDK was accessible, powerful, and capable of delivering the visual fidelity needed for a modern FPS. However, the development team was not composed of seasoned game designers but rather government employees, including programmers, artists, and law enforcement personnel.

Key figures in the project included:
– Karlo Matitaishvili (Producer)
– Nika Tsiklauri (Director)
– David Sakhvadze (Art Director)
– Levan Nadashvili (Sound Design & Musical Score)
– Irakli Kokrashvili (Lead Programmer)

The team’s lack of prior game development experience is evident in the final product, but their ambition is undeniable. The game was distributed for free via the MIA’s website, positioning it as both a training simulation and a public relations tool.

The Political and Cultural Backdrop

Georgia in the early 2010s was a nation in transition. Following the Rose Revolution (2003) and the Russo-Georgian War (2008), the country was undergoing significant reforms, particularly in its law enforcement and military sectors. The government, led by President Mikheil Saakashvili, sought to modernize Georgia’s image, presenting it as a pro-Western, democratic, and efficient state.

Politsia was part of this broader effort. The game’s narrative—centered on Georgian police officers battling organized crime—served to glorify the MIA while reinforcing the idea that the state was capable of protecting its citizens. The choice to release the game in Georgian (with minimal Russian and English) further emphasized its domestic focus.

Technological Constraints and Design Choices

Given the team’s inexperience and the use of UDK, Politsia suffers from several technical limitations:
– No save/load system: The first part requires players to complete the entire game in one sitting.
– Basic AI: Enemies follow predictable patterns, and friendly NPCs have minimal interaction.
– Repetitive level design: The environments, while detailed, lack variety.
– Limited voice acting: Most dialogue is text-based, with only a few voiced lines (notably, a Russian-speaking hostage).

Despite these flaws, the game’s use of Unreal Engine 3 allows for decent visuals, particularly in lighting and textures. The second part introduces two distinct gameplay styles—a first-person shooter segment and a third-person investigative segment—showcasing an attempt at innovation.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: Propaganda as Play

Plot Summary

Part I: Politsia (2011)
The first game is a linear FPS where the player assumes the role of a young Georgian policeman responding to a bank robbery at Vital Bank. The scenario is straightforward:
1. The player and a partner patrol a quiet street in a Škoda car (a nod to Georgia’s economic ties with the Czech Republic).
2. A call comes in about a robbery at Vital Bank.
3. Upon arrival, the police are ambushed by heavily armed criminals.
4. The player must fight through two levels, rescuing hostages and eliminating enemies.
5. The game ends with the bank secured and the hostages freed.

The narrative is minimalist, serving primarily as a framework for combat. There is no character development, and the player’s role is purely functional—a tool of the state.

Part II: I Done & II Done (2011)
The sequel expands the scope, introducing two playable characters:
– Irakli: A male detective who engages in FPS combat.
– Maya: A female detective who conducts a third-person investigation.

The story begins in Tbilisi, where Irakli and Maya are assigned to investigate Vitaliy Gromov, the owner of Vital Bank (the same bank from the first game). Their mission takes them to Batumi, a coastal city, where they interrogate Gromov in his hotel. The situation escalates when armed assailants attack, leading to a hostage scenario.

The game splits into two segments:
1. Irakli’s FPS Section: A high-intensity shootout where Irakli must fight through waves of enemies to rescue Maya and a key witness.
2. Maya’s Adventure Section: A detective-style segment where Maya explores a city block, interrogating NPCs to locate a second witness, Tina Shilova.

The narrative is more developed than the first game, with dialogue choices and investigative mechanics, but it remains heavily scripted and propaganda-driven.

Themes: Law, Order, and Nationalism

Politsia is, at its core, a propaganda piece, and its themes reflect this:
1. The Heroic Police Force: The game portrays Georgian police as brave, efficient, and infallible. Enemies are faceless criminals, and the player’s role is to eliminate them without moral ambiguity.
2. National Pride: The game is unapologetically Georgian, with references to Georgian culture, locations (Tbilisi, Batumi), and institutions (Vital Bank).
3. State Authority: The narrative reinforces the idea that the state is the ultimate protector. There are no gray areas—crime is evil, and the police are justice.
4. Gender Roles: Maya’s inclusion as a playable character is progressive, but her role is secondary—she investigates while Irakli engages in combat.

Dialogue and Localization

The game is primarily in Georgian, with minimal Russian and English. This was a deliberate choice to ensure the game resonated with its domestic audience. The dialogue is functional rather than immersive, with most interactions being text-based prompts.

One notable exception is a Russian-speaking hostage in the first game, whose voiced lines stand out in an otherwise silent experience. This could be interpreted as a subtle political statement, given Georgia’s tense relations with Russia post-2008.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: A Tale of Two Halves

Part I: The FPS – Simple but Effective

The first Politsia is a by-the-numbers FPS with the following mechanics:
– Weapons: The player has access to a pistol, assault rifle, and shotgun.
– Health Regeneration: Health replenishes after eliminating enemies, a common trope in shooters of the era.
– Linear Level Design: The game consists of two levels—a bank interior and a street battle—with no branching paths.
– No Saves: The game must be completed in one sitting, adding artificial difficulty.
– Cardboard Dummy Training Mode: A separate mode where players can practice shooting at targets.

Strengths:
– Straightforward and accessible for casual players.
– Decent gunplay thanks to Unreal Engine 3’s physics.

