Today, we have the pleasure of presenting the review of Oceania 2084. First of all, we would like to thank Johan C. Eriksson, the author of the game, and his independent label, Jocher Games, for sending us a physical copy of the manual.
Those who find this review interesting can purchase the manual on itch.io at the price of 20 dollars for the digital version, a little over 17 euros. A demo of the game is also available and, during the Kickstarter campaign, the author also decided to offer the possibility of purchasing community copies. These are copies made available by backers for those who cannot afford to buy the game.
All the illustrations in this review (not the typographical cut outs) were created by Mika Edström, who has expertly given an accurate and evocative visual feedback to the stories proposed in the manual.
Review of Oceania 2084: The Game
Ethics is one of the central values of Oceania 2084: it is a dystopian, collective, and uncompromising role-playing game inspired by George Orwell’s masterpiece (which, as the title suggests, referred to events that occurred a century earlier) but updated to reflect the anxieties of our time. This RPG, set in a decaying and hyper-controlled version of the future world, puts players in the shoes of desperate members of the Resistance living under the yoke of the Conglomerate, the spiritual heir of Orwell’s Party. Johan spoke at length about what drove him to create Oceania 2084 in an interview he gave us when the game was still in the crowdfunding phase.
You do not play for adventure, but to resist until the last inch.
A Dystopian Setting
The world of Oceania 2084 is a neoliberal-fascist version of the future where everything is controlled, tracked, and silenced. The Party has transformed into the Conglomerate, and the ministries still bear ironically sinister names, such as the Ministry of Love, Truth, or Peace. Big Brother is everywhere, and it is interpreted by whoever plays the role of the master, at least in its specific version for this game.
The other players, on the other hand, portray citizens living seemingly normal lives. PCs work, eat, have children (if authorised), and socialise (cautiously). And every now and then, they let themselves have a dangerous thought. They allow themselves a small dissent, a kind gesture. A forbidden thought that introduces them, willingly or not, into the Resistance.
Oceania 2084: Review of the Game Philosophy
The game does not have a true action resolution system. The function of the dice is to determine whether the character manages to maintain their emotional integrity, or if Big Brother has decreed that they have crossed an unacceptable threshold. Actions, the Acts, can potentially be a thoughtcrime.
Did you hug a friend? THOUGHTCRIME.
Did you write an ambiguous message? THOUGHTCRIME.
Did you cry during a Conglomerate advertisement? Probably THOUGHTCRIME.
Each player must choose personal and corporate values and a dominant emotion, be it anger, sadness, apathy, or any other from the emotional spectrum. They also have points for Hope, Trust, and Love as resources, and, above all, a secret Deviation from the rigid standards imposed by the system.
The player who takes on the role of Big Brother, the state authority, is not a traditional narrator. It is rather a narrative and repressive authority. Each Act generates Suspicion points, which can be spent to interrogate, punish, or vaporise.
The Mechanics
The game system of Oceania 2084 is narrative and regulated more by authority than by chance. This mechanics revolve around the management of Emotions, Values (both personal and those of the Conglomerate), and the three resources available to the characters. The role of Big Brother as controller/opponent is central to the game experience, and this too mainly takes place through the use of Suspicion points. The rules deliberately create a tense, claustrophobic, and ruthless game environment.
Characters are created by choosing a social class. A Proletarian is less monitored but completely irrelevant in terms of influence. The Bureaucrat is perfectly integrated into the system but under constant surveillance. The Official is constantly teetering between privilege and complete control. There are no levels or equipment: the “options” are emotional, relational, and tragic. You can choose to trust someone, to cry in secret, to remember a forbidden dream. And each of these choices can cost the character their life. The game flow is divided into typical days with six phases (morning, work, lunch, work, free time, night).
Review of the Game Flow of Oceania 2084
Each phase requires players to perform 1 to 6 Acts in a shared, fluid, and often disturbing narrative. This is because the focus is not on what the character manages to do, but on how long they can resist before the system breaks them. Physical confrontation is quite rare, as the game centres primarily on emotional, social, and political tension. The key moments are not street fights or espionage, but interrogations, small transgressions, and brief yet vital human connections. Failing a test means giving in to emotion, and in the worst cases, doing so publicly.
Beyond the rules and the distressing setting, the manual offers three different game modes. The Call for Rebellion opposes Big Brother’s objective—maintaining power—to that set for the rest of the group. The Narrative mode has a thematic focus, unfolding across several chapters. While The Relational Sandbox instead focuses on the network of relationships that forms between the characters and the social environment in which they live. There is also a section dedicated to solo play.
The Added Value of the Game
This manual, pocket-sized and with extremely refined graphics, is intentionally sparse in illustrations, except for photos that only amplify the repressive theme underlying every aspect of the game. The layout is crafted with great care, as is every single detail of this game. The game management tools, sheets, and tables are frequent and extremely useful.
However, what gives the game the greatest added value is the post-game emotional decompression section. It is a detailed guide for stepping out of the character’s shoes, sharing emotions, and taking a deep breath. Oceania 2084 is a game that does not shy away from the concept of bleeding; on the contrary, it openly seeks the player’s pain through the character. It draws it out, amplifies it, and transforms it into a lesson. Into a warning.
Conclusions of the Review of Oceania 2084
Oceania 2084 hurts. It wants to and must do so; that is its goal. This makes it a game not suitable for everyone. Oppression, isolation, constant surveillance, and the overall state control of every aspect of a person’s identity are powerful themes. It is not a casual role-playing game, nor is it suitable for those looking for a pastime or distraction. And this is precisely why it is a game that is not for everyone and that everyone should play.
It is a call to play as a political and human act, using imagination to tell uncomfortable and personal truths. It does not teach how to fight, but teaches the concept of resistance and its value. Oceania 2084 and its author are something we deeply need, now more than ever.
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