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There have been plenty of games about real events and times, from World War II to 16th-century feudal Japan; many folks, gamers included, are enthralled by the concept of historical fiction and the experiences it provides in all different types of media. The ability to play through a part of the world's history as a particular person in a certain place brings new light to the times, often made all the more dramatic with a touch of imagination. It seems fitting, then, that given recent historic events in the United Kingdom, we should be graced with a game about... Brexit?
That said, we should make it clear that Her Majesty's SPIFFING (yes, that's in capitals) is not a game about Brexit. Technically, it's a game about what happens after the EU referendum of June 2016, when Queen Elizabeth II decides to disband the country's government and return it to a state of autocracy, sending astronauts into space to create a new empire as part of a space program called SPIFFING. Yes, it does stand for something: Special Planetary Investigative Force For Inhabiting New Galaxies. You take on the role of Captain Frank Lee English and his Welsh colleague Aled Jones, as they travel the galaxy in the HMSS Imperialise - basically a modded Mini Cooper - in search of new lands to claim.
Her Majesty's SPIFFING is an adventure game with some inspiration taken from the point-and-click genre. You play as Captain English throughout the game, walking around areas to find clues and useful items that will help you to progress through the story. As you collect items, you can use these in some quirky ways, or combine them with other items to create other helpful paraphernalia. Everything you collect has a specific use, so you'll know you're not meant to use something if the game won't let you. Usually, though, you'll receive some indication of how you can use an item; even if you pick something up before you need it, you'll be able to take it from your inventory as soon as it's hinted that you can use it for something. A small number of tasks can be confusing, and some need to be done in order, so you might feel stuck if you try to do something early and it doesn't work; still, in most cases, it's relatively easy to understand what the game's asking you to do.
As well as using items you've collected, you can also interact with the environment and other characters at times, which also enables you to progress; some items can be interacted with just for the fun of it, although this can be confusing at times, when you wonder if they're actually meant to do anything. In some cases, the ways in which you complete tasks, respond to dialogue, or use items can cause a slight branch in the way the story progresses, although you'll almost always end up with the same result anyway. It still helps up to break up the linearity of the game on future replays, which is a welcome inclusion in a game that could have easily gone from A to B with no added fuss.
Part of the reason those options are so welcome is that the game is undeniably short. Your first play might take a couple of hours, but once you've got the hang of what's going on, replaying the story isn't likely to take much more than an hour at a time. It does make for a very easily replayable game, however, and it's fun to try different things and see what sort of reaction you get from the characters. Once you know what's going on, it's even fun to play in a single session, and having played through it a few times already, we still get the urge to do just that from time to time.
One of the biggest charms about Her Majesty's SPIFFING is its undeniably British wit, with stereotypical puns, references to cultural icons, and pointed jabs at some British things that (mostly) deserve it. If you're a fan of national stereotypes, whether it's corgis or cups of tea, this is the game for you; it even manages to cram in a few other stereotypes as well, and of course it's all in the name of good humour. There's even an American audio option, which is exactly the same as the standard option, but with an added laugh track after each joke - just in case you don't quite get our strange sense of humour.
In terms of presentation, the game's relatively simplistic soundtrack includes sound effects and voice acting, both of which impress and sit well within the tone of the game, particularly some of the deadpan lines from the two main characters. It impresses visually as well, and although the graphics aren't earth-shattering, they again fit the game's unique feel. The menus and controls are explained at the beginning of the game, and despite the controls taking a little bit of getting used to at first, these are as basic as they need to be - there are no overcomplicated submenus or button combos to have to worry about here.
Her Majesty's SPIFFING does a great job of creating satire out of a bunch of political and societal elements without causing an ounce of outrage, instead providing plenty of humour and wit throughout. It's a very short story, but one that's easy to go back to in the same way that you can watch a favourite film multiple times. We just wish the game was longer, as its memorable characters and funny script deserve to shine, but it remains an experience that's as enjoyable as it is utterly crackpot at times. Brits in space might not sound very enticing - and that's coming from a Brit - but its gameplay and humour make this a charming game to play through.