Buy Just Power: The Papal States PC key

Just Power: The Papal States is a turn-based political simulator set in a corrupt and faction-ridden Church of Rome. As you rise through its hierarchy, you decide whether to pursue the Church’s supremacy, your family’s power, or both. You can protect the faith from heresy or join heretics to reform the Church; how you seek power is up to you.

Govern the Church

Work your way from priest in a remote diocese toward becoming Pope. Appoint bishops, choose members of the College of Cardinals and appoint the boards of important congregations and institutions. You can also try to ensure that your successor is a family member.

Even without becoming Pope, you can govern a bishopric and manage its resources. Invest in good works or divert funds to yourself and your relatives. You also decide taxes, sentences and other regulations, including the penalty for taking a bribe.

Build your family’s power

Promote friends and relatives, create solemnly named but useless offices for them, and give those positions large salaries. Your family’s fortunes can outlast your character: place relatives in powerful positions and leave your heirs to carry on your plans.

To secure positions and favours, you can bribe, blackmail people whose secrets you know or, if necessary, kill. You can also use earthly courts against your enemies, while interpreting the law more leniently for your friends.

Investigations and heresy

Use the Holy Office, the Church’s Congregation for finding and destroying its enemies, to investigate threats to Rome. You decide whether those threats are heretics, corruption or rivals to your family. You can persecute heretics or join them in an effort to reform the Church.

Relations with other kingdoms

Other European sovereigns seek influence in the affairs of the Holy See. Deal with the courts of Europe, defend the Church’s interests and make agreements to keep souls under Rome’s authority.