Weaknesses:
– Repetitive enemy encounters.
– No tactical depth—enemies rush the player with little strategy.
– Lack of replayability due to the absence of a save system.

Part II: The Hybrid Experience – Ambitious but Flawed

The sequel attempts to expand the formula by introducing two distinct gameplay styles:

1. Irakli’s FPS Segment
– Similar to the first game but with more enemies and varied environments.
– Gunplay is improved, with better weapon feedback.
– Still linear, but with more scripted events (e.g., hostage rescues).

2. Maya’s Investigation Segment
– A third-person adventure where Maya explores a city block in Batumi.
– Dialogue trees allow for interrogating NPCs to gather clues.
– No combat—Maya’s role is purely detective work.
– Time-sensitive elements (e.g., a clock showing 1:50 PM during investigations).

Strengths:
– Innovative for a government-made game—the dual-perspective approach is ambitious.
– Maya’s segment adds variety, breaking up the monotony of shooting.

Weaknesses:
– Clunky controls in the third-person sections.
– Limited interactivity—NPCs have pre-scripted responses, and choices don’t meaningfully impact the story.
– Pacing issues—the shift from FPS to adventure can feel jarring.

UI and Presentation

The game’s user interface is functional but unpolished:
– Georgian text dominates, which may alienate non-Georgian players.
– Minimal HUD elements—health and ammo are displayed simply.
– Loading screens feature propaganda-style imagery (e.g., police badges, Georgian flags).

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World-Building, Art & Sound: A Georgian Aesthetic

Setting and Atmosphere

Politsia is deeply rooted in Georgian locales:
– Tbilisi: The capital city, depicted with Soviet-era architecture and modern touches.
– Batumi: A coastal city known for its resorts and nightlife, though the game focuses on its grittier underbelly.
– Vital Bank: A fictional institution that serves as the central conflict point.

The game’s environments are realistic but sterile—they lack the lived-in feel of more polished shooters. However, the attention to Georgian details (e.g., street signs, posters) gives it a distinct identity.

Visual Design

• Character Models: Irakli and Maya are detailed but stiff, with limited facial animations.
• Enemies: Generic criminal thugs with no distinguishing features.
• Lighting: Unreal Engine 3’s strengths shine here—dynamic shadows and realistic indoor lighting elevate the visuals.
• Textures: Decent for 2011, though some assets appear reused or low-resolution.

Sound Design and Music

• Gunfire and Effects: Serviceable but lacks the punch of AAA shooters.
• Ambient Sounds: Street noises, police radios, and distant chatter add immersion.
• Music: Composed by Levan Nadashvili, the score is orchestral and dramatic, reinforcing the heroic tone of the police.
• Voice Acting: Sparse—most dialogue is text-based, with only a few Georgian and Russian voice lines.

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Reception & Legacy: A Game Few Played, But Many Remember

Critical and Commercial Reception

Politsia was not widely reviewed by Western gaming outlets, likely due to its niche appeal and language barrier. However, the few player ratings available paint a mixed picture:
– MobyGames: 4.4/5 (based on 2 ratings) for I Done & II Done, suggesting a small but appreciative audience.
– SocksCap64: 5.5/10 across categories, indicating mediocre but functional gameplay.
– VGTimes: No formal reviews, but user ratings hover around 5.5/10.

The first Politsia fared worse, with a 1.2/5 on MobyGames, likely due to its simplistic design and lack of replayability.

Cultural Impact and Propaganda Value

While Politsia was not a commercial success, its true purpose was propaganda, and in that regard, it succeeded to some extent:
– It reinforced the image of Georgian police as competent and heroic.
– It served as a recruitment tool, potentially inspiring young Georgians to join the MIA.
– It demonstrated Georgia’s technological ambitions, showing that the country could produce modern digital media.

However, its limited reach (due to language barriers and distribution) meant it never became a cultural phenomenon.

Influence on Later Games

Politsia is not remembered as a groundbreaking game, but it paved the way for other state-sponsored games, such as:
– Russia’s Syrian Warfare (2017): A game used to promote Russian military intervention in Syria.
– China’s Glorious Mission series: Games designed to recruit for the People’s Liberation Army.
– US Military’s America’s Army (2002): The most famous example of military propaganda in gaming.

Politsia stands as an early example of a government using games for soft power, a trend that has only grown since.

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Conclusion: A Flawed but Fascinating Artifact

Politsia (I Done & II Done) is not a great game by conventional standards. Its clunky mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and propagandistic narrative make it a niche curiosity rather than a must-play experience. However, its uniqueness—being a government-made FPS—elevates it beyond its technical limitations.

Final Verdict:
✅ Worth experiencing for historians and curious gamers who want to see how governments use interactive media.
❌ Not recommended for mainstream players seeking deep gameplay or narrative complexity.

Legacy Rating: 6/10 – A fascinating experiment in propaganda gaming, but one that remains overshadowed by more polished examples of the genre.

Politsia is a time capsule—a game that reflects Georgia’s political ambitions, technological capabilities, and cultural identity in the early 2010s. It may not be a masterpiece, but it is undeniably important as a historical artifact in the evolution of video games as tools of statecraft.

For those willing to look past its flaws, Politsia offers a rare glimpse into a world where governments don’t just regulate games—they make them. And in that regard, it is one of a kind.